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.
1As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honor is not seemly for a fool.
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.
2As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, So the curse that is causeless alighteth not.
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.
3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, And a rod for the back of fools.
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.
4Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou also be like unto him.
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.
5Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own conceit.
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.
6He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool Cutteth off [his own] feet, [and] drinketh in damage.
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.
7The legs of the lame hang loose: So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
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.
8As one that bindeth a stone in a sling, So is he that giveth honor to a fool.
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.
9[As] a thorn that goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
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.
10[As] an archer that woundeth all, So is he that hireth a fool and he that hireth them that pass by.
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.
11As a dog that returneth to his vomit, [So is] a fool that repeateth his folly.
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.
12Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.
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!»
13The sluggard saith, There is a lion in the way; A lion is in the streets.
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.
14[As] the door turneth upon its hinges, So doth the sluggard upon his bed.
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.
15The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish; It wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.
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.
16The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit Than seven men that can render a reason.
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.
17He that passeth by, [and] vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, Is [like] one that taketh a dog by the ears.
18Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death,
18 Danga boŋ-komay-koy kaŋ ga yulbe da hangaw da buuyaŋ catu,
18As a madman who casteth firebrands, Arrows, and death,
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?»
19So is the man that deceiveth his neighbor, And saith, Am not I in sport?
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.
20For lack of wood the fire goeth out; And where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth.
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.
21[As] coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to inflame strife.
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.
22The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts.
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.
23Fervent lips and a wicked heart Are [like] an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
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.
24He that hateth dissembleth with his lips; But he layeth up deceit within him:
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.
25When he speaketh fair, believe him not; For there are seven abominations in his heart:
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.
26Though [his] hatred cover itself with guile, His wickedness shall be openly showed before the assembly.
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.
27Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; And he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.
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.
28A lying tongue hateth those whom it hath wounded; And a flattering mouth worketh ruin.