1Don’t boast about tomorrow; for you don’t know what a day may bring forth.
1 Ma si suba alwaasi sambu ni boŋ se, Zama ni si bay haŋ kaŋ no jirbi folloŋ ga kande.
1Boast not thyself of tomorrow; For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.
2 Naŋ boro fo ma ni sifa, manti ni meyo bo, Naŋ yaw m'a te, manti ni bumbo meyo.
2Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; A stranger, and not thine own lips.
3A stone is heavy, and sand is a burden; but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
3 Tondi ya hari kaŋ ga tin no, Taasi mo gonda tiŋay, Amma saamo bine tunay bisa i kulu tiŋay.
3A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; But a fool's vexation is heavier than they both.
4Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
4 Dukuri gonda bine-biibay daa, Bine tunay mo ga bambari no, Amma may no gonda hina ka kay canse se?
4Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; But who is able to stand before jealousy?
5Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
5 Kaseetiyaŋ kaŋ go taray bisa baakasinay tugante.
5Better is open rebuke Than love that is hidden.
6Faithful are the wounds of a friend; although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
6 Marayyaŋ kaŋ baako ga te ya naanay wane no, Amma ibare sunsumyaŋey ya halliyaŋ no.
6Faithful are the wounds of a friend; But the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
7A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.
7 Fundi kungante, baa yu fanta no a day g'a fanta, Amma haraykooni se hari forto kulu ga kaan no.
7The full soul loatheth a honeycomb; But to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his home.
8 Danga curayze kaŋ na nga fito naŋ ka soobay ka bar-bare, Yaadin no boro mo kaŋ fay da nga nangora.
8As a bird that wandereth from her nest, So is a man that wandereth from his place.
9Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend.
9 Tuusuyaŋ ji da turaare ga naŋ bine ma kaan, Yaadin cine no boro coro kaani go d'a, Kaŋ fun saaware hanno do.
9Oil and perfume rejoice the heart; So doth the sweetness of a man's friend [that cometh] of hearty counsel.
10Don’t forsake your friend and your father’s friend. Don’t go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster: better is a neighbor who is near than a distant brother.
10 Ni bumbo coro da ni baaba coro, Ma si i furu. Ma si furo mo ni nya-ize windi ra zaari kaŋ masiiba kaa ni gaa. Gorokasin kaŋ ga maan ga bisa nya-ize kaŋ ga mooru.
10Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; And go not to thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: Better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.
11Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, then I can answer my tormentor.
11 Ay izo, ma te laakal, m'ay bina kaanandi, Zama ay ma sanni yeti boro kaŋ n'ay wow se.
11My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, That I may answer him that reproacheth me.
12A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
12 Boro kaŋ ga goy laakal boŋ ga hasaraw fonnay ka tugu, Amma borey kaŋ yaŋ sinda carmay ga bisa ka koy ka taali alhakku bana.
12A prudent man seeth the evil, [and] hideth himself; [But] the simple pass on, [and] suffer for it.
13Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger. Hold it for a wayward woman!
13 Boro kaŋ na yaw yadda sambu, m'a kwaayo ta. Boro kaŋ na waykuuru yadda sambu mo, Ma tolme ta a gaa.
13Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; And hold him in pledge [that is surety] for a foreign woman.
14He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse by him.
14 Boro kaŋ ga tun susubay za nda hinay, Ka nga coro sifa nda jinde beeri, I ga woodin lasaabu a se laaliyaŋ.
14He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It shall be counted a curse to him.
15A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike:
15 Beene hari tolli-tolli yaŋ zaari fo summaare, Nga nda wayboro kosongukoy, i kulu afo no.
15A continual dropping in a very rainy day And a contentious woman are alike:
16restraining her is like restraining the wind, or like grasping oil in his right hand.
16 Boro kaŋ ga ba nga m'a gaay, Haw no a goono ga ne nga ga gaay, A kambe ŋwaaro mo ga ji di.
16He that would restrain her restraineth the wind; And his right hand encountereth oil.
17Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
17 Guuru no ga guuru kaanandi, Yaadin no boro nda nga coro ga care hanse.
17Iron sharpeneth iron; So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honored.
18 Boro kaŋ ga jeejay* nya haggoy g'a izey ŋwa, Boro kaŋ ga may nga jine bora se mo ga du beeray.
18Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof; And he that regardeth his master shall be honored.
19As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.
19 Danga mate kaŋ hari ga ni moyduma cabe ni se, Yaadin no boro fo bine ga ni wano cabe ni se.
19As in water face [answereth] to face, So the heart of man to man.
20 Sheol Sheol is the place of the dead. and Abaddon are never satisfied; and a man’s eyes are never satisfied.
20 Alaahara nda halaciyaŋ si kungu, Koyne, boro moy si kungu hal abada.
20Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; And the eyes of man are never satisfied.
21The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined by his praise.
21 Haaguyaŋ kusu go nzarfu sabbay se, Feema mo wura sabbay se, Sifayaŋ mo go no boro sabbay se.
21The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; And a man is [tried] by his praise.
22Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.
22 Baa ni na saamo daŋ humburu ra k'a duru nda hinji ntaasu surfa bindi ra, Kulu nda yaadin a saamotara si fay d'a.
22Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with bruised grain, Yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
23Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds:
23 Ma te anniya ka ni feeji kurey goray bay, Ma ni haw kurey guna a ma boori mo,
23Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, [And] look well to thy herds:
24for riches are not forever, nor does even the crown endure to all generations.
24 Zama arzaka ya si duumi bo. Koytaray fuula mo ga to hala zamaney kulu me no?
24For riches are not for ever: And doth the crown endure unto all generations?
25The hay is removed, and the new growth appears, the grasses of the hills are gathered in.
25 D'i na subu dumbu, kala kobto taji ma bagu koyne, Tondey gaa subu mo, i g'i wi ka dundum.
25The hay is carried, and the tender grass showeth itself, And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in.
26The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of a field.
26 Feej'izey go ni bankaaray kaymi sabbay se, Hincin izey mo fari daymi nooru no.
26The lambs are for thy clothing, And the goats are the price of the field;
27There will be plenty of goats’ milk for your food, for your family’s food, and for the nourishment of your servant girls.
27 Hincin wa ga wasa ni se me ŋwaari, Ni almayaaley ŋwaari no, Hala nda kwaara goray hari ni koŋŋey se.
27And [there will be] goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, And maintenance for thy maidens.