How Proverbs Can Be Used
1 These are the proverbs
of King Solomon of Israel,
the son of David.
2 Proverbs will teach you
wisdom and self-control
and how to understand
sayings with deep meanings.
3 You will learn what is right
and honest and fair.
4 From these, an ordinary person
can learn to be smart,
and young people can gain
knowledge and good sense.
5 If you are already wise,
you will become even wiser.
And if you are smart,
you will learn to understand
6 proverbs and sayings,
as well as words of wisdom,
and all kinds of riddles.
7 Respect and obey the Lord!
This is the beginning
of knowledge.
Only a fool rejects wisdom
and good advice.
Warnings against Bad Friends
8 My child, obey the teachings
of your parents,
9 and wear their teachings
as you would a pretty hat
or a lovely necklace.
10 Don't be tempted by sinners
or listen 11 when they say,
“Come on! Let's gang up
and kill somebody,
just for the fun of it!
12 They're well and healthy now,
but we'll finish them off
once and for all.
13 We'll take their valuables
and fill our homes
with stolen goods.
14 If you join our gang,
you'll get your share.”
15 Don't follow anyone like that
or do what they do.
16 They are in a big hurry
to commit some crime,
perhaps even murder.
17 They are like a bird
that sees the bait,
but ignores the trap.
18 They gang up to murder someone,
but they are the victims.
19 The wealth you get from crime
robs you of your life.
Wisdom Speaks
20 Wisdom shouts in the streets
wherever crowds gather.
21 She shouts in the marketplaces
and near the city gates
as she says to the people,
22 “How much longer
will you enjoy
being stupid fools?
Won't you ever stop sneering
and laughing at knowledge?
23 Listen as I correct you
and tell you what I think.
24 You completely ignored me
and refused to listen;
25 you rejected my advice
and paid no attention
when I warned you.
26 “So when you are struck
by some terrible disaster,
27 or when trouble and distress
surround you like a whirlwind,
I will laugh and make fun.
28 You will ask for my help,
but I won't listen;
you will search,
but you won't find me.
29 No, you would not learn,
and you refused
to respect the Lord.
30 You rejected my advice
and paid no attention
when I warned you.
31 “Now you will eat the fruit
of what you have done,
until you are stuffed full
with your own schemes.
32 Sin and self-satisfaction
bring destruction and death
to stupid fools.
33 But if you listen to me,
you will be safe and secure
without fear of disaster.”
Kuma kotoomaalu la nafaa
1 Dawuda dinkewo Sulemani, Banisirayila mansa la kuma kotoomaalu:
2 Ñiŋ kuma kotoomaalu be moolu maakoyi la le,
ka londoo ñini ñaameŋo niŋ yaamaroo la kuwo to,
aniŋ ka kalamutari ke ñaameŋ kumoolu la kendeke.
3 Moolu si yaamari betoo soto noo maañaa kendoo to,
ka kuu soobewolu ke mennu tilinta, aniŋ ì foroyaata.
4 Kuma kotoomaalu ka moo sooneeyaariŋ baalu karandi kekuu loŋo le la,
londoo niŋ taañaa loŋo fondinkewolu ye.
5-6 Ì ka kalamutari ke kuma kotoomaalu niŋ misaaloolu la le,
aniŋ moo ñaamendiŋolu la kumoolu niŋ ì la mansaaloolu.
Moo ñaamendiŋolu fanaa si ì lamoyi, fo ì si londi lafaa ì la karaŋo to,
mennu ye kuwolu bo noo ñoo to, si yaamaroo soto.
7 Yaawe* ñaasilaŋo le mu londoo kuŋo ti,
bari toolewolu ka jutu ñaameŋo niŋ yaamaroo la le.
Dandalaaroo taañoo jawoo la kuwo to
8 N diŋo, i lamoyi i faamaa la yaamaroo la,
aduŋ i kana balaŋ i baamaa la karandiroo la.
