In Praise of Wisdom
1 There are mines where silver is dug;
There are places where gold is refined.
2 We dig iron out of the ground
And melt copper out of the stones.
3 Miners explore the deepest darkness.
They search the depths of the earth
And dig for rocks in the darkness.
4 Far from where anyone lives
Or human feet ever travel,
They dig the shafts of mines.
There they work in loneliness,
Clinging to ropes in the pits.
5 Food grows out of the earth,
But underneath the same earth
All is torn up and crushed.
6 The stones of the earth contain sapphires,
And its dust contains gold.
7 No hawk sees the roads to the mines,
And no vulture ever flies over them.
8 No lion or other fierce beast
Ever travels those lonely roads.
9 Miners dig the hardest rocks,
Dig mountains away at their base.
10 As they tunnel through the rocks,
They discover precious stones.
11 They dig to the sources of rivers
And bring to light what is hidden.
12 But where can wisdom be found?
Where can we learn to understand?
13 Wisdom is not to be found among mortals;
No one knows its true value.
14 The depths of the oceans and seas
Say that wisdom is not found there.
15 It cannot be bought with silver or gold.
16 The finest gold and jewels
Cannot equal its value.
17 It is worth more than gold,
Than a gold vase or finest glass.
18 The value of wisdom is more
Than coral or crystal or rubies.
19 The finest topaz and the purest gold
Cannot compare with the value of wisdom.
20 Where, then, is the source of wisdom?
Where can we learn to understand?
21 No living creature can see it,
Not even a bird in flight.
22 Even death and destruction
Admit they have heard only rumors.
23 God alone knows the way,
Knows the place where wisdom is found,
24 Because he sees the ends of the earth,
Sees everything under the sky.
25 When God gave the wind its power
And determined the size of the sea;
26 When God decided where the rain would fall,
And the path that the thunderclouds travel;
27 It was then he saw wisdom and tested its worth—
He gave it his approval.
28 God said to us humans,
“To be wise, you must have reverence for the Lord.
To understand, you must turn from evil.”
Ñaameŋo suukuwo
1 A be koyiriŋ ne lewu ko, kodiforoo sindulaa be keriŋ ne,
aduŋ sanoo yelundidulaa be sotoriŋ ne.
2 Newo ka bo bankoo le kono,
aduŋ jaawaloo ka yelundi beroo le bala.
3 Sindirilaalu ka diboo le fara
ka ñinindiroo ke bankoo duuma-duuma fo ì dandulaa,
ka beroo ñini dibi fiŋ baa kono.
4 Ì ka dinka diinondiŋolu siŋ,
daameŋ niŋ moolu taradulaa jamfata ñoo la,
moo siŋ buka futa daameŋ,
daameŋ, ì dammaalu le ka tara dookuwo la jee.
Juloo le ka tara sitiriŋ ì bala,
ka tara yondiŋ dinkoo kono.
5 Bankoo kaŋ santo,
wo ka fintindiri ke siimaŋ feŋolu le la,
bari bankoo kono duuma,
kuwolu ka yelema le komeŋ niŋ a keta niŋ dimbaa le la.
6 Safiiri bere ñiimaa ka bo jee beroolu le bala,
aduŋ sanoo ka soto a bankumunkoo le kono.
7 Wo siloo, hani seeliŋ kiliŋ maŋ a loŋ,
aduŋ duwaforo ñaa maŋ loo a kaŋ.
8 Wulakono daafeŋ sembemaa nene maŋ loo a kaŋ,
jata fanaa nene maŋ tambi a kaŋ.
9 Sindirilaalu ka bere jaara baalu buntaŋ,
ka konkoolu fatafata fo ì teroolu to.
10 Ì ka duuma siloolu siŋ beroolu kono,
ka ñiŋ bere ñiimaalu je noo.
11 Ì ka boloŋ feñoolu to siŋ,
ka duuma feŋolu wañakati naŋ.
12 Bari ñaameŋo, wo sotodulaa be tara la mintoo le,
aniŋ fahaamuroo dulaa be mintoo le?
13 Hadamadiŋo maŋ a taaraŋ siloo loŋ,
aduŋ a buka soto duniyaa kono.
14 Diinoŋo ko, a maŋ tara ate kono,
fankaasoo fanaa ko, a maŋ tara ate bulu.
15 Sanoo te a soto noo la,
aduŋ kodiforoo fanaa te sumaŋ noo la a daa ti.
16 A daa te sumaŋ noo la Ofiri tundoo sanoolu to.
Bere ñiimaalu, komeŋ onisi waraŋ safiiri niŋ a te kaañaŋ noo la.
17 A niŋ sani niŋ weeri ñiimaa te laa noo la,
sako a si faliŋ noo saniforo ñarandi feŋ na.
18 Korali bere ñiimaalu niŋ bere ñeliñelilaalu,
hani niŋ wolu la kuma maŋ fo.
Ñaameŋo daa, wo le koleyaata ka tambi luuluwo la.
19 Kusi* topasi bere ñiimaalu,
a niŋ wolu te laa la,
sako a niŋ saniforoo si laa noo.
20 Wo to ñaameŋo, a ka bo naŋ mintoo le,
fahaamuroo dulaa be mintoo le?
21 A la kuwo be niilamaa feŋo bee le ye kumpoo to,
hani kunu yaayoolaalu faŋo buka a je noo.
22 Laakira niŋ saayaa ko,
itolu ka a kibaaroo moyilaa-moyi ì tuloolu le la.
23 Alla doroŋ ne ye a taaraŋ siloo loŋ,
aduŋ ate le fanaa ye a dulaa loŋ.
24 Kaatu ate le ka jeroo ke ka futa duniyaa daŋo ma,
a ka jeroo ke feŋ-wo-feŋ na, saŋo niŋ bankoo teema.
25 Kabiriŋ Alla ye semboo dii foñoo la,
a ye jiyo sumaŋ,
a ye dandulaa ke a la,
26 a ye siloo dii samaajiyo la naŋ duniyaa kono,
a ye keñaa ke samaa kumoo la.
27 Wo waatoo le mu,
a naata ñaameŋo la kuwo juubee, a ye a kisikisi,
a ye a la kuwo londi, a naata a kibaari.
28 Bituŋ a naata a fo hadamadiŋolu ye ko,
“Tooñaa-tooñaa, nte Maariyo ñaasilaŋo, wo le mu ñaameŋo ti,
aniŋ ka fata kuu jawu kewo ma,
wo le mu fahaamuroo ti.”
