Words of Wisdom Are Better than Gold
1 It isn't smart to get drunk!
Drinking makes a fool of you
and leads to fights.
2 An angry ruler
is like a roaring lion—
make either one angry,
and you are dead.
3 It makes you look good
when you avoid a fight—
only fools love to quarrel.
4 If you are too lazy to plow,
don't expect a harvest.
5 Someone's thoughts may be
as deep as the ocean,
but if you are smart,
you will discover them.
6 There are many who say,
“You can trust me!”
But can they be trusted?
7 Good people live right,
and God blesses the children
who follow their example.
8 When rulers decide cases,
they weigh the evidence.
9 Can any of us really say,
“My thoughts are pure,
and my sins are gone”?
10 Two things the Lord hates
are dishonest scales
and dishonest measures.
11 The good or bad
that children do
shows what they are like.
12 Hearing and seeing
are gifts from the Lord.
13 If you sleep all the time,
you will starve;
if you get up and work,
you will have enough food.
14 Everyone likes to brag
about getting a bargain.
15 Sensible words are better
than gold or jewels.
16 You deserve to lose your coat
if you loan it to someone
to guarantee payment
for the debt of a stranger.
17 The food you get by cheating
may taste delicious,
but it turns to gravel.
18 Be sure you have sound advice
before making plans
or starting a war.
19 Stay away from gossips—
they tell everything.
20 Children who curse their parents
will go to the land of darkness
long before their time.
21 Getting rich quick
may turn out to be a curse.
22 Don't try to get even.
Trust the Lord,
and he will help you.
23 The Lord hates dishonest scales
and dishonest weights.
So don't cheat!
24 How can we know
what will happen to us
when the Lord alone decides?
25 Don't fall into the trap
of making promises to God
before you think!
26 A wise ruler severely punishes
every criminal.
27 Our inner thoughts are a lamp
from the Lord,
and they search our hearts.
28 Rulers are protected
by God's mercy and loyalty,
but they must be merciful
for their kingdoms to last.
29 Young people take pride
in their strength,
but the gray hairs of wisdom
are even more beautiful.
30 A severe beating can knock all
of the evil out of you!
Yaawe tanoo le mu sumandiriñaa tilimbaloo ti
1 Doloo ka i bula ñaawalitoo kuu kewo le la,
a ka moo dundi keloo le kono,
a ye moo-wo-moo filindi, i maŋ ñaameŋ.
2 Mansa la kamfaa ka munta le ko, niŋ jatoo be bumbuŋ kaŋ,
niŋ meŋ ka a kamfandi, i ka i niyo le waafi.
3 I ka ke buuñaa moo ti le, niŋ i ye i ñaa kaasi fitina kuwo la,
bari i ye toolee-wo-toolee je, a ka tariyaa sonka wulindoo la le.
4 Moo naafariŋo meŋ buka senoo ke a waatoo la,
niŋ katiri waatoo siita, a buka feŋ soto a be meŋ kati la.
5 Hadamadiŋo la miiroo ka jamfa le ko koloŋ diinondiŋo jiyo,
moo meŋ ye fahaamuroo soto kendeke, wo le si a bondi noo.
6 Moo jamaa ka i faŋ ke moolu ye moo tilindiŋo le ti,
bari jumaa le si moo tilindiŋo loŋ noo?
7 Moo tilindiŋo la baluwo kono, sootaari buka tara jee,
neemoo be a diŋolu ye, mennu be seyi la a noo to.
8 Mansa meŋ be siiriŋ a la mansasiiraŋo kaŋ ka kiitiyo kuntu,
ka kuu jawoo bee bondi ñoo to le.
9 Moo-wo-moo te ñiŋ fo la noo ko,
“N ŋaniyoo seneyaata le, m maŋ junube soto.”
10 Peesari kuruŋo niŋ sumandiri tilimbaloo muumee bee
mu Yaawe* tanoo le ti.
11 Hani dindiŋolu faŋo maañaa ka a tinna le, moolu ye ì daajikoo loŋ,
fo ì ye kuu kendoo niŋ kuu tilindiŋo le ke.
12 Tuloo meŋ ka moyiroo ke aniŋ ñaa meŋ ka jeroo ke,
Yaawe le ye ì bee daa.
13 Niŋ siinoo diyaata i ye baake, a be i la fuwaareyaa lafaakuu la le,
bari niŋ i maamanta, i be domoroo soto la le, i be meŋ domo la.
14 Sandirilaa ka a fo le ko, “A daa maŋ beteyaa, a maŋ kaati.”
Bari niŋ a dammaa fereta, a ka kontaani a kuwo la le.
15 Sanoo siyaata, luuluwo buka yaatee noo,
bari londitiyo sotoo maŋ feeyaa.
16 I si moo la dendikoo taa, niŋ a ye luntaŋo sankayaa i yaa,
aduŋ kana soŋ ka a la dendikoo seyi a ma,
kaatu a ye tumarankewo le sankayaa.
17 Feŋo meŋ sotota suuñaaroo kono, ka diyaa le,
bari a koolaa, a maarii daa ka tara faariŋ bankoo le la.
18 Yaamaroo ñini janniŋ i ka feeroo siti,
niŋ i lafita keloo wulindi la, bula yaamaroo nooma.
19 Koomakumarilaa ka jikoo bo moo koto le,
wo to i niŋ diyaamulaa baa kana kuu kafu.
20 Niŋ i ye i baa niŋ i faa neŋ,
i la lampoo be dubeŋ na le.
21 Ka ke naafulutiyo ti tariyaa kono,
a labaŋo buka barakoo soto.
22 Niŋ moo ye kuu jawoo ke i la,
kana a fo ko, “M be n joo la le.”
I si i batu Yaawe ye,
ate le be ke la i ye julujoolaa ti.
23 Peesaroo meŋ maŋ tiliŋ mu Yaawe tanoo le ti,
aduŋ sumandiri tilimbaloo maŋ beteyaa.
24 Hadamadiŋo taañaa bee be Yaawe le bulu,
ate be a faŋo kalaŋo loŋ noo la ñaadii le?
25 Moo maŋ ñaŋ na ñaamootoo tawoo taa la Yaawe ye,
a taariŋ koolaa, a ye naa nimisa.
26 Mansa ñaamendiŋo ka moo jawoolu keseŋ ne,
a ye naa mantoora kuwo laa ì kaŋ.
27 Yaawe ye niyo meŋ duŋ hadamadiŋo kono, wo ka munta le ko lampoo,
kuu-wo-kuu be a kono, a ka a bee loŋ ne.
28 Tiliŋo niŋ tooñaa le ka mansa tankandi,
aduŋ tiliŋo le ka a la mansayaa bambandi.
29 Fondinkewolu ka kufaŋ ì semboo le la,
bari keebaa kotoolu la feŋ ñiimaa ka ke ì kuntiña koyoo le ti.
30 Junkuroo meŋ ka moo barama, a si kuu jawoo bayi noo le,
liparoo fanaa si moo kuluu noo le kendeke.
