Proverbs 3
1 My son, do not forget what I have taught you. Keep my commands in your inner being,
Vinye, mègaŋlɔ nye nufiame be o, eye nàlé nye sededewo ɖe wò dzi me,
2 because [if you obey them] you will live a long time and things will go well for you
elabena woadidi wò agbenɔƒewo ɖe edzi ƒe geɖe, eye woahe dzidzedzekpɔkpɔ vɛ na wò.
3 Always faithfully love others and (be faithful/do what you say that you will do); doing those things [will cause others to be pleased with you]; it will be as though you are wearing a beautiful necklace. Keep those things in your mind/inner being.
Lɔlɔ̃ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ megate ɖa le gbɔwò gbeɖe o, tsɔ wo de kɔ eye nàŋlɔ wo ɖe wò dzi ƒe nuŋlɔkpe dzi.
4 If you do, God and people will approve of you and think highly of you [MTY].
Ekema àkpɔ amenuveve kple ŋkɔ nyui le Mawu kple amewo ŋkume.
5 Trust in Yahweh completely, and do not rely on what you yourself understand.
Ɖo ŋu ɖe Yehowa ŋu kple wò dzi blibo, mègaku ɖe wò ŋutɔ wò nugɔmesese ŋu o;
6 Always allow him to lead you. If you do that, he will (show you the right path/direct your life).
ɖo ŋu ɖe eŋu le wò mɔwo katã dzi ekema awɔ wò toƒewo dzɔdzɔe.
7 Do not be proud of being wise. [Instead], revere Yahweh and turn away from doing evil.
Mèganye nunyala le wò ŋutɔ wò ŋkume o, ke boŋ vɔ̃ Yehowa eye nàtsri vɔ̃.
8 If you do that, your body will be healthy/strong; it will be [like] medicine for you.
Esia ahe dɔyɔyɔ vɛ na wò ŋutilã kple nunyiame vɛ na wò ƒuwo.
9 Honor Yahweh by [what you do with] your money; and [by giving him] the first part of your harvest.
De bubu Yehowa ŋu kple wò kesinɔnuwo kple wò agblemenukuwo ƒe ŋgɔgbetɔwo,
10 If you do that, [you will have a good harvest]. Yahweh will fill your barns [with grain], and your vats/containers will be overflowing with [grape juice for making] wine.
ekema wò avawo ayɔ agbagba, eye wain yeye ayɔ wò ahazewo agbagba.
11 My son, when Yahweh disciplines/corrects you, do not despise it, and if he rebukes you, do not resent it.
Vinye, mègado vlo Yehowa ƒe amehehe o eye mègagbe eƒe mokaname o
12 [I say that] because it is the people whom Yahweh loves that he corrects/reproves, [just] like parents correct/reprove their sons whom they love.
elabena Yehowa ɖɔa ame siwo wòlɔ̃ la ɖo abe ale si fofo wɔna na vi si ƒe nu dzea eŋu la ene.
13 [Yahweh] is pleased with those who become wise and have good understanding.
Woayra ame si ke ɖe nunya ŋu kple ame si si gɔmesese su
14 Being wise and having good understanding is worth more than silver, better than gold.
elabena nunya xɔ asi wu klosalo eye viɖe geɖe le eme wu sika.
15 Being wise is more precious than (jewels/precious stones); there is nothing that you could desire [that would be as valuable] as wisdom.
Asixɔxɔ le eŋu wu adzagba eye nu siwo katã dim nèle la, ɖeke mesɔ kplii o.
16 On the one hand, wisdom [PRS] enables [you] to live a long life, and on the other hand, wisdom enables [you] to become rich and to be honored.
Agbe didi le eƒe ɖusi ƒe asi me, eye kesinɔnuwo kple bubu le eƒe miasi ƒe asi me.
17 If [you] are wise, [your] life will be pleasant, and things will go well [for you].
Eƒe mɔwo nye mɔ siwo dzi vivi le eye ŋutifafa le eƒe toƒewo katã.
18 Wisdom is [like] a tree that gives long life to those who [eagerly] take hold of it, and [Yahweh] is pleased with those who hold onto it tightly.
