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.
The Benefits of Wisdom
1 My children, listen to what your father teaches you. Pay attention, and you will have understanding. 2 What I am teaching you is good, so remember it all. 3 When I was only a little boy, my parents' only son, 4 my father would teach me. He would say, “Remember what I say and never forget it. Do as I tell you, and you will live. 5 Get wisdom and insight! Do not forget or ignore what I say. 6 Do not abandon wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will keep you safe. 7 Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do. Whatever else you get, get insight. 8 Love wisdom, and she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will bring you honor. 9 She will be your crowning glory.”
10 Listen to me, my child. Take seriously what I am telling you, and you will live a long life. 11 I have taught you wisdom and the right way to live. 12 Nothing will stand in your way if you walk wisely, and you will not stumble when you run. 13 Always remember what you have learned. Your education is your life—guard it well. 14 Do not go where evil people go. Do not follow the example of the wicked. 15 Don't do it! Keep away from evil! Refuse it and go on your way. 16 Wicked people cannot sleep unless they have done something wrong. They lie awake unless they have hurt someone. 17 Wickedness and violence are like food and drink to them.
18 The road the righteous travel is like the sunrise, getting brighter and brighter until daylight has come. 19 The road of the wicked, however, is dark as night. They fall, but cannot see what they have stumbled over.
20 My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen to my words. 21 Never let them get away from you. Remember them and keep them in your heart. 22 They will give life and health to anyone who understands them. 23 Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. 24 Never say anything that isn't true. Have nothing to do with lies and misleading words. 25 Look straight ahead with honest confidence; don't hang your head in shame. 26 Plan carefully what you do, and whatever you do will turn out right. 27 Avoid evil and walk straight ahead. Don't go one step off the right way.
