In Praise of Wisdom
1 With great understanding,
Wisdom is calling out
2 as she stands at the crossroads
and on every hill.
3 She stands by the city gate
where everyone enters the city,
and she shouts:
4 “I am calling out
to each one of you!
5 Good sense and sound judgment
can be yours.
6 Listen, because what I say
is worthwhile and right.
7 I always speak the truth
and refuse to tell a lie.
8 Every word I speak is honest,
not one is misleading
or deceptive.
9 “If you have understanding,
you will see that my words
are just what you need.
10 Let instruction and knowledge
mean more to you than silver
or the finest gold.
11 Wisdom is worth much more
than precious jewels
or anything else you desire.”
Wisdom Speaks
12 I am Wisdom —Common Sense
is my closest friend;
I possess knowledge
and sound judgment.
13 If you respect the Lord,
you will hate evil.
I hate pride and conceit
and deceitful lies.
14 I am strong, and I offer
sensible advice
and sound judgment.
15 By my power kings govern,
and rulers make laws
that are fair.
16 Every honest leader rules
with help from me.
17 I love everyone who loves me,
and I will be found by all
who honestly search.
18 I can make you rich and famous,
important and successful.
19 What you receive from me
is more valuable
than even the finest gold
or the purest silver.
20 I always do what is right,
21 and I give great riches
to everyone who loves me.
22 From the beginning,
I was with the Lord.
I was there before he began
23 to create the earth.
At the very first,
the Lord gave life to me.
24 When I was born,
there were no oceans
or springs of water.
25 My birth was before
mountains were formed
or hills were put in place.
26 It happened long before God
had made the earth
or any of its fields
or even the dust.
27 I was there when the Lord
put the heavens in place
and stretched the sky
over the surface of the sea.
28 I was with him when he placed
the clouds in the sky
and created the springs
that fill the ocean.
29 I was there when he set
boundaries for the sea
to make it obey him,
and when he laid foundations
to support the earth.
30 I was right beside the Lord,
helping him plan and build.
I made him happy each day,
and I was happy at his side.
31 I was pleased with his world
and pleased with its people.
32 Pay attention, my children!
Follow my advice,
and you will be happy.
33 Listen carefully
to my instructions,
and you will be wise.
34 Come to my home each day
and listen to me.
You will find happiness.
35 By finding me, you find life,
and the Lord will be pleased
with you.
36 But if you don't find me,
you hurt only yourself,
and if you hate me,
you are in love with death.
Ñaameŋo be kumandiroo la
1 Ali i lamoyi!
Ñaameŋo le be kumandiroo la.
Kalamutaroo ye a kaŋo sikandi.
2 A be looriŋ dulaalu le to siloo daala,
aniŋ silafatoolu to.
3 A be kumandiroo la bantabaalu to,
aniŋ kacaa dulaalu to ko:
4 “Duniyaa moolu, ŋa alitolu le kumandi,
n woosiita hadamadiŋolu bee le ye.
5 Moo sooneeyaariŋ baalu, ali ali kekuwo loŋ,
toolewolu fanaa ye feere ke ka kalamutaroo soto.
6 Ali i lamoyi n na kuma sahariŋolu la,
m be tooñaa doroŋ ne fo la.
7 N daa ka tooñaa kumoo le fo,
faniyaa foo mu n tanoo le ti.
8 N daakumoo bee tilinta le,
feŋ te jee meŋ jenketa ì kono.
9 Ì bee tilinta moo fee le, meŋ ka fahaamuroo ke,
ì koyita moolu fee le, mennu ka londoo ñini.
10 N na yaamaroo taa ka tambi kodiforoo la,
i ye londoo ñini ka tambi saniforoo la.
11 Kaatu ñaameŋo le fisiyaata luuluwo ti,
aduŋ i lafinna feŋ te jee, a niŋ meŋ si tembe.
