1Don’t be envious of evil men; neither desire to be with them:
1 Ma si canse boro laaley gaa, Ma si anniya ka goro i banda.
1Be not thou envious against evil men; Neither desire to be with them:
2for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about mischief.
2 Zama i biney goono ga toonye dabariyaŋ te no, I meyey mo goono ga hasaraw hariyaŋ fakaaray.
2For their heart studieth oppression, And their lips talk of mischief.
3Through wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established;
3 Laakal do no boro ga windi cina, Fahamay do mo no i g'a sinji.
3Through wisdom is a house builded; And by understanding it is established;
4by knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure.
4 Bayray do mo no i ga fu-izey toonandi nda arzaka kulu kaŋ gonda darza, Kaŋ yaŋ ga kaan mo.
4And by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and pleasant riches.
5A wise man has great power; and a knowledgeable man increases strength;
5 Laakalkooni gonda gaabi, Oho, boro kaŋ gonda bayray ga tonton da gaabi.
5A wise man is strong; Yea, a man of knowledge increaseth might
6for by wise guidance you wage your war; and victory is in many advisors.
6 Zama laakal saaware do no ni ga ni wongo te, Saawarekoy jama ra zaama go no.
6For by wise guidance thou shalt make thy war; And in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7Wisdom is too high for a fool: he doesn’t open his mouth in the gate.
7 Laakal go beene, a bisa saamo hina, A si nga me fiti faada meyey ra mo.
7Wisdom is too high for a fool: He openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.
8 Boro kaŋ ga laala dabari te, borey ga ne a se zambante.
8He that deviseth to do evil, Men shall call him a mischief-maker.
9The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.
9 Laakal-jaŋay dabarey teeyaŋ ya zunubi no, Dondako mo ya fanta hari no borey se.
9The thought of foolishness is sin; And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
10If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small.
10 Da ni gaa ga yay kankami zaari ra, Ni gaabo ya ikayna fo no.
10If thou faint in the day of adversity, Thy strength is small.
11Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!
11 Ma borey kaŋ yaŋ i go ga konda buuyaŋ do faaba, Ngey kaŋ yaŋ ga tatanji ka koy wiyaŋ do mo, Kala ni m'i gaay.
11Deliver them that are carried away unto death, And those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back.
12If you say, “Behold, we didn’t know this”; doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn’t he know it? Shall he not render to every man according to his work?
12 Da ni ne: «A go, iri mana woodin bay.» Manti biney neesiyaŋ Koyo go ga laakal? Ni fundo kurukwa mo, a mana bay no? A si bana boro kulu se nga goyo alhakku no?
12If thou sayest, Behold, we knew not this; Doth not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? And shall not he render to every man according to his work?
13My son, eat honey, for it is good; the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste:
13 Ay izo, ma yu ŋwa, zama a ga boori. Yu fanta haro mo ga kaan ni meyo ra.
13My son, eat thou honey, for it is good; And the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to thy taste:
14so you shall know wisdom to be to your soul; if you have found it, then there will be a reward, your hope will not be cut off.
14 Yaadin cine no ni ma bay kaŋ laakal ga bara ni fundo se. Da ni n'a gar, suba hanno go no, Hay kulu si ni beeja kaa ni se mo.
14So shalt thou know wisdom to be unto thy soul; If thou hast found it, then shall there be a reward, And thy hope shall not be cut off.
15Don’t lay in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Don’t destroy his resting place:
15 Ya nin, boro laalo, Ma si gum ka lamba adilante nangora se, Ni ma si a fulanzamyaŋo do halaci mo.
15Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous; Destroy not his resting-place:
16for a righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again; but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
16 Zama adilante ga kaŋ sorro iyye, A ga ye ka tun koyne, Amma masiiba ga boro laalo zeeri.
16For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
17Don’t rejoice when your enemy falls. Don’t let your heart be glad when he is overthrown;
17 Ma si farhã da ni ibara kaŋ, Ni bina mo ma si maa kaani d'a kati.
17Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown;
18lest Yahweh see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
18 Zama Rabbi ma si di, a ma dukur mo, A ma bare ka fay da nga bine tuna a boŋ.
18Lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him, And he turn away his wrath from him.
19Don’t fret yourself because of evildoers; neither be envious of the wicked:
19 Ma si ni bina taabandi goy laalo teekoy sabbay se, Ma si canse boro laaley gaa mo.
19Fret not thyself because of evil-doers; Neither be thou envious at the wicked:
20for there will be no reward to the evil man; and the lamp of the wicked shall be snuffed out.
20 Zama boro laalo sinda suba hanno, I ga boro laalo fitilla wi mo.
20For there shall be no reward to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21My son, fear Yahweh and the king. Don’t join those who are rebellious:
21 Ay izo, ma humburu Rabbi, da bonkooni mo, Ma si hangasinay da ngey kaŋ ga bara-ne-bara-ne.
21My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king; [And] company not with them that are given to change:
22for their calamity will rise suddenly; the destruction from them both—who knows?
22 Zama i masiiba ga kaa korab! folloŋ. May no ga bay halaciyaŋ kaŋ ihinka kulu ga kande?
22For their calamity shall rise suddenly; And the destruction from them both, who knoweth it?
23These also are sayings of the wise. To show partiality in judgment is not good.
23 Sanni woone yaŋ mo laakalkooney wane yaŋ no. Baar'a-baar'a si boori ciiti do.
23These also are [sayings] of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
24He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous”; peoples shall curse him, and nations shall abhor him—
24 Boro kaŋ ne boro laalo se: «Nin wo adilante no,» Dumey g'a laali, kundey g'a fanta.
24He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; Peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him:
25but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.
25 Amma ngey kaŋ ga deeni a gaa, Woodin ga boori. Albarka hanno mo ga zumbu i gaa.
25But to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, And a good blessing shall come upon them.
26An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
26 Nga kaŋ ga tu da mate kaŋ ga saba ga hima baakasinay sunsumyaŋ da me-kuurey.
26He kisseth the lips Who giveth a right answer.
27Prepare your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.
27 Ma ni goyo soola taray, Ma soola ni boŋ se mo fari ra, Kokor banda mo ma ni windo cina.
27Prepare thy work without, And make it ready for thee in the field; And afterwards build thy house.
28Don’t be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Don’t deceive with your lips.
28 Ma si goro seeda ni gorokasino boŋ daliili kulu si, Ni ga ba ni ma fafagay te da ni meyo, wala?
28Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; And deceive not with thy lips.
29Don’t say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.”
29 Ma si ne: «Kal ay ma te a se mate kaŋ cine a te ay se, Ay ga bora bana nga goyo boŋ.»
29Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.
30I went by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
30 Ay na hawfuno fari fonda gana, Boro kaŋ sinda laakal reyzin* kalo no ay casu.
30I went by the field of the sluggard, And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31Behold, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.
31 A go, a kulu goono ga daabu nda karji, A batama go ga daabu nda ganda karji, A tondi windo mo kaŋ.
31And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, The face thereof was covered with nettles, And the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32Then I saw, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:
32 Saaya din ay guna, ay laakal mo hal a boori, Ay di, woodin n'ay gooji mo.
32Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction:
33a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep;
33 A cindi jirbi kayna jina, A cindi dusungu kayna, A cindi kambe koliyaŋ kayna hala ni ma jirbi,
33[Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep;
34so your poverty will come as a robber, and your want as an armed man.
34 Yaadin cine gaa no talkataray ga kaa ni gaa danga kosarayko, Ni jaŋa mo ga kaa danga wongaari.
34So shall thy poverty come as a robber, And thy want as an armed man.