Enye agbeti na ame siwo xɔ eya amea eye ame siwo ƒe asi su edzi la woayra wo.
19 By his wisdom Yahweh created the earth, and by his understanding he put everything in the skies.
Nunyae Yehowa tsɔ ɖo anyigba la ƒe gɔmeɖokpe anyii eye wòtsɔ gɔmesese ɖo dziƒowo ɖe wo teƒe.
20 By his knowledge [he caused] the water that was beneath the earth to burst forth, and he caused rain to fall from the clouds.
Etsɔ eƒe nunya ma gogloƒewoe eye lilikpowo dzaa zãmu.
21 My son, [always] keep doing things that are right and things that are smart. If you do that,
Vinye, lé afia nyui tsotso kple sidzedze me ɖe asi, mègana woadzo le ŋkuwòme o.
22 you will live [many years] and be honored and respected {people will honor and respect you}.
Woanye agbe na wò kple kɔga aɖo atsyɔ̃ na wò kɔ.
23 If you do what is right and wise, you will [be able to] walk safely, and you will not (stumble/do things that are wrong) [MET].
Ekema àlé wò mɔ atsɔ le dedinɔnɔ me eye wò afɔ maɖiɖi o.
24 You will [be able to] lie down [at night] and not be afraid [of anything], and you will sleep peacefully.
Ne èmlɔ anyi la, màvɔ̃ o, ne èmlɔ anyi la, àdɔ alɔ̃ vivi.
25 You will not be afraid that something disastrous will happen to you or that storms that strike the wicked will strike you,
Mègavɔ̃ ŋɔdzi si ava kpoyi alo gbegblẽ si vaa ame vɔ̃ɖiwo dzi o
26 because you will be confident that Yahweh [will take care of you]. He will not let your foot be caught in a trap/snare.
elabena Yehowa anye wò dzideƒo eye mana wò afɔ naɖo mɔ me o.
27 If you are able to help people who deserve it, do not refuse to help them.
Mègagbe nyuiwɔwɔ na ame siwo dze nɛ, ne ele wò ŋusẽ me be nàwɔe o.
28 If you are able to help someone you interact with, do not say, “Come back later; [perhaps] I can help you tomorrow.”
Mègagblɔ na wò aƒelika be, “Yi nàtrɔ va, etsɔ matsɔe na wò” esi wòle asiwò fifia o.
29 Do not make plans to harm those you interact with regularly, [because] they live near you, and they trust you.
Mègaɖo vɔ̃ ɖe wò aƒelika, ame si le gbɔwò le anukwareɖiɖi me la ŋu o.
30 If someone has not harmed you, do not accuse him [by saying that he has harmed you].
Mègatsɔ nya ɖe ame aɖeke ŋu dzodzro esi mewɔ vɔ̃ aɖeke ɖe ŋuwò o.
31 Do not envy people who [obtain things by] violent actions, and do not imitate/do what they do.
Mègabiã ŋu ŋutsu nu sesẽ wɔla alo azɔ le eƒe mɔ aɖeke dzi o,
32 [I say that] because Yahweh considers such people to be abominable/detestable; but he is a friend to [all] those who do what is right.
elabena Yehowa nyɔa ŋu ŋutsu nu tovo wɔla gake elɔ̃a ame siwo wɔa nu dzɔdzɔe.
33 Yahweh curses the families [MTY] of those who are wicked, but he blesses the families of those who are good/righteous.
Yehowa ƒe fiƒode le ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aƒe dzi, ke eyrana ɖe ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe aƒe dzi.
34 Yahweh makes fun of those who make fun [of others], but he kindly helps those who are humble.
Yehowa ɖua fewu le dadala fewuɖulawo ŋu, ke evea ame siwo bɔbɔa wo ɖokui la nu.
35 Wise [people] will be honored {people will honor wise people}, but foolish people will be dishonored/disgraced.
Nunyalawo nyia bubu ƒe dome, ke bometsilawo la, etsɔa wo dea asi na ŋukpe.