12 Nte ñaameŋo niŋ kekuu loŋo le ka taa ñoo la,
aduŋ ŋa londoo soto le, ŋa m fokumoo loŋ.
13 Yaawe* ñaasilaŋo le mu kuu jawu koŋo ti.
Ŋa faŋ waroo niŋ horomantaŋyaa koŋ ne,
aduŋ jawuyaa niŋ faniyaa foo mu n tanoo le ti.
14 Dandalaari kendoo niŋ sondome kuniŋo mu n taa le ti,
ŋa fahaamuroo niŋ semboo soto le.
15 Nte le ka mansoolu maakoyi ka maraloo ke,
aduŋ n ka maralilaalu maakoyi le ka luwaa tilindiŋolu dadaa.
16 Nte le ka maralilaalu maakoyi ka maraloo ke,
aniŋ ñaatonkoolu mennu bee ka maraloo ke ñiŋ duniyaa kono.
17 Moolu mennu ye n kanu, m fanaa ŋa wolu le kanu,
aduŋ mennu ka n ñini, ì be n je la le.
18 Naafuloo niŋ horomoo be nte le fee,
aduŋ n na fankoo niŋ ñaatotaa buka dandulaa soto.
19 N ka meŋ dookuu, wo le fisiyaata sanoo ti, hani saniforoo,
aduŋ n na sotofeŋo le ye nafaa soto kodiforo piiroo ti.
20 N ka taama niŋ sila tilindiŋo le la,
n ka bula tooñaa siloo le nooma,
21 ka n na naafuloo dii moolu la, mennu lafita n na,
aduŋ n ka ì la kunewolu fandi le.”
Ñaameŋo niŋ daaroo
22 Ñaameŋo tententa ka a fo ko:
“Ka bo waati jaŋ na,
Yaawe ye daaroo foloo nte le la,
23 A ye n daa le kabiriŋ foloodulaa to,
janniŋ duniyaa be loo la.
24 N wuluuta le, wo waatoo fankaasoo te keriŋ,
n wuluuta le, kabiriŋ woyoolu maŋ soto.
25 N wuluuta le,
janniŋ konkoolu be loo la,
janniŋ konkoriŋolu be finti la,
26 janniŋ Alla ka duniyaa daa
aniŋ a kenoolu,
hani banku kesoo faŋo.
27 N tarata nuŋ jee le,
biriŋ a be saŋ fatoolu dadaa kaŋ,
kabiriŋ a be baajiyo feenee kaŋ fo ñaadaŋo to.
28 N tarata nuŋ jee le,
biriŋ a be minaayoo ke la saŋo bala,
kabiriŋ a be baa fandi kaŋ niŋ jiyo la.
29 Kabiriŋ a ye dandulaa dii fankaasoo la,
fo baajiyo kana tambi naanewo la,
biriŋ a ye duniyaa la fondamaŋo laa,
30 m be looriŋ nuŋ a daala le, komeŋ dookuunoolaa baa.
Tili-wo-tili n ka a seewondi le,
waati-wo-waati n niŋ seewoo doroŋ ne mu a ñaatiliŋo la.
31 A la duniyaa ye n seewondi le,
ŋa kontaanoo soto hadamadiŋolu la kuwo to le.
32 “Wo to saayiŋ, n diŋolu, ali i lamoyi n na,
seewoo be moolu le ye, mennu bulata n na siloolu nooma.
33 N na yaamaroo muta, fo i si ñaameŋ,
aduŋ i kana i ñaa kaasi a la.
34 Seewoo be moo ye, meŋ ka i lamoyi n na,
aniŋ meŋ ka m fintitoo kanta luŋ-wo-luŋ,
a ka n duntoo batu.
35 Moo-wo-moo ye n je, i ye baluwo le je,
aduŋ i be maakoyiroo soto la Yaawe bulu le.
36 Bari moo-wo-moo maŋ n ñini, i ye i faŋo le toora,
aduŋ moo-wo-moo ye n koŋ, i lafita saayaa le la.”
