1Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.
1 Danga hayni waate neezu*, Danga heemar waate hari, Yaadin no beeray si hagu saamo se.
2Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn’t come to rest.
2 Danga sasa kaŋ go nga bar-bare yaŋo gaa, Danga kumbu-hanga nga deesiyaŋo ra, Yaadin no laaliyaŋ kaŋ sinda daliili si di.
3A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools!
3 Barzu go bari sabbay se, Alkaabe mo farka se, goobu mo saamey banda sabbay se.
4Don’t answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.
4 Ma si saamo sanni ye a se a saamotara hina me, Zama ni ma si ciya a cine.
5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
5 Ma tu saamo se a saamotara boŋ, Zama a ma si te laakalkoy nga boŋ diyaŋ gaa.
6One who sends a message by the hand of a fool is cutting off feet and drinking violence.
6 Boro kaŋ na samba daŋ saamo kambe ra, Nga bumbo ce no a goono ga dumbu, a ga toonye ŋwa mo.
7Like the legs of the lame that hang loose: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
7 Danga mate kaŋ simbarko cey sinda gaabi, Yaadin no misa ga hima saamo me ra.
8As one who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor to a fool.
8 Danga boro kaŋ ga tondi haw finga-finga ra, Yaadin cine no boro kaŋ na saamo beerandi ga hima.
9Like a thornbush that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
9 Danga karji kaŋ ga furo nangu mooro baji hanko kambe ra, Yaadin cine no yaasay ga hima saamey me ra.
10As an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool or he who hires those who pass by.
10 Danga gaw kaŋ ga hay kulu hay ka maray, Yaadin no boro kaŋ na saamo sufuray, Da boro kaŋ na bisakoyaŋ sufuray ga hima.
11As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.
11 Danga hansi kaŋ ye nga yeero do, Yaadin mo no saamo kaŋ ye ka nga saamotara goyo te ga hima.
12Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
12 Ni ga di boro kaŋ gonda laakal nga boŋ diyaŋo gaa? Saamo gonda beeje ka bisa bora din.
13The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion roams the streets!”
13 Hawfuno ne: «Muusu beeri futo go no fonda boŋ, Muusu go no batama ra!»
14As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed.
14 Danga mate kaŋ fu me daabirji ga bare nga guurey boŋ, Yaadin cine no hawfuno mo ga bare nga daarijo boŋ.
15The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
15 Hawfuno ga nga kambe daŋ hawru ra, Amma a ga maa a tiŋay nga m'a kaa ka kond'a nga meyo do.
16The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.
16 Hawfuno gonda laakal nga boŋ diyaŋ gaa, Hal a ga bisa boro iyye wane kaŋ yaŋ ga waani ka sanni ye da fayanka.
17Like one who grabs a dog’s ears is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own.
17 Boro kaŋ goono ga bisa, A na nga boŋ kankam da yanje kaŋ manti a wane no, A ga hima boro kaŋ na hansi di a hangey gaa.
18Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death,
18 Danga boŋ-komay-koy kaŋ ga yulbe da hangaw da buuyaŋ catu,
19is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “Am I not joking?”
19 Yaadin no boro kaŋ na nga gorokasin halli ga hima. A ma ne mo: «Manti ay goono ga fooru no?»
20For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down.
20 Tuuri-jaŋay se no danji ga bu. Naŋ kaŋ kormotante si no mo, yanje ga ban.
21As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife.
21 Danga mate kaŋ danji-bi go danj'izey se, Tuuri mo go danji se, Yaadin no boro kaŋ ga kakaw ga hima yanje tunandiyaŋ se.
22The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, they go down into the innermost parts.
22 Kormotante sanney ga hima biniyay loomayaŋ, I ga furo no jina haray gunde lokotey ra.
23Like silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.
23 Me kaŋ ga waasu nda bine laalo, I g'i himandi nda car-cambu kaŋ i taalam da nzarfu ziibo.
24A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but he harbors evil in his heart.
24 Boro kaŋ gonda konnari ga munaficitaray te nda nga meyo, Amma halliyaŋ no a goono ga jisi nga bina ra.
25When his speech is charming, don’t believe him; for there are seven abominations in his heart.
25 Saaya kaŋ a ga sanni kaaney te, Ma s'a no cimi, Zama fanta hari iyye no ka bara a bina ra.
26His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
26 Baa kaŋ a konnaro goono ga daabu nda gulinci, A laalayaŋo ga fun taray marga jine.
27Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
27 Boro kulu kaŋ na guusu fansi, Nga bumbo no ga kaŋ a ra. Koyne, boro kulu kaŋ na tondi gunguray, Tondo ga ye ka kaŋ a boŋ.
28A lying tongue hates those it hurts; and a flattering mouth works ruin.
28 Deene kaŋ na tangari te ga konna borey kaŋ yaŋ a maray. Me-kaanay meyo mo, zeeriyaŋ goy n'a ga te.