Omiano vya Lemuel
1 Omiano ina ya Lemuel, ombara ya Masa, mbye mu ronga na vyo, ovyo mbi:
2 “Hi tje vi kove, muatje wandje, ove ngu u ri omukwatwa wandje, nu ngu u ri omayenenisiro womakwizikiro wandje? 3 O yandja omasa woye novimariva vyoye kovakazendu mokunanukira wo, na imba mbe zunḓa ozombara. 4 Puratena, Lemuel, ozombara kaze sokunwa omavinu, novahivirikwa kave sokuripurukisa nomanuwa omazeu! 5 Tji mave nu tjapo mave zembi omazikamisiro wouhona, nave rundurura ousemba wa imba avehe mbe ri mouhepe. 6 Yandja omanuwa omazeu komundu ngu ma yaraara, nomavinu ku ingwi ngu noruhoze tjinene. 7 Eye nga nwe a zembe ousyona we, nu e he rizemburuka nozongondjero ze rukwao.
8 “Hungirira ovandu mba seta eraka, novahumandu avehe wina. 9 Ve hungirira, nu rira omupangure omusemba u tjite ousemba kovahepe na kovasyona.”
Omukazendu omusore
10 Owaṋi ngu ma munu omukazendu omusore! Eye omukazendu omunanḓengu pomawe omahuze.
11 Omutima womurumendu mau yenene okuriyameka ku ye, nu ingwi omurumendu kamaa kaere okumunina po oviṋa ngamwa avihe.
12 Eye u raisira omurumendu we ouwa porwe, nu ke mu tjitire ouvi ngunda e nomuinyo.
13 Aruhe u tunga ovitungwa nomainya wozonḓu, nomake we ye ungura noupatje.
14 Eye u ri otja ondjuwoyomomeva yovarandise; u kaeta ovikurya okuza kokure.
15 U penduka ngunda akwa zorere na yandja ovikurya kovandu vonganda ye na kovakarere ve ovasuko.
16 U ripura nehi romakunino ne ri randa; nu imbi mbya munu moviungura vyomake we ma kunu na vyo otjikunino tjomivite.
17 Eye omukazendu ngu ungura tjinene, omunamasa nepatje.
18 U muna kutja oviungura vye vi kayenda nawa; nangarire ouṱuku emunine re kari zemi.
19 U woza ozosepa ze, na tungu ombanda ye omuini.
20 Eye u nyatururira ovasyona omake, na ropororere ovahepe omaoko we.
21 Ke rikendere onganda yawo mokupepera, avehe tjinga ave nozombanda zoupyu.
22 U riungurira ovinguma, nu u zara ozombanda nḓa ungurwa porupera oruheze nozoserarovazu.
23 Omurumendu we u tjiukwa mombongarero, eye tji ma haama motjira puna ovanane vehi.
24 U ungura ozombanda ne ze randisa, nomakwamo u ye yandja komurandise.
25 Eye u nomasa nu wa yozikwa, nu ke rikendere eyuva ramuhuka.
26 Tji ma hungire, u hungira nounongo, nomahongero we owo omanahange.
27 Eye u ṱakamisa nawa otjikaro tjonganda yawo, nu ka ri omboroto yotjirweyo.
28 Ovanatje ve ovazandu ve sekama nu ave mu hivi kutja omuindandu; nomurumendu we wina u mu tanga, 29 ama tja nai: “Ovakazendu ovengi ve tjita oviṋa ovihimise; nungwari ove u ri kombanda yawo avehe.”
30 Ourenga u wovisa, noupwe u zenga; omukazendu ngu nondira ku Muhona u sokuyozikwa.
31 Mu peye ondjozikiro otja ondjambi mu imbi mbya ungura nomake we; noviungura vye ngavi mu etere ondjozikiro komurungu wovandu avehe.
What King Lemuel's Mother Taught Him
1 These are the sayings
that King Lemuel of Massa
was taught by his mother.
2 My son Lemuel, you were born
in answer to my prayers,
so listen carefully.
3 Don't waste your life
chasing after women!
This has ruined many kings.
4 Kings and leaders
should not get drunk
or even want to drink.
5 Drinking makes you forget
your responsibilities,
and you mistreat the poor.
6 Beer and wine are only
for the dying or for those
who have lost all hope.
7 Let them drink and forget
how poor and miserable
they feel.
8 But you must defend
those who are helpless
and have no hope.
9 Be fair and give justice
to the poor and homeless.
In Praise of a Good Wife
10 A truly good wife
is the most precious treasure
a man can find!
11 Her husband depends on her,
and she never
lets him down.
12 She is good to him
every day of her life,
13 and with her own hands
she gladly makes clothes.
14 She is like a sailing ship
that brings food
from across the sea.
15 She gets up before daylight
to prepare food for her family
and for her servants.
16 She knows how to buy land
and how to plant a vineyard,
17 and she always works hard.
18 She knows when to buy or sell,
and she stays busy
until late at night.
19 She spins her own cloth,
20 and she helps the poor
and the needy.
21 Her family has warm clothing,
and so she doesn't worry
when it snows.
22 She does her own sewing,
and everything she wears
is beautiful.
23 Her husband is a well-known
and respected leader
in the city.
24 She makes clothes to sell
to the shop owners.
25 She is strong and graceful,
as well as cheerful
about the future.
26 Her words are sensible,
and her advice
is thoughtful.
27 She takes good care
of her family
and is never lazy.
28 Her children praise her,
and with great pride
her husband says,
29 “There are many good women,
but you are the best!”
30 Charm can be deceiving,
and beauty fades away,
but a woman
who honors the Lord
deserves to be praised.
31 Show her respect—
praise her in public
for what she has done.
