In Praise of Wisdom
1 There are mines where silver is dug;
There are places where gold is refined.
2 We dig iron out of the ground
And melt copper out of the stones.
3 Miners explore the deepest darkness.
They search the depths of the earth
And dig for rocks in the darkness.
4 Far from where anyone lives
Or human feet ever travel,
They dig the shafts of mines.
There they work in loneliness,
Clinging to ropes in the pits.
5 Food grows out of the earth,
But underneath the same earth
All is torn up and crushed.
6 The stones of the earth contain sapphires,
And its dust contains gold.
7 No hawk sees the roads to the mines,
And no vulture ever flies over them.
8 No lion or other fierce beast
Ever travels those lonely roads.
9 Miners dig the hardest rocks,
Dig mountains away at their base.
10 As they tunnel through the rocks,
They discover precious stones.
11 They dig to the sources of rivers
And bring to light what is hidden.
12 But where can wisdom be found?
Where can we learn to understand?
13 Wisdom is not to be found among mortals;
No one knows its true value.
14 The depths of the oceans and seas
Say that wisdom is not found there.
15 It cannot be bought with silver or gold.
16 The finest gold and jewels
Cannot equal its value.
17 It is worth more than gold,
Than a gold vase or finest glass.
18 The value of wisdom is more
Than coral or crystal or rubies.
19 The finest topaz and the purest gold
Cannot compare with the value of wisdom.
20 Where, then, is the source of wisdom?
Where can we learn to understand?
21 No living creature can see it,
Not even a bird in flight.
22 Even death and destruction
Admit they have heard only rumors.
23 God alone knows the way,
Knows the place where wisdom is found,
24 Because he sees the ends of the earth,
Sees everything under the sky.
25 When God gave the wind its power
And determined the size of the sea;
26 When God decided where the rain would fall,
And the path that the thunderclouds travel;
27 It was then he saw wisdom and tested its worth—
He gave it his approval.
28 God said to us humans,
“To be wise, you must have reverence for the Lord.
To understand, you must turn from evil.”
Okutanga ounongo
1 “Mu nomoṋa mu mu sosurwa osilveri;
pe nopoṋa pu pe kohororerwa ongoldo.
2 Ovitenda vi za mehi,
nongoporo i zuzurwa pomawe.
3 Ovandu ve konḓonona ourekoto wonḓorera.
Owo ve paha oukoto wehi,
nu ve sa otuuwa monḓorera.
4 Ovandu ve sa ozondjira mourekoto wehi,
kokure na ku ku tura ovandu,
poo ku ku ryanga ovandu.
Ingo ve ungura aveyerike ava kakatere
kozongoze mourekoto wehi.
5 Ovikurya vi hapa mehi,
nungwari mehi kehi yehi tjingero avihe
vi taurwa nomasa womuriro.
6 Momawe wehi mu na osafira,
nu moruuma rwawo mu na ongoldo wina.
7 Kape norukoze ndu muna ozondjira
zokupunda mourekoto wehi,
nu kape nonguvi,
ndji tuka kombanda yourekoto mbwi.
8 Kape nongeyama poo
otjipuka tjarwe otjindandi
tji tji ryanga mozondjira nḓo.
9 “Ovandu ve ka otuuwa otukukutu tjinene,
ve sa ozondundu kehi.
10 Tji mave topora otuhito
twomehi okutuurunga otuuwa,
ve kamuna mo omawe omahuze.
11 Ve sa nga kozomburo zozonḓonḓu;
nave eta kondjerera imbi mbya horekwa.
12 Nungwari ounongo mau vazewa pi?
Nondjiviro mai munika pi?
13 “Ondjira ndji twara kounongo,
kai tjiukwa i omundu.
Owo kau munika mehi rovanamuinyo.
14 Ourekoto wokuvare mau tja:
‘Ounongo kau ri mu ami!’
Nomuronga mau tja:
‘Ounongo kau ri pu ami!’
15 Owo kau randwa nongoldo
nu kau sutwa nosilveri.
16 Ongoldo ongohoke tjinene nomawe
omahuze kavinanḓengu imwe.
17 Ounongo u nonḓengu pongoldo,
u nonḓengu potjitjuma tjongoldo
nekende ekeṋakeṋe.
18 Onḓengu younongo i kapita omawe
omahuze womosengo noundjendje.
19 Otopas ya Kus nongoldo ongohoke
tjinene kavi ṱeki ponḓengu younongo.
20 “Nu ounongo, hapo mau vazewa pi?
Nondjiviro mai munika pi?
21 Kape notjiutwa otjinamuinyo tji matji u munu,
nandarire ozonḓera nḓu maze tuka meyuru.
22 Nangarire otjovakoke nonḓiro mavi
itavere kutja ovyo vya zuva
onḓuvarero younongo porwayo.
23 “Ndjambi erike ongu tjiwa ondjira,
nongu tjiwa poṋa pu pe vazewa ounongo,
24 eye tjinga e muna nga komayandero wouye,
noviṋa avihe mbi ri kehi yevaverwa,
eye u vi muna.
25 Ndjambi tja yandja kombepo omasa wayo,
na zikamisa omiruko vyokuvare,
26 na tye poṋa pu mape sokuroka ombura,
nondjira ovikamba vyotuṱuṱumo
mu mavi sokuryanga,
27 eye otja muna ounongo ne u zuvarisa;
neye we u zikamisa ne u konḓonona wina.
28 “Ndjambi wa tja nai komundu:
‘Ondira ku Muhona oyo ounongo;
nokutonda ouvi oko ondjiviro.’ ”
