Purpose
1These are the proverbs of Solomon. He was the son of David and the king of Israel.
2Proverbs teach you wisdom and instruct you.
They help you understand wise sayings.
3They provide you with instruction and help you live wisely.
They lead to what is right and honest and fair.
4They give understanding to childish people.
They give knowledge and good sense to those who are young.
5Let wise people listen and add to what they have learned.
Let those who understand what is right get guidance.
6What I’m teaching also helps you understand proverbs and stories.
It helps you understand the sayings and riddles of those who are wise.
7If you really want to gain knowledge, you must begin by having respect for the Lord.
But foolish people hate wisdom and instruction.
Think and Live Wisely
A Warning Against Sinful Men
8My son, listen to your father’s advice.
Don’t turn away from your mother’s teaching.
9What they teach you will be like a beautiful crown on your head.
It will be like a chain to decorate your neck.
10My son, if sinful men tempt you,
don’t give in to them.
11They might say, “Come along with us.
Let’s hide and wait to kill someone who hasn’t done anything wrong.
Let’s catch some harmless person in our trap.
12Let’s swallow them alive, as the grave does.
Let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down into the pit.
13We’ll get all kinds of valuable things.
We’ll fill our houses with what we steal.
14Cast lots with us for what they own.
We’ll share everything we take from them.”
15My son, don’t go along with them.
Don’t even set your feet on their paths.
16They are always in a hurry to sin.
They are quick to spill someone’s blood.
17How useless it is to spread a net
where every bird can see it!
18Those who hide and wait will spill their own blood.
They will be caught in their own trap.
19That’s what happens to everyone
who goes after money in the wrong way.
That kind of money takes away
the life of those who get it.
Wisdom’s Warning
20Out in the open wisdom calls out.
She raises her voice in a public place.
21On top of the city wall she cries out.
Here is what she says near the gate of the city.
22“How long will you childish people love your childish ways?
How long will you rude people enjoy making fun of God and others?
How long will you foolish people hate knowledge?
23Pay attention to my warning!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you.
I will make known to you my teachings.
24But you refuse to listen when I call out to you.
No one pays attention when I reach out my hand.
25You turn away from all my advice.
And you do not accept my warning.
26So I will laugh at you when you are in danger.
I will make fun of you when hard times come.
27I will laugh when hard times hit you like a storm.
I will laugh when danger comes your way like a windstorm.
I will make fun of you when suffering and trouble come.
28“Then you will call to me. But I won’t answer.
You will look for me. But you won’t find me.
29You hated knowledge.
You didn’t choose to have respect for the Lord.
30You wouldn’t accept my advice.
You turned your backs on my warnings.
31So you will eat the fruit of the way you have lived.
You will choke on the fruit of what you have planned.
32“The wrong path that childish people take will kill them.
Foolish people will be destroyed by being satisfied with the way they live.
33But those who listen to me will live in safety.
They will be at ease and have no fear of being harmed.”
Èròǹgbà àti kókó-ọ̀rọ̀
1Àwọn òwe ti Solomoni, ọmọ Dafidi, ọba Israẹli.
2Láti le ní ọgbọ́n àti ẹ̀kọ́,
Láti ní òye àwọn ọ̀rọ̀-ìjìnlẹ̀.
3Láti gba ẹ̀kọ́ ọgbọ́n, òdodo,
àti ìdájọ́, àti àìṣègbè;
4láti fi òye fún onírẹ̀lẹ̀,
ìmọ̀ àti ìṣọ́ra fún àwọn èwe.
5Jẹ́ kí ọlọ́gbọ́n tẹ́tí kí ó sì ní ìmọ̀ kún ìmọ̀,
sì jẹ́ kí ẹni òye gba ìtọ́sọ́nà.
6Láti mọ ìtumọ̀ òwe àti ìtán-dòwe,
àwọn ọ̀rọ̀ àti àlọ́ àwọn ọlọ́gbọ́n.
7Ìbẹ̀rù Olúwa ni ìbẹ̀rẹ̀ ìmọ̀,
ṣùgbọ́n aláìgbọ́n kẹ́gàn ọgbọ́n àti ẹ̀kọ́.
Ọ̀rọ̀ ìyànjú láti ṣàfẹ́rí ọgbọ́n
8Tẹ́tí, ìwọ ọmọ mi sí ẹ̀kọ́ baba rẹ,
má ṣe kọ ẹ̀kọ́ màmá rẹ sílẹ̀.
9Wọn yóò jẹ́ òdòdó ẹ̀yẹ olóòórùn dídùn lórí rẹ
àti ọ̀ṣọ́ tí ó dára yí ọrùn rẹ ká.
