Don't Be Foolish
1 My child, suppose you agree
to pay the debt of someone,
who cannot repay a loan.
2 Then you are trapped
by your own words,
3 and you are now in the power
of someone else.
Here is what you should do:
Go and beg for permission
to call off the agreement.
4 Do this before you fall asleep
or even get sleepy.
5 Save yourself, just as a deer
or a bird tries to escape
from a hunter.
6 You lazy people can learn
by watching an anthill.
7 Ants don't have leaders,
8 but they store up food
during harvest season.
9 How long will you lie there
doing nothing at all?
When are you going to get up
and stop sleeping?
10 Sleep a little. Doze a little.
Fold your hands
and twiddle your thumbs.
11 Suddenly, everything is gone,
as though it had been taken
by an armed robber.
12 Worthless liars go around
13 winking and giving signals
to deceive others.
14 They are always thinking up
something cruel and evil,
and they stir up trouble.
15 But they will be struck
by sudden disaster
and left without a hope.
16 There are six or seven
kinds of people
the Lord doesn't like:
17 Those who are too proud
or tell lies or murder,
18 those who make evil plans
or are quick to do wrong,
19 those who tell lies in court
or stir up trouble
in a family.
20 Obey the teaching
of your parents—
21 always keep it in mind
and never forget it.
22 Their teaching will guide you
when you walk,
protect you when you sleep,
and talk to you
when you are awake.
23 The Law of the Lord is a lamp,
and its teachings
shine brightly.
Correction and self-control
will lead you through life.
24 They will protect you
from the flattering words
of someone else's wife.
25 Don't let yourself be attracted
by the charm and lovely eyes
of someone like that.
26 A woman who sells her love
can be bought for as little
as the price of a meal.
But making love
to another man's wife
will cost you everything.
27 If you carry burning coals,
you burn your clothes;
28 if you step on hot coals,
you burn your feet.
29 And if you go to bed
with another man's wife,
you pay the price.
30 We don't put up with thieves,
not even with one who steals
for something to eat.
31 And thieves who get caught
must pay back
seven times what was stolen
and lose everything.
32 But if you go to bed
with another man's wife,
you will destroy yourself
by your own stupidity.
33 You will be beaten
and forever disgraced,
34 because a jealous husband
can be furious and merciless
when he takes revenge.
35 He won't let you pay him off,
no matter what you offer.
Omalondwelo
1 Omumwange, ove ngeenge wa ninga omuponhele woifuta yomukweni, wa yandja eke kwaau uhe mu shii, 2 we limangifa keendjovo domokanya koye, wa kwatwa keendjovo dokanya koye, 3 shi ninga hano, omumwange, opo u lixupife, osheshi wa kwatwa komake kumukweni: inda u lininipike kuye u mu fininike, 4 ino itavelela omesho oye eemhofi, neemhafu doye okukumuka. 5 Lixupifa momake ngaashi omenye nongaashi odila meke lomukwati weedila. 6 Omundede ove, inda kokafelepuka, u tale eendjila dako u mone eendunge! 7 Ko kehe nomupiti wokomesho, nomupashukili ile omupangeli, 8 ndelenee ko take likongele omungome wako mokulombo, eendja dako ke di tuvikile mefimbo lokufu. 9 Omundede ove, fiyo onaini to kala wa nangala, onaini to ka penduka meemhofi doye? 10 Natango kofa po kanini, natango kumuka kanini, natango lixukata omake oye u tulumukwe, 11 opo nee oluhepo tali ku uya ngaashi omweelaeli, noufyoona ngaashi omulumenhu a dililwa oiti.
12 Ou ha endaenda nokanya ke yadi oipupulu, oye omukolokoshi nomulongi wowii, 13 ou ta pepe nomesho ta nyota edu neemhadi ndele ta yandje omadidiliko nominwe daye, 14 okukengelela oku li momutima waye, ta diladila alushe oumbudi ndele ta kunu eemhata. 15 Onghee hano ehanauno laye tali mu vakele, ta ka teywa po divadiva, ehe neveluko.
16 Oinima ei iheyali Omwene te i tondo, noinima iheyali oyo oixuna komwenyo waye: 17 omesho elinenepeko, elaka li noipupulu, nomake taa tileshi ohonde ihe netimba, 18 omutima tau diladila omauko mai, eemhadi tadi endelele okuninga owii, 19 ondobwedi i noipupulu tai tandavelifa oipupulu ndele tai kunu eemhata mokati kovamwaina ovalumenhu.
Elondwelo molwomukainhu mwii
20 Omumwange, diinina oshipango shaxo, ino ekelashi elongo lanyoko. 21 Oyo i manga, i kale alushe pomutima, i endjelelifa mofingo yoye. 22 Oyo i ku pitile komesho mokweenda kwoye, yo i ku pashukile mokunangala kwoye, nomokupenduka kwoye oyo i ku popife. 23 Osheshi oshipango osho olamba, nelongo olo ouyelele nehanyeno lomoutekuduliko olo ondjila yomwenyo, 24 opo yo i ku amene komukainhu mwii, nokelaka lomufenhu lomukainhu wovanhu. 25 Momutima woye ino halukila ouwa waye, neemhafu daye dihe ku kwate. 26 Osheshi molwombwada okamungome taka kanifwa, nomukainhu a hombolwa ta yulu omwenyo u nondilo.
27 Olyelye ta dulu okuhumbatela mekolo laye omundilo, noikutu itai pi mbela? 28 Ile olyelye ta dulu okweenda komakala a hanya, eemhadi daye itadi tutu mbela? 29 Osho ngaha tashi ningilwa ou ta i mo momukainhu wamukwao. Keshe umwe te mu kumu, ita kala ina handukilwa. 30 Omulunga ita dinwa mbela nande ta vake e likutife, shaashi ye e na ondjala. 31 Ndele ye eshi a monika e nokufuta luheyali. Ye e nokuyandja po oinima aishe yeumbo laye. 32 Ou ta teya ohombo nomukainhu, ye ke neendunge. Ou a hala okunyona po okukalamwenyo kwaye mwene, osho na ninge. 33 Ye ota ka hangika koshiponga nokohoni, nokudinwa kwaye itaku dimwa po. 34 Osheshi oukodi tau xwameke ehandu momulumenhu, ndele ehe nolukeno mefiku longhone. 35 Ye ina hala nande ofuto, ndele ita itavele nande u hapupalife ofuto yoye.