9 Ì be ke la i ye ñara ñiimaa le ti i kuŋo bala,
aniŋ kantotaa, ka i kaŋo ñarandi.
10 N diŋo, niŋ junubelaalu lafita i marisa la,
kana bula ì nooma.
11 Ì si a fo noo ko, “Ŋà taa dende dulaa to ka moo faa,
waraŋ ka taa moo sooneeyaariŋo boyinkaŋ,
12 ŋà ì kende kunuŋ, ŋà ì saareŋ,
ŋà ì bumburuŋo ke kaburoo kono.
13 M̀ be feŋ daa jawu siifaalu bee soto la le,
ŋà ǹ na buŋolu fandi suuñaari feŋolu la.
14 Naa kafu m̀ ma,
fo ǹ niŋ i si suuñaari feŋolu talaa ŋà kaañaŋ.”
15 N diŋo, kana taama niŋ wolu la siloo la,
i siŋo bondi ì siŋo koto,
16 kaatu ì ka sila kuruŋo le nooma,
aduŋ ì ka tariyaa le ka yeloo boŋ.
17 Hani a ye a tara kunoo ye kutindiŋo je,
ì ye meŋ laa a kamma, a ka duŋ a kono le.
18 Moo kuruŋolu be pareeriŋ wo le ñaama ka ì faŋolu faa,
ì ye feeroo siti ì faŋolu niyo kamma le.
19 Ñiŋ ne ka ke moo saayaañaa ti,
meŋ ka a la naafuloo soto tapaleeyaa kono.
Wo suuñaari feŋolu, wolu le ka ke ì la saatoo ti.
Ñaameŋo be kumandiroo la
20 Ñaameŋo be kumandiroo la mbeedoolu kaŋ,
a ye a kaŋo sikandi moolu bendulaalu to.
21 Maakaŋo ka wara mbeedoolu mennu kono,
a ye kumandiroo ke jeelu le to,
a ye a la kumoolu fo bantabaalu to,
22 “Janniŋ waati jumaa le,
alitolu moo sooneeyaariŋ baalu be lafi la sooneeyaa la?
Janniŋ waati jumaa le,
alitolu ñaawalilaalu be tu la ali la ñaawaliroo la,
aniŋ alitolu toolewolu be londoo koŋ na?
23 Niŋ ali sonta, ŋa ali dandalaa,
feŋ-wo-feŋ be n sondomoo kono, a te ali kumpa la,
aduŋ m be n na miiroolu koyindi la ali ma le.
24 Bari kabiriŋ ŋa kumandiroo ke, ali maŋ n danku,
ali maŋ hani m maafaŋo juubee, kabiriŋ ŋa m buloo tiliŋ ali la.
25 Bayiri ali maŋ soŋ, ŋa ali londi siloo la,
ali ye ali ñaa kaasi n na dandalaaroo la le,
26 nte faŋo le be naa jele la ali la maasiiba kuwo la.
M be ali ñaawali la le, niŋ ali dunta silaŋo kono,
27 niŋ silaŋo naata ali kaŋ komeŋ foño baa,
maasiiboo komeŋ saafoñotoo,
niitooroo niŋ bataa kuwo ye ali taki.
28 Wo to le ali be n kumandi la, bari n te ali danku la,
ali be n ñini la le, bari ali te n je la.
29 Ali ye londoo koŋ ne,
ali maŋ paree ka sila Yaawe la,
30 ali balanta n na dandalaaroo la le,
ali ye ali ñaa kaasi n na yitandiroo la,
31 wo to ali ye meŋ fii, wo le be faliŋ na ali ye,
ali faŋo daajikoo, wo le be ali toora la.
32 Ka siloo bula,
wo le ka moo sooneeyaariŋ baa faa.
Toolewolu ka laa meŋ ke ì faŋo daajikoolu la,
wo le ka ì kasaara.
33 Bari moo-wo-moo ye i lamoyi n na, a be tanka la le,
aduŋ a be tara la kayiroo kono le,
a te sila la kooroo kuwo la.”