10Ọmọ mi, bí àwọn ẹlẹ́ṣẹ̀ bá ń tàn ọ́,
má ṣe gbà fún wọn.
11Bí wọn bá wí pé, “Wá pẹ̀lú wa;
jẹ́ kí á ba ní ibùba fún ẹ̀jẹ̀ ẹnìkan,
jẹ́ kí á lúgọ ní ìkọ̀kọ̀ de aláìṣẹ̀ ní àìnídìí;
12Jẹ́ ká gbé wọn mì láààyè, bí ibojì òkú,
àti lódidi, bí àwọn tí ń sọ̀kalẹ̀ lọ sínú kòtò;
13A ó rí ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ nǹkan tó níye lórí
a ó sì fi ìkógun kún inú ilé wa;
14Da ìpín rẹ pọ̀ mọ́ àárín wa,
a ó sì jọ pawó sínú àpò kan náà”
15Ọmọ mi, má ṣe bá wọn lọ,
má ṣe rìn ní ojú ọ̀nà wọn;
16Nítorí ẹsẹ̀ wọn ń sáré sí ẹ̀ṣẹ̀,
wọ́n yára láti ta ẹ̀jẹ̀ sílẹ̀.
17Wàhálà asán ni kí ènìyàn máa dẹ àwọ̀n sílẹ̀,
ní ojú ẹyẹ!
18Àwọn ọkùnrin wọ̀nyí ń lúgọ fún ẹ̀jẹ̀ ara wọn.
Ara wọn ni wọ́n ń dá lọ́nà
19Báyìí ni ìgbẹ̀yìn gbogbo àwọn tí ń wá èrè àìtọ́;
yóò mú ẹ̀mí gbogbo ẹni tí ó rí i lọ.
Ìkìlọ̀ láti má ṣe kọ ọgbọ́n sílẹ̀
201.20,21: Òw 8.1-3.Ọgbọ́n kígbe sókè ní pópó
ó gbé ohùn rẹ̀ sókè láàrín ọjà;
21Láàrín ọjà ni ó ti kígbe jáde
Ní ibodè ìlú ni ó ti sọ̀rọ̀ ọ rẹ̀:
22“Yóò ha ti pẹ́ tó tí ẹ̀yin aláìmọ̀kan yóò fi fẹ́ àìmọ̀kan yín tó?
Yóò ha ti pẹ́ tó tí àwọn ẹlẹ́gàn yóò ṣe inú dídùn sí ìpẹ̀gàn tó?
Àwọn aláìgbọ́n kórìíra ìmọ̀?
23Bí ẹ bá ti gbọ́ ìbáwí ì mi ni,
Ǹ bá ti tú ohun tí ó wà nínú ọkàn mi jáde fún yín
kí n sì fi inú mi hàn sí i yín.
24Ṣùgbọ́n níwọ̀n bí ẹ ti kọ ìpè ní ìgbà tí mo pè
kò sì sí ẹni tí ó kọ ibi ara sí mi gbà tí mo na ọwọ́ sí wọn,
25Níwọ́n bí ẹ ti kọ gbogbo ìmọ̀ràn mi,
tí ẹ̀yin kò sì gba ìbáwí mi,
26Èmi pẹ̀lú yóò fi ìdààmú yín rẹ́rìn-ín;
èmi yóò ṣẹ̀fẹ̀ nígbà tí ìyọnu bá dé bá a yín.
27Nígbà tí ìyọnu bá dé bá a yín bí ìjì líle,
Nígbà tí ìdààmú bá dé bá ọ bí ààjà,
nígbà tí wàhálà àti ìbànújẹ́ ọkàn bá bò ọ́ mọ́lẹ̀.
28“Nígbà náà ni wọn yóò ké pè mí ṣùgbọ́n, èmi kò ní dáhùn;
wọn yóò fi ara balẹ̀ wá mi ṣùgbọ́n wọn kì yóò rí mi.
29Níwọ́n bí wọ́n ti kórìíra ìmọ̀
tí wọ́n sì kọ̀ láti bẹ̀rù Olúwa.
30Níwọ́n bí wọn kò ti gbà ìmọ̀ràn mi
tí wọ́n sì kẹ́gàn ìmọ̀ràn mi,
31Wọn yóò jẹ èrè iṣẹ́ ọwọ́ wọn
wọn yóò sì jèrè èso ètè wọn ní kíkún
32Nítorí ìrìnkurìn àwọn aláìmọ̀kan ni yóò pa wọ́n
ìkáwọ́gbera aláìgbọ́n ni yóò pa á run;
33Ṣùgbọ́n ẹnìkan tí ó bá fetí sí mi, yóò gbé láìléwu
yóò sì wà nínú ìdẹ̀ra, láìsí ìbẹ̀rù ìpalára.”
