Advice to a King
1 These are the solemn words which King Lemuel's mother said to him:
2 “You are my own dear son, the answer to my prayers. What shall I tell you? 3 Don't spend all your energy on sex and all your money on women; they have destroyed kings. 4 Listen, Lemuel. Kings should not drink wine or have a craving for alcohol. 5 When they drink, they forget the laws and ignore the rights of people in need. 6 Alcohol is for people who are dying, for those who are in misery. 7 Let them drink and forget their poverty and unhappiness.
8 “Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves. Protect the rights of all who are helpless. 9 Speak for them and be a righteous judge. Protect the rights of the poor and needy.”
The Capable Wife
10 How hard it is to find a capable wife! She is worth far more than jewels!
11 Her husband puts his confidence in her, and he will never be poor.
12 As long as she lives, she does him good and never harm.
13 She keeps herself busy making wool and linen cloth.
14 She brings home food from out-of-the-way places, as merchant ships do.
15 She gets up before daylight to prepare food for her family and to tell her servant women what to do.
16 She looks at land and buys it, and with money she has earned she plants a vineyard.
17 She is a hard worker, strong and industrious.
18 She knows the value of everything she makes, and works late into the night.
19 She spins her own thread and weaves her own cloth.
20 She is generous to the poor and needy.
21 She doesn't worry when it snows, because her family has warm clothing.
22 She makes bedspreads and wears clothes of fine purple linen.
23 Her husband is well known, one of the leading citizens.
24 She makes clothes and belts, and sells them to merchants.
25 She is strong and respected and not afraid of the future.
26 She speaks with a gentle wisdom.
27 She is always busy and looks after her family's needs.
28 Her children show their appreciation, and her husband praises her.
29 He says, “Many women are good wives, but you are the best of them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive and beauty disappears, but a woman who honors the Lord should be praised.
31 Give her credit for all she does. She deserves the respect of everyone.
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.
