Proverbs 13
1 Children who are wise (pay attention/heed it) when their parents discipline/correct them; but foolish children do not pay attention when someone rebukes them [for their bad behavior].
Vi nyanu ɖoa to fofoa ƒe amehehe, ke fewuɖula metsɔa ɖeke le mokaname me o.
2 Good people are rewarded [IDM] for the good things [MET] that they say, but those who desire to deceive others are [very] eager to act violently.
Ame ƒe nu ƒe kutsetsee wòtsɔna ɖua nu nyuiwoe, ke nuteƒemawɔlawo ƒe dzi tsi dzi ɖe nu vlo wɔwɔ ŋuti.
3 Those who are [very] careful about what they say [MTY] will live a long life; those who talk (without thinking/too much) will ruin themselves.
Ame si dzɔa eƒe nuyiwo ŋuti la dzɔa eƒe agbe ŋuti, ke ame si kea nu kabakaba la atsrɔ̃.
4 People who are lazy want things very much, but they will not get anything [HYP]. People who work hard will get all that they want.
Nu dzroa kuviatɔ vevie gake mekpɔa naneke o, ke vevidonula ƒe didiwo vaa eme nɛ.
5 Righteous/Honest people hate/detest lies, but what wicked people do (is very disgraceful/stinks) [DOU].
Ame dzɔdzɔe léa fu alakpanya, ke ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ya hea ŋukpe kple vlododo vɛ.
6 The behavior [PRS] of those who always do what is right will protect them, but sinful [behavior will] ruin wicked people.
Dzɔdzɔenyenye dzɔa ŋutsu fɔmaɖila ƒe agbe ŋuti, ke vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi léa nu vɔ̃ wɔla ƒua anyi.
7 Some people who have nothing pretend to be rich, but other people who are very rich pretend to be poor.
Ame aɖe wɔna abe kesinɔtɔe wònye ene, evɔ naneke mele esi o, ame bubu wɔa eɖokui ame dahee, evɔ kesinɔnu geɖe le esi.
8 Rich people are able to pay people who want to kill them, [with the result that they will be protected, not killed], but poor people [do not have to worry about that because] no one threatens to kill them.
Ame ƒe kesinɔnuwo ate ŋu aƒle eƒe agbe ta gake ame dahe mesea ŋɔdzidoname aɖeke o.
9 Righteous [people] are like a lamp [MET] that shines brightly, but wicked [people] are like [MET] a lamp that will [soon] be extinguished.
Ame dzɔdzɔe ƒe kekeli klẽna nyuie, ke wotsia ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe akaɖi.
10 [People] who are arrogant/proud [always] cause strife; those who are wise ask [other people] for good advice.
Dzre sɔŋ ko dada hena vɛ, ke nunya tsoa aƒe ɖe ame siwo sea aɖaŋu la gbɔ.
11 Those who acquire a lot of money quickly [by doing what is wrong, probably] will lose it [quickly], but if people earn money slowly, the amount of money they have will 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 When people do not receive the things that they are expecting to receive, (it causes them to despair/they become very sad); but if you receive what you are desiring to get, that [will be like a tree] [MET] [whose fruit gives you] life (OR, that will cause you to be joyful).
Mɔkpɔkpɔ si woɖe ɖa la nana dzi léa dɔ, ke didi si va eme la nye agbeti.
13 Those who despise [the good] advice [that others give them] are bringing ruin on themselves; those who pay attention to that advice will (be secure/succeed).
Ame si doa vlo amehehe la xɔa eŋufetu, ke ame si ɖoa to sedede la xɔa eteƒeɖoɖo.
14 What wise [people] teach is [like] a fountain whose [water] gives life [MET]; what they teach you will help you to escape when something dangerous is threatening to kill you [MET].
Nunyala ƒe nufiafia nye agbevudo, eye wòɖea ame tso ku ƒe mɔkawo me.
15 [People] respect those who have good sense, but those who cannot be trusted are on the road to being ruined/destroyed (OR, will have a lot of difficulties/troubles).
Gɔmesese nyui hea amenuveve vanɛ, ke nuteƒemawɔlawo ƒe mɔ dzi sesẽna.
16 Those who have good sense always think carefully/wisely before they do something; foolish people show [by what they say and do] that they are foolish.
Nunyala ɖe sia ɖe wɔa nu kple gɔmesese, ke bometsila ɖea eƒe bometsitsi fiana.
17 Messengers who are not reliable cause trouble, but those who faithfully [deliver their messages] cause people to act peacefully.
Dɔtsɔla vɔ̃ɖi gena ɖe dzɔgbevɔ̃e me, ke dɔtsɔla si wɔa nuteƒe la hea dɔyɔyɔ vanɛ.
18 Those who refuse to pay attention when others discipline/correct them will become poor and disgraced; [people] respect those who accept it when they are rebuked [for their bad behavior].
Ame si do toku amehehe la, ahedada kple ŋukpe vaa edzi, ke wodea bubu ame si lɔ̃a mokaname ŋuti.
19 It is delightful to receive what we desire; foolish people hate/refuse to turn away from doing evil.
Didi si vaa eme la vivina na luʋɔ, ke vɔ̃tsitsri nye ŋunyɔ na bometsilawo.
20 Those who habitually associate with wise people become wise; those who (are close friends of/associate with) foolish people will (regret it/be ruined).
Ame si zɔna kple nunyala la, dzea nunya, ke ame si dzea xɔ̃ bometsilawo la gena ɖe fuwɔame me.
21 Sinners have trouble [PRS] wherever they go, but things will go well for righteous [people].
Dzɔgbevɔ̃e tia vɔ̃wɔla yome gake dzɔgbenyui nye ame dzɔdzɔe ƒe fetu.
22 When good people [die], their grandchildren inherit their money; but when sinners [die], the money that they had will end up in the hands of righteous [people].
Ame nyui gblẽa domenyinu ɖi na via ƒe viwo, ke woɖoa ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe kesinɔnuwo ɖi na ame dzɔdzɔewo.
23 [Sometimes] poor [people’s] fields produce plenty of food, but unjust people take away all that food.
Ame dahe ƒe agble wɔa nuku geɖe, ke amebaba kplɔnɛ dzonae.
24 Those who do not punish their children [for bad behavior] do not [really] love them; those who love their children start to discipline them when the children are still young.
Ame si vea nu le ameƒoti gbɔ la léa fu via, ke ame si lɔ̃a via la kpɔa egbɔ be yehee nyuie.
25 Righteous [people] have enough food to eat and be satisfied, but the stomachs of wicked [people] [SYN] are [always] empty.
Ame dzɔdzɔe ɖua nu ɖia ƒo, ke dɔ wua ame vɔ̃ɖi ya.
