1 But it is different with the person who devotes himself to studying the Law of the Most High. He examines the wisdom of all the ancient writers and concerns himself with the prophecies. 2 He memorizes the sayings of famous men and is a skilled interpreter of parables. 3 He studies the hidden meaning of proverbs and is able to discuss the obscure points of parables. 4 Great people call on him for his services, and he is seen in the company of rulers. He travels to foreign lands in his efforts to learn about human good and evil. 5 It is his practice to get up early and pray aloud to the Lord his Creator, asking the Most High to forgive his sins. 6 Then, if the great Lord is willing, he will be filled with understanding. He will pour out a stream of wise sayings, and give thanks to the Lord in prayer. 7 He will have knowledge to share and good advice to give, as well as insight into the Lord's secrets. 8 He will demonstrate his learning in what he teaches, and his pride will be in the Lord's Law and covenant. 9 He will be widely praised for his wisdom, and it will never be lost, because people for generations to come will remember him. 10 The Gentiles will talk about his wisdom, and he will be praised aloud in the assembly. 11 If he lives to old age, he will die famous, but if he is laid to rest before he is famous, he will be content.
A Hymn in Praise of God
12 Like the moon, I am full—full of more ideas to be discussed. 13 Listen to me, you devout children of mine, and blossom like a rosebush on a stream bank. 14 Bloom like a sweet-smelling lily, and send your fragrance into the air like incense. Sing the Lord's praises, and thank him for all that he has done. 15 Proclaim his glory in grateful praise! To the music of the harp, sing this song:
16 All that the Lord has done is very good;
all that he commands is sooner or later done.
17 No one should ask why things are as they are;
these questions will be answered at the right time.
He commanded, and the water piled up high,
great walls of water arose when he spoke.
18 Whatever he commands is promptly done;
there are no limits to his power to save.
19 He sees all that every human being does;
there is no way to hide from his sight.
20 He sees the whole of time, from beginning to end,
and nothing takes him by surprise.
21 No one should ask why things are as they are;
everything in creation has its purpose.
22 His blessings overflow like the Nile,
enriching the world in a fertile flood.
23 He turns fresh water into salt water,
and he turns his anger on the nations.
24 For the devout, his ways are straight;
for the wicked, they are laid with traps.
25 From the beginning he has made good things for the good
and terrible things for sinners.
26 The basic needs of life are these:
water, fire, iron, and salt,
flour, honey, and milk,
wine, clothing, and oil.
27 All these things are good for those who are devout,
but they turn into evils for sinners.
28 There are winds that were created to bring punishment,
fierce enough to move mountains.
In times of judgment, they unleash their strength
and calm the anger of their maker.
29-30 Vicious animals, scorpions, and snakes;
the sword that destroys the wicked;
fire, hail, famine, and disease;
these have all been created as punishments.
31 They are all glad to obey the Lord's command
and are ready to serve him here on earth.
When their times of duty come,
they never disobey.
( 32 I was long convinced of this, so after thinking it over I put it in writing.)
33 Everything made by the Lord is good;
he meets every need at the proper time.
34 No one can claim that some things are worse than others,
for everything is good in its proper place.
35 Now then, sing praises with all your heart,
and praise the name of the Lord!
