What King Lemuel's Mother Taught Him
1 These are the sayings
that King Lemuel of Massa
was taught by his mother.
2 My son Lemuel, you were born
in answer to my prayers,
so listen carefully.
3 Don't waste your life
chasing after women!
This has ruined many kings.
4 Kings and leaders
should not get drunk
or even want to drink.
5 Drinking makes you forget
your responsibilities,
and you mistreat the poor.
6 Beer and wine are only
for the dying or for those
who have lost all hope.
7 Let them drink and forget
how poor and miserable
they feel.
8 But you must defend
those who are helpless
and have no hope.
9 Be fair and give justice
to the poor and homeless.
In Praise of a Good Wife
10 A truly good wife
is the most precious treasure
a man can find!
11 Her husband depends on her,
and she never
lets him down.
12 She is good to him
every day of her life,
13 and with her own hands
she gladly makes clothes.
14 She is like a sailing ship
that brings food
from across the sea.
15 She gets up before daylight
to prepare food for her family
and for her servants.
16 She knows how to buy land
and how to plant a vineyard,
17 and she always works hard.
18 She knows when to buy or sell,
and she stays busy
until late at night.
19 She spins her own cloth,
20 and she helps the poor
and the needy.
21 Her family has warm clothing,
and so she doesn't worry
when it snows.
22 She does her own sewing,
and everything she wears
is beautiful.
23 Her husband is a well-known
and respected leader
in the city.
24 She makes clothes to sell
to the shop owners.
25 She is strong and graceful,
as well as cheerful
about the future.
26 Her words are sensible,
and her advice
is thoughtful.
27 She takes good care
of her family
and is never lazy.
28 Her children praise her,
and with great pride
her husband says,
29 “There are many good women,
but you are the best!”
30 Charm can be deceiving,
and beauty fades away,
but a woman
who honors the Lord
deserves to be praised.
31 Show her respect—
praise her in public
for what she has done.
Yaamaroo mansa ye
1 Masa mansa Lemuweli baamaa ye a yaamari kumoolu mennu la:
2 N diŋo, ŋa meŋ wuluu, ŋa meŋ laahidi Alla ye,
n ñanta muŋ ne fo la i ye?
3 Kana i semboo bee baŋ musoolu la karoo la,
aduŋ i kana bula moolu nooma, mennu ka mansoolu kasaara.
4 Hee Lemuweli, a maŋ ke mansoolu ti,
mansoolu maŋ ñaŋ na wayinoo* miŋ na,
maralilaalu maŋ ñaŋ na hame la ka dolo fatiŋo miŋ.
5 Niŋ ì ye doloo miŋ, ì ka ñina luwaa taamandiñaa la le,
aduŋ ì ka moo bataariŋolu bee bali ì la hakoo la le.
6 Doloo dii moolu la mennu pareeta kasaara la,
wayinoo dii moolu la, mennu sondomoolu bota i noo to.
7 Ì si i miŋ, fo ì si ñina ì la fuwaareyaa la,
aduŋ ì hakiloo te bula la i la niitoora kuwo la kotenke.
8 Loo moolu ye, mennu buka diyaamu noo i faŋo ye,
aniŋ i ye misikiinoolu la hakoo kele ì ye.
9 Diyaamu, i ye kiitiyo kuntu tiliŋo kono
i ye fuwaaroolu niŋ fentaŋolu la kuwo kele ì ye.
Musu kendoo
10 Jumaa le si musu kendoo soto noo?
Musu kendoo le jarita ka tambi luuluwo la.
11 A keemaa ka jiki baa le soto a la kuwo to,
aduŋ kewo te foo la sotofeŋo la.
12 Musoo ka kuu betoo le ke a ye,
a buka kuu jawu ke a la, a la baluwo bee kono.
13 A ka saajiitiyo niŋ fulakisi* kaloolu le ñini ka dendikoo dadaa,
aduŋ a ka dookuu baa le ke.
14 A ka muluŋ ne ko safaarilaalu la kuluŋolu,
a ka a la domoroo bondi naŋ dulaa jamfariŋolu le to.
15 A ka wuli juuna le, a ye a tara banta maŋ fanu,
a ye domoroo tabi a la dimbaayaa ye,
aniŋ ka a fo a la dookuulaa sunkutoolu ye, ì ñanta meŋ ke la.
16 A ka kunkoo koroosi kuu le a ye a saŋ,
a faŋo la sotofeŋo, a ka wayini yiri kankaŋo fii wo le la, a ye a topatoo.
17 Teesitilaa le mu,
aduŋ a bambanta.
18 A ka a je le ko, a la safaaroo ye kañewo bondi,
a ka dookuwo ke le, fo suutoo ye jamfa.
19 A ka kotondoo ñafu a buloo la le,
a ye tara wurindiroo la.
20 A ka siloo dii fuwaaroolu la le,
aduŋ a ka a buloo fayi fentaŋolu kaŋ ne.
21 Niŋ sumayaa warata, a buka silandaa soto a la dimbaayaa ye,
kaatu dendika kuliŋo le ka tara ì bee bala.
22 A ka laarankaŋ faanoolu dadaa a faŋo ye le,
a la sitifaanoo ka ke bayi daa koleŋo le ti, aniŋ wuluyele kulooroo.
23 Moolu ye a keemaa suutee saatee moolu bendulaa to le,
a ka sii bankoo alifaalu kono jee le to.
24 Musoo ka daarifaani dendikoolu dadaa le, a ka ì waafi,
aduŋ a ka teesitiraŋolu waafi safaarilaalu ma le.
25 A ye semboo niŋ horomoo soto le moolu bulu,
saama siniŋ a be tara la seewoo le kono.
26 A ka ñaameŋ kumoolu le fo,
aduŋ a ka moolu yaamari kuma kendoo le la.
27 A ka a la dimbaayaa la kuwolu koroosi le,
aduŋ a buka feŋ domo, meŋ maŋ ke a halaaloo ti.
28 A diŋolu ka a kumandi seewooriŋo le la,
a keemaa fanaa, aduŋ a ka a jayi le.
29 A ko, “Musu jamaa ye baara kendoo ke le,
bari ite mu ñontaŋo le ti.”
30 Ñiiñaa si bo noo moo koto le,
kuma diimaa si moo neenee noo,
bari musoo meŋ silata Yaawe* la, wo ñanta le ka jayi.
31 A ye meŋ dookuu, a la joo dii a la a ñaama,
aduŋ a la dookuwo jayiroo si taa ke bantabaa to.
