Wisdom and Stupidity
1 Wisdom has built her house and made seven columns for it. 2 She has had an animal killed for a feast, mixed spices in the wine, and set the table. 3 She has sent her servant women to call out from the highest place in town: 4 “Come in, ignorant people!” And to the foolish she says, 5 “Come, eat my food and drink the wine that I have mixed. 6 Leave the company of ignorant people, and live. Follow the way of knowledge.”
7 If you correct conceited people, you will only be insulted. If you reprimand evil people, you will only get hurt. 8 Never correct conceited people; they will hate you for it. But if you correct the wise, they will respect you. 9 Anything you say to the wise will make them wiser. Whatever you tell the righteous will add to their knowledge.
10 To be wise you must first have reverence for the Lord. If you know the Holy One, you have understanding. 11 Wisdom will add years to your life. 12 You are the one who will profit if you have wisdom, and if you reject it, you are the one who will suffer.
13 Stupidity is like a loud, ignorant, shameless woman. 14 She sits at the door of her house or on a seat in the highest part of town, 15 and calls out to people passing by, who are minding their own business: 16 “Come in, ignorant people!” To the foolish she says, 17 “Stolen water is sweeter. Stolen bread tastes better.” 18 Her victims do not know that the people die who go to her house, that those who have already entered are now deep in the world of the dead.
Ounongo nouyova
1 Ounongo we ritungira ondjuwo nau ri ungurire ozongunḓe hambombari. 2 Owo wa zepa otjinamuinyo tjomukandi, au hanga omavinu nau ṱunu otjiriro. 3 Ounongo wa hinda ovakarere vawo ovasuko, ve kaisanene pozondongamo zotjihuro amave tjivisa nai: 4 “Indjeye, vandu ovehinondjiviro!” Nu komayova owo mau tja nai: 5 “Indjeye mu ye okurya ovikurya vyandje nu mu ye okunwa omavinu wandje ngu mba hanga! 6 Iseye ouyova mu hupe. Twareye ondjira yozondunge.”
7 Tji mo vyura omunyekerere, eye ma rire omunavita na ove. Tji mo vere omunauvi, mo munu otjipo uriri. 8 O vyura ko omunyekerere; eye me ku tondo mena ranao. Nungwari tji mo vyura omundu onongo, eye me ku yozike. 9 Otjiṋa atjihe tji mo tjivisa konongo matji mu pere ko ounongo. Ngamwa atjihe tji mo hongo omundu omusemba matji tumbisire ko ondjiviro ye.
10 Ondira ku Muhona oyo ombutiro younongo, nokutjiwa ingwi Omuyapuke Umwe oko ondjiviro. 11 Ounongo mau takavarisa omayuva woye, nozombura zomuinyo woye maze weziwa. 12 Okokuwa okurira onongo, nu tji mo nakaura ounongo, oove omuini ngu mo munu ouzeu.
13 Ouyova u ri otja omukazendu omuhaori, ngu hi nozondunge nu ngu hi nohoṋi. 14 Eye u haama pomuvero wondjuwo ye kotjihavero tjomasuviro pondongamo yotjihuro, 15 nu a ravaere kovandu mbu mave kapita amave ripura oviṋa vyawo oveni, na tja ku wo: 16 “Hiteye, vandu ovehinondjiviro!” Kovehinozondunge tjandje ma tja: 17 “Omeva omavakwa ye tjata omuzeze komeho; omboroto ndji mai riwa ngumumu i tjata nawa komeho.” 18 Imba ovaṋangwa vomukazendu ngwi kave tjiwa kutja ovandu mbe yenda kondjuwo ye ve kakoka, nokutja imba mba tenge po okuhita, nai ve ri mourekoto wotjovakoke.