1 ǃKhūb, Hoan xa ǀGapib di ǂhanuba ǁkhāǁkhāsensa ǃoa ǁî-aitsama a māsenxa khoeb ge nau sîsenaon hoana xu a ǀkhara. ǁÎb ge ǀoro ǁaeb di xoa-aogu hoagu ge gā-aisib xa mî hâ i xūn tsî ǁkhāti kēbo-aogu ge mî hâ in tsîna nî ôaǃnâ. 2 ǁÎb ge ǂanǂansa khoegu di mîxūna ǁkhāǁkhāsen tsî ǂkhōdi ǂâibasende ra ǁnâuǃā. 3 ǁÎb ge ǂganǃgâsa ǂâibasendi ǂkhoamîdi dide ra ôaǃnâ tsî ǂansa tama ǃâdi ǂkhōdi dide a ǂanǂui ǁkhā. 4 ǁÎb ge ǂanǂansa khoena ra ǀapemā tsî gu ge ǂgaeǂgui-aogu tsîna ǁîb di mûǂgāǀgauba ra dî. ǁÎb ge ǃhao ǃhūgu ǃnâ ǃnarima tsî khoen di ǃgâib tsî tsūb xa, hōǃâsa xu a ǂan. 5 ǁÎb di ǁnaetib ge ǃoega khâi tsî ǃgarise ǃKhūb Kuru-aob ǃoa ǀgoresa, îb ǁîb di ǁorena ǀûbahe. 6 Tsî kai ǃKhūb ga ǂgao, ob ge ǀō-aisa ǂans tsî sîsenǁkhāsiba ǁgauǃnâ-aoba nî mā tsî di ge ǀasa gā-ai mîde ǁîb amsa xu nî ǂoaxa. Tsîb ge ǁîba ǀgores ǃnâ ǃKhūba nî gangan. 7 ǁÎb ge ǀgoragub nî ǂans tsî ǃgâi ǀapemās, naunab nî mās tsîna nî ūhâ. Tsîb ge ǃKhūb di ǂganǃgâsigu xa nî ǁkhāǁkhāsen. 8 ǃKhūb ge ǂgoms di ǁkhāǁkhās naunab nî ǁkhāǁkhāsa nî mā bi tsîb ge Hoan xa ǀGapib di ǂhanub ai nî ǂnīsa. 9 Khoen ge hoa ǃkhaidi ai ǁîba gā-aisib âb ǃaroma nî koa tsîn ge khoena hugaǀgui ǁnā ǂansa ǂâis ǃnâ nî ūhâ. Khoen ge hugaǀgui ǁîba ǂâis ǃnâ ūhâ tsî hoaǁae ǃgôasiba nî mā bi. 10 Jodeǁîn ge hoaǁae ǁîb xa ǃgôasib ǀkha nî ǃhoa tsî Jodeǁî taman ge ǁîb gā-aisib xa nî ǃhoa. 11 Kairab ka, ob ge nau ǀoadisin ǃgâ-ai ǃgôasib ǃnâ nî ǁō tsî ǁōb ka, ob ge ǁîb di ǂanǂansasiba nî ǁîb di mādawa-am.
Eloba koas di ǁnaetsanas
12 Xawe nēsi ta ge ti ǀapeǁguigu xa ǃnāsase ra ǃhoaǂam ǂgao. Tita ge nēsi ǁkhāsigu xa ǀoa hâ, ǀoasa ǁkhâb khami. 13-14 ǃKhūba kurub gen hoan ǃaroma koa. A di sa ǁnaetsanade ǃgâihamxūn di hammi, leliǃkhādi di ǃgâi hammi ǁhaoǁaeb ǃnâ, rosǃkhādi ǁgamǀaudi amǃgâb ai mâdi di ǂkhon ǃgâi hammi khami ǂoa. 15 Sadu harpde ǀkhō, î ǃKhūba koatsanade ǁnaeba, mâtikōseb kai ǃkhaisa mîba bi. Nē ǁâudīb amsa ǁnae:
16 ǃKhūb ge kurun hoan ge a ǃgâi;
tsî ǁîb mîmādi ge ǂhanu ǁaeb ai ra ǁnâuǀnamhe.
17 Khoe-i xare-i ge ǃKhūba, tare-i ǃaromab ge ǁîna ǁnāti dī ǃkhaisa dî tide.
ǁÎb ge mâ xū-i hoa-e ǂhâbab ka, o nî ǃgāǃgā.
ǁÎb ge mîmā ogu ge ǁgamga ge ǀhao.
ǃHoab ge, o gu ge huriga ge kuruhe.
