¹These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

¹ Woone yaŋ mo Suleymanu yaasayyaŋ no, kaŋ Yahuda bonkoono Hezeciya borey hantum:

²It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

² Irikoy darza no i ma hariyaŋ tugu, Amma bonkooney beeray ga ti i ma sanni fintal.

³As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

³ Beeney kuuyaŋo, da ganda guusuyaŋo, Da bonkooney biney, i kulu si fintal.

⁴Take away the dross from the silver, and material comes out for the refiner;

⁴ I ma ziibi kaa nzarfu ra, Sintili mo ga fatta, zam goy teeyaŋ hari no.

⁵Take away the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.

⁵ I ma boro laaley ganandi ka kaa bonkooney jine, A karga mo ga sinji adilitaray ra.

⁶Don’t exalt yourself in the presence of the king, or claim a place among great men;

⁶ Ma si ni boŋ zamu bonkooni jine, Ma si kay mo aru beerey kayyaŋ nangu ra.

⁷for it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,” than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen.

⁷ Zama i ma ne ni se: «Hay! Kaaru ka kaa neewo» ga bisa i ma ni kaynandi boro beeri jine, Nga kaŋ ni moy di.

⁸Don’t be hasty in bringing charges to court. What will you do in the end when your neighbor shames you?

⁸ Ma si fatta nda cahãyaŋ yanje teeyaŋ se, Zama a ma si ciya kokor banda ni ma jaŋ haŋ kaŋ ni ga te waati kaŋ ni gorokasin na ni haawandi.

⁹Debate your case with your neighbor, and don’t betray the confidence of another;

⁹ Ma ni sanni fintalyaŋ te, Nin da ni gorokasin hinne game ra, Ma si boro fo gundu bangandi.

¹⁰lest one who hears it put you to shame, and your bad reputation never depart.

¹⁰ A ma si ciya nga, bora kaŋ maa din ma ni foy, ni goy yaamey baaro mo si ban.

¹¹A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

¹¹ Sanni kaŋ hagu nga alwaati ra, A ga hima wura gudeyaŋ nzarfu cillayaŋ ra.

¹²As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to an obedient ear.

¹² Danga wura hanga korbay da taalam wura kaŋ i ziiri, Yaadin no boro kaŋ go ga kaseeti nda laakal ga hima hanga kaŋ ga sanni gana se.

¹³As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the soul of his masters.

¹³ Danga neezu* yeeno cine heemar waate, Yaadin mo no diya cimikoy ga hima borey kaŋ n'a donton yaŋ se, Zama a ga nga koyey biney yeenandi.

¹⁴As clouds and wind without rain, so is he who boasts of gifts deceptively.

¹⁴ Danga beene hirriyaŋ da haw kaŋ sinda hari, Yaadin mo no boro kaŋ ga fooma te da nga nooyaŋey tangari boŋ.

¹⁵By patience a ruler is persuaded. A soft tongue breaks the bone.

¹⁵ Suuru kuuku no i ga ciitiko candi nd'a, Deene kaŋ ga baan mo ga biri ceeri.

¹⁶Have you found honey? Eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you eat too much, and vomit it.

¹⁶ Ni du yu, wala? To. Ma ŋwa haŋ kaŋ ga wasa ni se, Zama ni ma si bini nd'a ka kungu, Hala ni m'a yeeri.

¹⁷Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor’s house, lest he be weary of you, and hate you.

¹⁷ Ni ce ma si taamu ni gorokasin kwaara kala alwaati-alwaati, Zama a ma si farga nda nin, Hal a ma konna nin.

¹⁸A man who gives false testimony against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.

¹⁸ Boro kaŋ ga tangari seeda te nga gorokasin boŋ wo goobu, da takuba, Da hangaw kaŋ meyo gonda deene no.

¹⁹Confidence in someone unfaithful in time of trouble is like a bad tooth, or a lame foot.

¹⁹ D'i de naanay ŋwaako gaa taabi jirbey ra, Danga hinje kaŋ ceeri no, wala ce kaŋ goori.

²⁰As one who takes away a garment in cold weather, or vinegar on soda, so is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

²⁰ Danga boro kaŋ ga kwaay kaa hargu waate, Danga boosay hari soso ra, Yaadin mo no boro kaŋ ga doon bine-saray-koy se ga hima.

²¹If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink:

²¹ Da ni ibara haray, M'a no ŋwaari a ma ŋwa. D'a jaw, m'a no hari a ma haŋ.

²²for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and Yahweh will reward you.

²² Zama woodin teeyaŋ gaa no ni ga danj'ize gusam a boŋo boŋ. Rabbi ga ni no alhakku mo.

²³The north wind brings forth rain: so a backbiting tongue brings an angry face.

²³ Azawa kambe haw ga kande hari. Yaadin mo no deene mimandakom ga moyduma sarayaŋ candi ka kande.

²⁴It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than to share a house with a contentious woman.

²⁴ Boro ma goro lokoto ra fu boŋ ga bisa boro ma goro fu beeri ra wayboro kosongukoy banda.

²⁵Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

²⁵ Danga hari yeeno boro kaŋ farga se, Yaadin mo no baaru hanno kaŋ fun laabu mooro ga hima.

²⁶Like a muddied spring, and a polluted well, so is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.

²⁶ Danga bangu kaŋ butugu, wala day kaŋ ziibi, Yaadin mo no adilante ga hima kaŋ bare ka teeni boro laaley jine.

²⁷It is not good to eat much honey; nor is it honorable to seek one’s own honor.

²⁷ Yu ŋwaari boobo si boori. Yaadin mo no a mana hagu borey ma darza ceeci ngey boŋ se.

²⁸Like a city that is broken down and without walls is a man whose spirit is without restraint.

²⁸ Bora kaŋ mana hin nga boŋ ga hima kwaara kaŋ bagu, Kaŋ birni cinari mana cindi a se.