Kandrakado Tavouni ro
1 Ŋgwai maro, nyèri ŋgaemba täpi amiro ro, ago mìru, tana nyà'do robe tauni be. 2 Tase mabe atana ämiri ono orivoya kado; nye'be ŋgaamba maro ko. 3 Tana ma bedri ŋgaga agoŋwa ro zo täpi maro roya, ma toto ni ŋgwa alodi endre maro ro, 4 täpi maro emba mate. Nda atate märi ekye: “Miyi ata maro ndi drî miro ya ago nyäti ŋgaemba maro 'dooko miri na ndi. 5 Nya'do tavouni be, ago tauni be! Nyije ta maro ko ago minaru koni ŋgaemba maro yasi. 6 Minja ko tavouni lomvo, tana ätina mi ni, nyulu anya tana anya gagana mi ni. 7 Ŋgase a'done sina käti ni tavouni. Ta'dota nya'do tavouni be, ago mile ca a'done ŋga cini azaka be oko nya'do tauni be. 8 Nyulu tavouni, tana anya o'bana mi ni 'desi ro. Nyomvo anya, tana ezina taoro ni miri. 9 Anya osona foce yauni ro 'da midri, ago a'dona 'da tagyia liŋgyiekye ro miri.”
10 Ŋgwa maro, nyeri ta maro, ago miru tase mabe itina miri ono, 'dooko ndroa ori miro ro a'dona ndi amba. 11 Memba mite liti tavouni roya; ago melepe mite liti taŋgye roya. 12 Ondro ka'do nyate aba tavouni si ŋgaaza unina ko edrene liti miro dri, ago ondro nyate umu oko minina ko umune parapara. 13 Nyäti ŋgaemba emba mibe sina ono ndi, nyije tana ko; nyagaga kadoro tana ni adri miro owo. 14 Nyoyi ko vose takozi'bai kayibe oyi kigye 'do ya. Miso ko taoye takozi'bai ro voro. 15 Miga tana zo; nyoyi ko kigyesi. Nyana mi lozo ni taundiro resi! ago nyoyi ŋgye liti miro yasi. 16 Tana lidri se koziro niyi ko u'dune madale ànya oyenayi ŋgakozi aza lutu. Ànya kayi u'du miuŋbo madale ànya oyenayi 'diaza lutu koziro. 17 Tana ŋgaonya ànyaro ni takozi oye ago vino ànyaro ni kyilaoye.
18 Liti takado'bai ro laba oso ŋgaeyi kitu ituvoro ronye, ŋgaeyina ugu voeyi te ndra madale vo laya gwo ndiya. 19 Oko liti takozi'bai ro, orivoya ŋgätini ro oso ŋgätini gbiṛikyiri ronye. Ànya niyi ŋgase kabe ànya o'ba lo'dene 'do ko.
20 Ŋgwa maro, miga bi tase mabe atana erine. Nyeri ata maro. 21 Mi'ba tana kuje koni midrisi, mi'ba tana kori 'du ya miro ya. 22 Anya orivoya adri yi 'dise kuni ànya be 'do ri, ago ozona a'do jiŋgyiri ni lomvo anyaro ri. 23 Nya'do taoti be tavo usuvoya, tana adri miro ka ori tausu miro si. 24 Nyata tase ko ŋgye 'do ko alona. Nyana mi ni ata undiro yasi. 25 Mindrevo 'du mileyaro; ago mi'ba mi ŋgase mileya dri. 26 Mira tase nyabe oyena 'do taoti si, 'dooko ŋgase cini nyabe oyena a'dona ndi kadoro. 27 Miku ko drigwo ya kode gaṛi ya, mina mi lozo ni taundiro yasi.
Advice to Young People
1 My child, listen closely
to my teachings
and learn common sense.
2 My advice is useful,
so don't turn away.
3 When I was still very young
and my mother's favorite child,
my father 4 said to me:
“If you follow my teachings
and keep them in mind,
you will live.
5 Be wise and learn good sense;
remember my teachings
and do what I say.
6 “If you love Wisdom
and don't reject her,
she will watch over you.
7 The best thing about Wisdom
is Wisdom herself;
good sense is more important
than anything else.
8 If you value Wisdom
and hold tightly to her,
great honors will be yours.
9 It will be like wearing
a glorious crown
of beautiful flowers.”
The Right Way and the Wrong Way
10 My child, if you listen
and obey my teachings,
you will live a long time.
11 I have shown you the way
that makes sense;
I have guided you
along the right path.
12 Your road won't be blocked,
and you won't stumble
when you run.
13 Hold firmly to my teaching
and never let go.
It will mean life for you.
14 Don't follow the bad example
of cruel and evil people.
15 Turn aside and keep going.
Stay away from them.
16 They can't sleep or rest
until they do wrong or harm
some innocent victim.
17 Their food and drink
are cruelty and wickedness.
18 The lifestyle of good people
is like sunlight at dawn
that keeps getting brighter
until broad daylight.
19 The lifestyle of the wicked
is like total darkness,
and they will never know
what makes them stumble.
20 My child, listen carefully
to everything I say.
21 Don't forget a single word,
but think about it all.
22 Knowing these teachings
will mean true life
and good health for you.
23 Carefully guard your thoughts
because they are the source
of true life.
24 Never tell lies or be deceitful
in what you say.
25 Keep looking straight ahead,
without turning aside.
26 Know where you are headed,
and you will stay
on solid ground.
27 Don't make a mistake by turning
to the right or the left.