18 Tare-i ǀgui-eb ga mîmā, o i ge ra dīǀoaǀoahe
tsî i ge xū-i xare-e ǁîb di sâu ǁkhās ǀgaiba ǁkhae tide.
19 Eloba xu da ge a gaugausen ǁoa;
ǁîb ge mâ khoe-i hoa-i ra dī xūna ra mû.
20 ǁÎb ge hoaraga ǁaeba, tsoatsoasa xu ǀunis kōse ra mû,
tsî i ge xū-i xare-e ǁîba buruburuxaba tama hâ.
21 Khoe-i xare-i ge ǃKhūba, tare-i ǃaromab ge ǁîna ǁnāti dī ǃkhaisa dî tide;
kurub ge xū-i hoa-i ge ǁî-i di ǂâibasensa ūhâ.
22 ǃKhūb di ǀkhaeb ge ǃāb khami ǂnâsa ǃhūba ra dâuǂam
tsî ǃhūba ra ǂûǂûxa kai.
23 ǁAixab ka, ob ge ǁaib âba ǁaede nî hāǂam,
ǃgâi ǁgam-eb ǂōxa ǁgam-i ǃnâ ra ǀkharaǀkhara khami.
24 Elob ge ǁîb di ǃanuna, ǂhanu daob ai ra ǂgaeǂgui,
xawe eloxoresan di daob ǃnâ di ge ǁnoade ǁgoe.
25 Tsoatsoasa xub ge ǃgâi xūna ǃgâin ǃaroma
tsî tsū xūna ǁore-aon ǃaroma ge dī.
26 Tsēkorobe ûib ǃaroma da ǂhâba hân ge:
ǁGam-i, ǀaes, ǀurin tsî ǂō-i;
mel-i, dani-i tsî dai-i,
ǂauxûi-i, ǀkhera-oli-i tsî saran tsîna.
27 Nēn hoan ge eloǃaoǃgâxan ǃaroma a ǃgâi,
xawen ge ǁore-aona, tsūǀkhāb ǀguiba ra hā-ūba.
28 ǃKhūb ge ǀgaisa ǂoaga khoenab nî ǁkharase ge kuru.
ǁÎb ga ǁaixa tsî ǀhapixana ǁkhara,
o gu ge ǀgaisa ǁgaoǂoaga ǁîna samib khami ra ǂnau,
tsî ǁîn Kuru-aob di ǁaiba ra ǀam kai.
29-30 ǃKhūb ge ǁkhāti sao ra xūna khoenab nî ǁkhara-ūse ge kuru:
ǀAes tsî ǃnareb, ǃâtsūǀkhāb tsî ǁōb;
ǁaixa ǀgurun, ǀhūn tsî ǃgāxa ǀaon
tsî ǁkhāti torob tsîna.
31 ǁÎn hoan ge ǃKhūb di mîmāde ǁnâuǀnams ǃnâ ra ǃgâiaǂgao
tsî ǁîba ǃhūbaib ai ǃoabas ǃoa ǂhomisase hâ.
ǁÎn di ǃoabasa dīs di ǁaeb ga hā,
on ge tātsē ǁnâuǀnamoǃnâ tama hâ.
32 Ti ǁkhāǁkhāsendi ǀkha ta ge tsoatsoasa xu, ta ge nēsa ǂâiǃgâ tsî ge xoamâi.
33 Elob ge kuru xūn hoan ge amase a ǃgâi,
tsîb ge ǂhâbada hâ xūna ǂhanu ǁaeb ai ra māda.
34 ǁÎb ge kuru xū-i hoa-i ge ǁî-i di ǂhunuma ǂâibasensa ūhâ
tsî i ge khoe-e: “Nē-i ge nau-i xa a ǃgâi” ti a mî ǁoa.
35 Nēsi sa ǂgaob haoragab ǀkha koatsanade ǁnae,
î ǃKhūb di ǀonsa koa.
