How Proverbs Can Be Used
1 These are the proverbs
of King Solomon of Israel,
the son of David.
2 Proverbs will teach you
wisdom and self-control
and how to understand
sayings with deep meanings.
3 You will learn what is right
and honest and fair.
4 From these, an ordinary person
can learn to be smart,
and young people can gain
knowledge and good sense.
5 If you are already wise,
you will become even wiser.
And if you are smart,
you will learn to understand
6 proverbs and sayings,
as well as words of wisdom,
and all kinds of riddles.
7 Respect and obey the Lord!
This is the beginning
of knowledge.
Only a fool rejects wisdom
and good advice.
Warnings against Bad Friends
8 My child, obey the teachings
of your parents,
9 and wear their teachings
as you would a pretty hat
or a lovely necklace.
10 Don't be tempted by sinners
or listen 11 when they say,
“Come on! Let's gang up
and kill somebody,
just for the fun of it!
12 They're well and healthy now,
but we'll finish them off
once and for all.
13 We'll take their valuables
and fill our homes
with stolen goods.
14 If you join our gang,
you'll get your share.”
15 Don't follow anyone like that
or do what they do.
16 They are in a big hurry
to commit some crime,
perhaps even murder.
17 They are like a bird
that sees the bait,
but ignores the trap.
18 They gang up to murder someone,
but they are the victims.
19 The wealth you get from crime
robs you of your life.
Wisdom Speaks
20 Wisdom shouts in the streets
wherever crowds gather.
21 She shouts in the marketplaces
and near the city gates
as she says to the people,
22 “How much longer
will you enjoy
being stupid fools?
Won't you ever stop sneering
and laughing at knowledge?
23 Listen as I correct you
and tell you what I think.
24 You completely ignored me
and refused to listen;
25 you rejected my advice
and paid no attention
when I warned you.
26 “So when you are struck
by some terrible disaster,
27 or when trouble and distress
surround you like a whirlwind,
I will laugh and make fun.
28 You will ask for my help,
but I won't listen;
you will search,
but you won't find me.
29 No, you would not learn,
and you refused
to respect the Lord.
30 You rejected my advice
and paid no attention
when I warned you.
31 “Now you will eat the fruit
of what you have done,
until you are stuffed full
with your own schemes.
32 Sin and self-satisfaction
bring destruction and death
to stupid fools.
33 But if you listen to me,
you will be safe and secure
without fear of disaster.”
Onḓengu yomiano
1 Omiano vya Salomo, omuzandu wa David nombara ya Israel. 2 Imbi ovyo omiano, mbi mavi ku vatere okurihonga ounongo nomavyuriro, nokutja u tjiwe omahungiriro omanazondunge nge nomaheyero omazeu. 3 Ovyo mavi ku hongo kutja u munine po ozondunge nu u kare nomasembamisiro nousemba nouatjiri. 4 Ovyo mavi yandja ozondunge komuhinandjiviro moviṋa vyouye, nu mavi hongo omitanda ondjiviro nokukengeza. 5 Omiano mbi mavi yenene okuweza ko ondjiviro komunaunongo, nokuyandja omahongero omanazondunge komuhongwandu, 6 kokutja ve sore okutjiwa omiano nomasanekero nomambo wozonongo novihakwa vyawo. 7 Ondira ku Muhona oyo ombutiro yondjiviro. Ovandu omayova ve nyengura ounongo nomavyuriro.
Omaronga komitanda
8 Muatje wandje, puratena komavyuriro waiho, nu o nakaura ko omahongero wanyoko! 9 Omahongero wawo maye sembamisa otjikaro tjoye otja ombate ombwa poo otja oundjendje womosengo tji u munikisa ombunikiro yoye nawa.
10 Ovarunde tji mave ku roro, muatje wandje, o zuu ku wo. 11 Rumwe mave tja: “Indjo; ngatu pahe omundu tu zepe! Ngatu rwise omundu ngu hi nondjo, nandarire kutja ka tjitire otjiṋa! 12 Nandi twe ve vaza ve nomuinyo nave ri nawa, matu ve yandeke tji twe ve munu. 13 Matu munu ovihuze ngamwa avihe natu urisa ozondjuwo zetu novipunda. 14 Indjo u rikute kuna eṱe, nu atuhe tu haṋasane imbi mbi matu vaka.”
15 O kayenda puna ovandu mba sana ngo, muatje wandje; humburuka kokure na wo! 16 Owo kave wombo okutjita ourunde. Aruhe ve rirongerera okuzepa. 17 Omungandjo okupata ongwehe, onḓera ndji movanga okukambura ngunda amai tarere, 18 nungwari ovandu otja imba mave ritwire po oveni ongwehe, ongwehe ndji mai ve zepa. 19 Okupunda oviṋa aruhe ku paha omuinyo womupunde; imbi ombi tjitwa ku auhe ngu hupa mokutjita outwe.
Okuravaera kwounongo
20 Purateneye! Ounongo mau ravaere neraka enene momivanda na pomarandisiro; 21 mau ravaere tjinene pomivero vyotjihuro na ngamwa apehe ovandu pu ve woronganena, amau tja:
22 “Mayova weṋe, mamu vanga okukara omayova nao nga ruṋe! Eṋe vanyekerere, mamu nyekerere nga ruṋe? Neṋe mayova, mamu tondo ondjiviro nga ruṋe? 23 Purateneye tji me mu tena; ami me mu pe omaronga omawa, nu me haṋasana ondjiviro yandje kuna eṋe. 24 Ami mbe mu isana, mbe mu ṋanga kutja mu ye, nungwari eṋe mwa panḓa; kamu ningire ko na tja na ami. 25 Eṋe mwa nyengura ondunge yandje aihe, nu kamu vangere kutja mbi mu vyure. 26 Ami wina otji me mu yoro tji mwa hiti moumba, nu me mu nyekerere tji mwa uruma, 27 omburuma tji yeya ku eṋe otja otjivepo otjindandi, noumba au ya ku eṋe otja otjisukusuku, neṋe tji mu ri momihihamo neputi. 28 Eṋe mamu ndji isana, nungwari ami hi nokuitavera ko, mamu ndji paha akuhe, nungwari kamu nokundjimuna. 29 Eṋe mwa tonda ondjiviro, nu aruhe mwa panḓa okukara nonḓuviro ku Muhona. 30 Kamu na pu mwa vanga omaronga wandje, nu kamu ningire ko na tja na ami tji mbe mu vyura. 31 Eṋe otji mwa pewa imbi mbye mu pwira, novitjitwa vyeṋu oveni mavi mu verisa. 32 Ovandu mbe hi nondjiviro ve koka, tjinga ave nyengura ounongo. Ovandu omayova mave yandekwa i okuhinokurikenda kwawo oveni. 33 Nungwari ngu ma puratene ku ami ma tura mouyara; ma kara nokuhinatjipo, nu ke nokutira otjiwonga kangamwa.”
