Advice to Young People
1 My child, listen closely
to my teachings
and learn common sense.
2 My advice is useful,
so don't turn away.
3 When I was still very young
and my mother's favorite child,
my father 4 said to me:
“If you follow my teachings
and keep them in mind,
you will live.
5 Be wise and learn good sense;
remember my teachings
and do what I say.
6 “If you love Wisdom
and don't reject her,
she will watch over you.
7 The best thing about Wisdom
is Wisdom herself;
good sense is more important
than anything else.
8 If you value Wisdom
and hold tightly to her,
great honors will be yours.
9 It will be like wearing
a glorious crown
of beautiful flowers.”
The Right Way and the Wrong Way
10 My child, if you listen
and obey my teachings,
you will live a long time.
11 I have shown you the way
that makes sense;
I have guided you
along the right path.
12 Your road won't be blocked,
and you won't stumble
when you run.
13 Hold firmly to my teaching
and never let go.
It will mean life for you.
14 Don't follow the bad example
of cruel and evil people.
15 Turn aside and keep going.
Stay away from them.
16 They can't sleep or rest
until they do wrong or harm
some innocent victim.
17 Their food and drink
are cruelty and wickedness.
18 The lifestyle of good people
is like sunlight at dawn
that keeps getting brighter
until broad daylight.
19 The lifestyle of the wicked
is like total darkness,
and they will never know
what makes them stumble.
20 My child, listen carefully
to everything I say.
21 Don't forget a single word,
but think about it all.
22 Knowing these teachings
will mean true life
and good health for you.
23 Carefully guard your thoughts
because they are the source
of true life.
24 Never tell lies or be deceitful
in what you say.
25 Keep looking straight ahead,
without turning aside.
26 Know where you are headed,
and you will stay
on solid ground.
27 Don't make a mistake by turning
to the right or the left.
Ñaameŋo nafaa
1 Dindiŋolu, ali i lamoyi ali faamaa la yaamaroo la,
ali si ali hakilitu, fo ali si a fahaamu kendeke.
2 Ŋa karandiri betoo le dii ali la,
wo to ali kana n na yaamaroo tu jee.
3 Kabiriŋ n keta kambaanendiŋo ti m faamaa la buŋo kono,
m be dindiŋyaariŋ, aduŋ nte dammaa le mu m baamaa diŋo ti,
4 m faamaa ka n karandi le, a ka a fo n ye ko,
“N na kumoo muta i sondomoo kono,
i ye n na yaamaroo nooma, wo le be i balundi la.
5 Ñaameŋo niŋ fahaamuroo ñini,
kana ñina n na kumoolu la,
waraŋ ka i koo dii ì la.
6 Kana ñaameŋo bula jee, a be i tankandi la le,
a kanu, wo to le a be i kanta la.
7 Ñaameŋo kummaayaata le, wo to ñaameŋo ñini,
i be kuu-wo-kuu to, fahaamuroo ñini.
8 A buuñaa kendeke, wo to le a be i sikandi la.
A muta i bulu fuloo la, a si naa horomoo dii i la.
9 A be ñara ñiimaa le ke la i kuŋo bala,
aniŋ sani naafa ñiimaa.”
Yaamaroo ka bula sila kendoo nooma
10 N diŋo, i lamoyi n na,
aduŋ i si n na kumoolu muta,
fo i la baluwo kono, i si siimaayaa soto.
11 Ŋa i karandi ñaameŋo siloo la le,
aduŋ ŋa i tilindi sila kendoo le kaŋ.
12 Niŋ i taamata, feŋ te tara la i siŋolu ñaato,
aduŋ niŋ i borita, i te taki la.
13 Kana soŋ yaamaroo ye kana i ma,
a kanta, kaatu ate le mu i la baluwo ti.
14 Kana duŋ moo kuruŋolu la kuwolu kono,
aduŋ kana taama niŋ kuu jawu kelaalu la siloolu la.
15 Kana soŋ ì la, i kana duŋ ì kono,
i ñaa kaasi ì la, i ye tenteŋ i la siloo la.
16 Kaatu ì buka siinoo noo, fo niŋ ì ye kuu kuruŋo ke.
Siinoo ka ì korindi le, bari fo ì ye moo toorandi foloo.
17 Bayiri jawuyaa ka munta ì fee le ko domoroo,
fitinoo ko miŋ feŋo.
18 Moo tilindiŋo la siloo ka fanu le ko siilimboo
meŋ ka fanu-fanu laalaa tiloo muumewo la.
19 Bari moo kuruŋolu la siloo ka munta le ko dibi baa,
ì buka a loŋ ì ka taki mennu la.
20 N diŋo, i tuloo loo m fokumoolu la,
i ye i hakiloo tu ì to.
21 Kana soŋ ì ye bo i la karoo la,
ì maabo i sondomoo kono,
22 kaatu mennu ka ì ñini, a ka ke ì ye siimaayaa le ti,
aniŋ jaatikendeyaa, hadamadiŋo balajaatoo muumee bee ye.
23 I sondomoo kanta ka tambi feŋo bee la,
bayiri ate le mu duniyaa sambaraŋo ti.
24 Kana kuma jawoo fo moo ma,
aduŋ i kana faniyaa fo.
25 I si tara tilindiŋ tooñaa la,
kana soŋ a ye bo i la karoo la.
26 Tara sila tilindiŋo kaŋ,
i la hame kuwolu si naa sooneeyaa.
27 Kana jenke bulubaa waraŋ maraa la,
i faŋo tankandi kuu kuruŋo ma.
