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.
Lihapupalifila ounongo u kukume ouhenakalunga
1 Ovamati nye udeni outekuduliko waxo, ndele pwilikineni mu longwe omayele. 2 Osheshi ame ohandi mu pukulula nawa, inamu xutwifa elongo lange. 3 Osheshi ame eshi nda li omona watate wokashendjelutu newifa lameme, 4 ye okwa longa nge ndele a lombwela nge: “Omutima woye nau dame keendjovo dange. Diinina oipango yange, opo u kale nomwenyo. 5 Lihapupalifila ounongo, likongela omayele! Ino dimbwa ndele ino kanduka mo meendjila dokanya kange. 6 Ino u xutwifa, opo u ku amene. U hola, opo nee tau ku popile.
7 “Efina lounongo oleli: Likongela ounongo, ndele likongela omayele noinima aishe u i kwete. 8 U fimaneka, opo otau ku lenge. Ngeenge to u papatele, otau ku fimanekifa. 9 Otau ku pe oshidingo sha wapala komutwe woye; tau ku etele oshishani sha wapalelela.”
10 Omumwange, uda eendjovo dange, di tambula, opo nee omido dokukalamwenyo kwoye tadi hapupala. 11 Ame ohandi ku longo ondjila younongo, ame ohandi ku twala meendjila da yukilila. 12 Mokweenda kwoye eenghatu itadi finana, ndele ngeenge to tondoka, ito ka punduka. 13 Likwatelela outekuduliko, ino u xutwifa, u diinina, osheshi owo okukalamwenyo kwoye. 14 Ino ya kelila lovahenakalunga ndele ino lyata ondjila yovanawii. 15 I efa, ino ya ko, kanduka mo muyo ndele i koya po. 16 Osheshi vo hava nyengwa okukofa ngeenge itava longo owii. Ndele itava kumuka, fimbo inava pundukifa omunhu. 17 Osheshi vo ohava li omungome wouhenakalunga, ndele hava nu omaviinyu oukolokoshi. 18 Fimbo elila lovayuki li li ngaashi eluwa tali tende, lo tali eta ouyelele tau hapupala fiyo omutenya tau tu, 19 ondjila yovahenakalunga oyo ngaashi omulaulu; vo inava shiiva apa tava ka pundukila.
20 Omumwange, pwilikina edi handi ku lombwele, endekela okutwi kwoye keendjovo dange. 21 Ino di kandula po koshipala shoye, di diinina meni lomutima woye. 22 Osheshi odo omwenyo kwaava tave di mono, omuti wokuvelula olutu lavo alishe. 23 Omutima woye u amena komesho yoinima aishe oyo i nokwaamenwa, osheshi muwo otamu di omwenyo. 24 Kandula po pwoove oipupulu yokanya koye, oipupulu yomilungu doye i kaleka kokule naave. 25 Omesho oye naa tale a yukilila, neemhafu doye nadi yukilile. 26 Elila lomhadi yoye li yelakanifa neendjila doye adishe nadi kale da pama. 27 Ino kanduka ko kolulyo ile kolumosho. Omhadi yoye i kaleka kokule nowii.
