1Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
1 Ay izey, wa maa baaba lordi*. Wa hangan zama araŋ ma fahamay bay.
2for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
2 Zama dondonandiyaŋ hanno no ay g'araŋ no. Araŋ ma si fay d'ay lordey.
3For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
3 Zama waato ay ya ize no kaŋ ga maa ay baaba se, Ize kwaaso mo ay nya se.
4He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
4 Ay baaba n'ay dondonandi mo. A ne ay se: «Ni bina m'ay sanney wo gaay. Ni m'ay lordey gana, ka funa.»
5Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, neither swerve from the words of my mouth.
5 Ma du laakal. Ma du fahamay. Ma si diny'a. Ma si fay d'ay me sanney ganayaŋ.
6Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
6 Ma s'a furu, nga mo ga ni hallasi. Ni ma ba r'a, nga mo ga ni haggoy.
7Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
7 Laakal, nga no ga bisa hay kulu, Ma du laakal binde. Oho me, A banda da ni jin ka du a, ma du fahamay.
8Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor, when you embrace her.
8 M'a beerandi, a ga ni daŋ jina. A ga ni no darza waato kaŋ ni n'a ganday.
9She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”
9 A ga te ni se gomni taalam ni boŋo gaa. A ga ni no koytaray fuula darzakoy.
10Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
10 Ya ay izo, ma maa k'ay sanney ta, Ni fundo mo ga te aloomar.
11I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
11 Ay na ni dondonandi laakal fondo ra. Ay na ni daŋ sasabandiyaŋ laawaley ra.
12When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
12 Da ni ga dira, ni ce daara si kankam, Da ni ga zuru mo, ni si kati.
13Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
13 Ma gaabandi dondonandiyaŋ gaa hala a ma boori, Ma s'a taŋ, m'a haggoy, zama ni fundi nooya.
14Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
14 Ma si furo boro yaamey laawalo ra, Ma si dira boro laaley fonda ra.
15Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
15 Ma hibi ka fun a gaa, ma si gana noodin. Ni ma boŋ bare a gaa ka bisa.
16For they don’t sleep, unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
16 Zama i si jirbi kala nd'i na hasaraw te jina. I ga te mo fasiya mo, Kala nd'i naŋ boro fo ma kati jina.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
17 Zama laala ŋwaari no i ga ŋwa. I goono ga toonye baji haŋ.
18But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day.
18 Amma adilante fonda ga hima mo boyaŋ cine, Kaŋ ga kaari kayna-kayna kala zaaro ma to.
19The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
19 Boro laaley fonda ga hima kubay, I si bay haŋ kaŋ gaa no i ga kati.
20My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
20 Ay izo, ma hangan ay sanney se, Ma ni hanga jeeri ay deda se.
21Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart.
21 I ma si gana ni jine, Ma haggoy d'ey ni bina bindo ra.
22For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
22 Zama fundi no borey kaŋ ga du ey se, Baani no mo i gaahamey kulu se.
23Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
23 Ma ni bina haggoy ka bisa hay kulu kaŋ ni ga haggoy, Zama a ra no fundi fondoyaŋ ga fun.
24Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
24 Ma me-ka-say ganandi ka kaa ni gaa. Meyey kaŋ yaŋ ga sanni yaamo ci ma moor'ey.
25Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
25 Ni moy ma guna jina, Ni mo-kuurey mo ma jina guna.
26Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
26 Ma ni cey laawalo sasabandi, Ni fondey kulu mo ga tabbat.
27Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
27 Ma si kamba kambe ŋwaari wala kambe wow haray, Ma ni ce ganandi ka fun laala do.