Lododowo 21
1 Fia la ƒe dzi le Yehowa ƒe asi me; efiaa mɔe wòtoa afi sia afi si wòlɔ̃ la abe ale si woɖea toƒe na tsi si si tso tsidzɔtsoƒe ene.
The Lord directs the king's decisions like a stream of water that he sends whichever way he wants.
2 Ŋutsu ƒe mɔwo katã dzea eŋu gake Yehowae daa dziwo kpɔ.
People think that whatever they do is fine, but the Lord looks at their motives.
3 Nu dzɔdzɔe kple nu si le eteƒe wɔwɔ doa dzidzɔ na Yehowa wu vɔsa.
Doing what's right and fair pleases the Lord more than sacrifices.
4 Ŋku gã kple dzi si me dada le lae nye ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe akaɖi, evɔ wòhenye nu vɔ̃.
Pride and arrogance are the sins the wicked live by.
5 Vevidonula ƒe ɖoɖoɖowo hea viɖe vɛ nenema kee dzitsitsi hea ahedada vɛ.
Those who plan ahead and work hard will have plenty, while those who act rashly end up poor.
6 Kesinɔnu si wotsɔ alakpaɖe kpɔe la nu va yina kaba abe ƒuƒu ene eye wònye mɔ si ŋu aɖi vɔ̃ɖi le.
Money made by lies is like smoke in the wind—a chase that ends in death.
7 Ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe ŋutasẽnuwɔwɔ ahe wo adzoe elabena wogbe be yewomawɔ nu nyui o.
The destruction caused by the wicked will destroy them, for they refuse to do what's right.
8 Fɔɖila ƒe mɔ le gɔdɔ̃gɔdɔ̃ gake fɔmaɖila ƒe nuwɔwɔ le dzɔdzɔe.
Guilty people live crooked lives, but the innocent follow straight paths.
9 Enyo be woanɔ dzogoe dzi le xɔta wu be woanɔ xɔ ɖeka me kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla.
It's better to live in a corner of a housetop than to share a whole house with an argumentative wife.
10 Nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ dzroa ame vɔ̃ɖi vevie, mekpɔa nublanui na ehavi o.
Evil people love to do wrong, they don't care what pain they cause anyone.
11 Ne wohe to na fewuɖula la, bometsilawo dzea nunya; ne wofia nu nunyala la, sidzedze sua esi.
When a mocker is punished, an immature person can learn wisdom. When the wise are educated, they gain knowledge.
12 Dzɔdzɔetɔ la ɖea ŋku ɖe ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe aƒe ŋu, eye wòhea gbegblẽ vaa ame vɔ̃ɖi la dzi.
The God of justice sees what happens in the homes of the wicked, and brings the wicked down in disaster.
13 Ne ame aɖe do toku ame dahe ƒe ɣlidodo la, ne eya hã do ɣli la, ame aɖeke masee nɛ o.
If you refuse to hear the cries of the poor, your cries won't be heard either.
14 Nunana si wona le adzame la faa dziku nu eye zãnu si woɣla ɖe awu ʋlaya te hafi tsɔ vɛ la léa avu dziku helĩhelĩ.
A gift given in secret calms down anger, and a hidden bribe soothes furious rage.
15 Afia nyui tsotso hea dzidzɔ vɛ na ame dzɔdzɔe, ke ehea ŋɔdzi vɛ na vɔ̃ wɔlawo.
When justice is done, the good are happy, but it brings terror to those who do evil.
16 Ŋutsu si tra tso gɔmesese ƒe mɔ dzi la va dzudzɔna le ame kukuwo ƒe ha me.
Anyone who wanders away from the path of understanding ends up with the dead.
17 Ame si lɔ̃a agbeɖuɖu la azu hiãtɔ eye ame si lɔ̃a wain kple ami la makpɔ hotsui o.
If you love pleasure you'll become poor; if you love wine and olive oil you won't ever be rich.
18 Ame vɔ̃ɖi zua avulénu ɖe ame dzɔdzɔe teƒe eye nenema ke nuteƒemawɔla ɖea nuteƒewɔla nu.
The wicked pay the price and not the good; those who are deceitful and not those who live right.
19 Enyo be nànɔ dzogbe wu be nànɔ anyi kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla kple dɔmedzoedola.
It's better to live in a desert than with an argumentative and bad-tempered wife.
20 Nuɖuɖu vivi kple ami bɔ ɖe nunyala ƒe aƒe me fũu, gake bometsila ɖua nu sia nu si le esi.
The wise hold on to their wealth and olive oil, but stupid people use up everything they have.
21 Ame si tia dzɔdzɔenyenye kple lɔlɔ̃ la, tia agbe, dzidzedze kple bubu.
If you pursue goodness and trustworthy love, you'll find life, prosperity, and honor.
22 Nunyala dze kalẽtɔ ƒe du dzi eye wòmu mɔ sesẽ si ŋu wole dzi ɖom ɖo la ƒu anyi.
The wise can overcome a city belonging to strong warriors, and tear down the fortress they trusted to protect them.
23 Ame si kpɔa eƒe nu kple eƒe aɖe dzi la, ɖea eɖokui tso dzɔgbevɔ̃e me.
If you watch what you say, you can save yourself a lot of trouble.
24 Ŋutsu dadala, ɖokuiŋudzela, si wɔa nu tovo kple dada la, eyae woyɔna be, “Fewuɖula.”
A proud, conceited, mocker—that's the name of those who act with insolent arrogance.
25 Kuviatɔ ƒe nudzodzro ahe ku vɛ nɛ, elabena eƒe asiwo gbe be yewomawɔ dɔ o.
Slackers die hungry because they refuse to work.
26 Ele nu dzrom ŋkeke blibo la, ke ame dzɔdzɔe la nana faa, eye metea ame o.
Some people only want more and more all the time, but the good give generously.
27 Ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe vɔsa nye ŋunyɔnu, kaka wòahanye be etsɔe vɛ kple susu vɔ̃ɖi.
The sacrifices given by the wicked are obnoxious, worse still when they're offered with evil motives.
28 Aʋatsoɖasefo atsrɔ̃ eye ame si ɖoa toe la atsrɔ̃ gbidigbidi.
The lies of a false witness vanish away, but the words of a reliable witness will stand.
29 Ame vɔ̃ɖi ɖoa mo kplala ɖi, ke dzɔdzɔetɔ léa ŋku ɖe eƒe mɔwo ŋu.
The wicked act as bold as brass, but those who live right consider carefully what they're doing.
30 Nunya, gɔmesese kple ɖoɖo aɖeke meli si adze edzi o, ne etsi tsitre ɖe Yehowa ŋu.
Whatever wisdom, understanding, or guidance you may have is nothing before the Lord.
31 Woblaa akpa na sɔ ɖe aʋakpegbe ŋu, gake Yehowa ƒe asimee dziɖuɖu ya le.
You can get your horse ready for battle, but the victory is the Lord's.
