–6–
1 When you are invited
to eat with a king,
use your best manners.
2 Don't go and stuff yourself!
That would be just the same
as cutting your throat.
3 Don't be greedy for all
of that fancy food!
It may not be so tasty.
–7–
4 Give up trying so hard
to get rich.
5 Your money flies away
before you know it,
just like an eagle
suddenly taking off.
–8–
6 Don't accept an invitation
to eat a selfish person's food,
no matter how good it is.
7 People like that take note
of how much you eat.
They say, “Take all you want!”
But they don't mean it.
8 Each bite will come back up,
and all your kind words
will be wasted.
–9–
9 Don't talk to fools—
they will make fun of you.
–10–
10 Don't move a boundary marker
or take the land
that belongs to orphans.
11 God All-Powerful is there
to defend them against you.
–11–
12 Listen to instruction
and do your best to learn.
–12–
13 Don't fail to correct
your children.
You won't kill them
by being firm,
14 and it may even
save their lives.
–13–
15 My children,
if you show good sense,
I will be happy,
16 and if you are truthful,
I will really be glad.
–14–
17 Don't be jealous of sinners,
but always honor the Lord.
18 Then you will truly have hope
for the future.
–15–
19 Listen to me, my children!
Be wise and have enough sense
to follow the right path.
20 Don't be a heavy drinker
or stuff yourself with food.
21 It will make you feel drowsy,
and you will end up poor
with only rags to wear.
–16–
22 Pay attention to your father,
and don't neglect your mother
when she grows old.
23 Invest in truth and wisdom,
discipline and good sense,
and don't part with them.
24 Make your father truly happy
by living right and showing
sound judgment.
25 Make your parents proud,
especially your mother.
–17–
26 My son, pay close attention,
and gladly follow
my example.
27 Bad women and unfaithful wives
are like a deep pit—
28 they are waiting to attack you
like a gang of robbers
with victim after victim.
–18–
29 Who is always in trouble?
Who argues and fights?
Who has cuts and bruises?
Whose eyes are red?
30 Everyone who stays up late,
having just one more drink.
31 Don't even look
at that colorful stuff
bubbling up in the glass!
It goes down so easily,
32 but later it bites
like a poisonous snake.
33 You will see weird things,
and your mind
will play tricks on you.
34 You will feel tossed about
like someone trying to sleep
on a ship in a storm.
35 You will be bruised all over,
without even remembering
how it all happened.
And you will lie awake asking,
“When will morning come,
so I can drink some more?”
-6-
1 Ondro mirite ŋgaonyane mano 'desi aza be oko, nya'do taotibe ŋgase mikandra 'do tana ro. 2 Ondro ka'do nya'dote orivoya lä'bi'ba yi ŋgaonya ta, nyirita andivo miro. 3 Nya'do ko yagäru be ŋgaonya ndeṛiekye ndaro ta; tana kode azaya ŋgaonya 'do 'diodo ro.
-7-
4 Nyezaru ko rriti si a'doza ŋgadriamba be; nya'do tavouni be mi ritazana. 5 Ŋgadriamba miro layana 'da osona kufui da ndriŋwa ago oŋgana 'da vokuru ya oso ägyiribi ronye.
-8-
6 Minya ŋgaonya mano se kabe ŋgaozo yadrisi 'do ro ko; nya'do ko yagäru be ŋgaonya ndeṛiekye ndaro ta. 7 Nda ka ata ekye: “Nyikyi minya ago mimvu ŋga aza ya,” caoko ya ndaro orivoya gyorogyoro ro. Nda ka 'do toto andivo ndaro ka'dana ayani. 8 Tana mi'dwena ŋgase minyabe 'do ndi vuru, 'dooko räṛu se cini abe mi räṛu 'do okyena ndi.
-9-
9 Nyata ko tavousu kado si tauniako'ba ri; tana nda unina ko tazevo ata miro ro unine.
-10-
10 Miswe kishwe se asibe ukuro 'do ko ago miru wari kyemvoi ro ko. 11 Tana OPI ni gaga'ba mbaraekye ànyaro owo, ago nda opena vure ànyaro lakole mibe ya 'do ndi.
-11-
12 Miyi tase ŋgaemba ro 'do ago miga bi ta tavouni roya.
-12-
13 Nyeleye koni ŋgwa lotovoya; co'da unina ko nda ufune. 14 Ondro kado mi'bi nda te co'da si, mipana adri ndaro ndi.
-13
15 Ŋgwa maro, ondro ka'do nya'dote tavouni'ba ro, ma'dona ndi riyä ro. 16 Ma'dona ndi driuŋgyi be ondro ka'do nyate taŋgye ata ayani owo.
-14-
17 Mi'ba mawi ko takozi'bai lomvo; oko ori miro ya nya'do taoro be OPI ri ayani. 18 Tana 'dooko endaro takado a'dona ndi miri, ago mio'ba miro a'dona ndi ŋgye.
-15-
19 Nyeri dri, ŋgwa maro, nya'do tavouni be ago nyusu ta tase ŋgye ro. 20 Nyodro'beru ko lidri se kabe vino umvu ndra kode kabe iyi tisi ŋgaonya si iyi be. 21 'Dise kabe iyi tufu wa si ago kabe iyi tisi ŋgaonya si iyi a'donayi 'da lemeri'bai ro, ago ondro ànya kate toto u'du ayani, ànya osona te boŋgo nyakaca ayani.
-16-
22 Nyeri ta täpi miro se kuti mi ni ono ro; ago mi'da endre miro ko ondro nda kodete pari owo.
23 Migye taŋgye, ago migo migye ko tesi, migye tavouni, tauni ndi tavouni kado be.
24 Täpi mano se taŋgye'ba ro ro ka a'do riyä ro amba; ndase kabe ŋgwa se tauniekye uti a'dona ndi driuŋgyi be tana ro.
25 Mi'ba täpi miro ndi endre miro be ka'doyi driuŋgyi be ta miro ta; mi'ba endre miro ka'do riyä ro.
-17-
26 Nyeri ta maro, ŋgwa maro, ago mi'ba ori maro ka'do taka'daro miri. 27 Toko se ronyiro orivoya 'bu odra royi ago toko se taoyena koziro orivoya abari yi. 28 Ànya kayi lidri kwote oso ŋgatopa'bai ronye ago kayi lidri amba o'ba a'done ta'diriako.
-18-
29 A'di ni tusuro, rriti ro, kyila egye'baro, driovi'baro, lazabe teinye takaci ako ago se mi na te kari ro ya? 30 'Do ni ànya se kabe vino umvu ndra ago se kabe ŋgaumvu ṛatara dro'bedro'bero umvu ndra owo. 31 Mi'ba vino kodo mi ko ondro ka'do mi na koka ca 'diri, koŋga ca käfu kofo ya ago kogo kedre ca ti kigye owo. 32 Tana äduro oko go ka 'di osi oso ini ronye äṛiekye oso ini dokore ronye. 33 Ŋga to azaka landrena teni mile miro ya, ago minina kote tausune kadoro. 34 Nyusuna vo te lomvo miro ya osoago mi kitoriya gyibebelebe ro ya, ago osoago nya u'du driku'du'du toŋbo roya. 35 Nyatana 'da mikye: Ono ä'di ma u'di, ono a'bi ma o'bi, oko musu vona koni. Le gwo ko oŋgane märi kuru etaya? Ono le ogone azana umvune.