Proverbs 13
1 A WISE son [heareth] his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.
Vi nyanu ɖoa to fofoa ƒe amehehe, ke fewuɖula metsɔa ɖeke le mokaname me o.
2 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the treacherous [shall eat] violence.
Ame ƒe nu ƒe kutsetsee wòtsɔna ɖua nu nyuiwoe, ke nuteƒemawɔlawo ƒe dzi tsi dzi ɖe nu vlo wɔwɔ ŋuti.
3 He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his life: [but] he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
Ame si dzɔa eƒe nuyiwo ŋuti la dzɔa eƒe agbe ŋuti, ke ame si kea nu kabakaba la atsrɔ̃.
4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
Nu dzroa kuviatɔ vevie gake mekpɔa naneke o, ke vevidonula ƒe didiwo vaa eme nɛ.
5 A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.
Ame dzɔdzɔe léa fu alakpanya, ke ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ya hea ŋukpe kple vlododo vɛ.
6 Righteousness guardeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner.
Dzɔdzɔenyenye dzɔa ŋutsu fɔmaɖila ƒe agbe ŋuti, ke vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi léa nu vɔ̃ wɔla ƒua anyi.
7 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great wealth.
Ame aɖe wɔna abe kesinɔtɔe wònye ene, evɔ naneke mele esi o, ame bubu wɔa eɖokui ame dahee, evɔ kesinɔnu geɖe le esi.
8 The ransom of a man’s life is his riches: but the poor heareth no threatening.
Ame ƒe kesinɔnuwo ate ŋu aƒle eƒe agbe ta gake ame dahe mesea ŋɔdzidoname aɖeke o.
9 The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
Ame dzɔdzɔe ƒe kekeli klẽna nyuie, ke wotsia ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe akaɖi.
10 By pride cometh only contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.
Dzre sɔŋ ko dada hena vɛ, ke nunya tsoa aƒe ɖe ame siwo sea aɖaŋu la gbɔ.
11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall have increase.
Ga si wokpɔ to mɔ fitifiti dzi la nu va yina, ke ame si dia ga vivivi la wɔnɛ be wòdzina ɖe edzi.
12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.
Mɔkpɔkpɔ si woɖe ɖa la nana dzi léa dɔ, ke didi si va eme la nye agbeti.
13 Whoso despiseth the word bringeth destruction on himself: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.
Ame si doa vlo amehehe la xɔa eŋufetu, ke ame si ɖoa to sedede la xɔa eteƒeɖoɖo.
14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
Nunyala ƒe nufiafia nye agbevudo, eye wòɖea ame tso ku ƒe mɔkawo me.
15 Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of the treacherous is rugged.
Gɔmesese nyui hea amenuveve vanɛ, ke nuteƒemawɔlawo ƒe mɔ dzi sesẽna.
16 Every prudent man worketh with knowledge: but a fool spreadeth out folly.
Nunyala ɖe sia ɖe wɔa nu kple gɔmesese, ke bometsila ɖea eƒe bometsitsi fiana.
17 A wicked messenger falleth into evil: but a faithful ambassador is health.
Dɔtsɔla vɔ̃ɖi gena ɖe dzɔgbevɔ̃e me, ke dɔtsɔla si wɔa nuteƒe la hea dɔyɔyɔ vanɛ.
18 Poverty and shame [shall be to] him that refuseth correction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.
Ame si do toku amehehe la, ahedada kple ŋukpe vaa edzi, ke wodea bubu ame si lɔ̃a mokaname ŋuti.
19 The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.
Didi si vaa eme la vivina na luʋɔ, ke vɔ̃tsitsri nye ŋunyɔ na bometsilawo.
20 Walk with wise men, and thou shalt be wise: but the companion of fools shall smart for it.
Ame si zɔna kple nunyala la, dzea nunya, ke ame si dzea xɔ̃ bometsilawo la gena ɖe fuwɔame me.
21 Evil pursueth sinners: but the righteous shall be recompensed with good.
Dzɔgbevɔ̃e tia vɔ̃wɔla yome gake dzɔgbenyui nye ame dzɔdzɔe ƒe fetu.
22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children; and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous.
Ame nyui gblẽa domenyinu ɖi na via ƒe viwo, ke woɖoa ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe kesinɔnuwo ɖi na ame dzɔdzɔewo.
23 Much food [is in] the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed by reason of injustice.
Ame dahe ƒe agble wɔa nuku geɖe, ke amebaba kplɔnɛ dzonae.
24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
Ame si vea nu le ameƒoti gbɔ la léa fu via, ke ame si lɔ̃a via la kpɔa egbɔ be yehee nyuie.
25 The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.
Ame dzɔdzɔe ɖua nu ɖia ƒo, ke dɔ wua ame vɔ̃ɖi ya.
