Saying 7
1When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
look carefully at what’s in front of you.
2Put a knife to your throat
if you like to eat too much.
3Don’t long for his fancy food.
It can fool you.
Saying 8
4Don’t wear yourself out to get rich.
Don’t trust how wise you think you are.
5When you take even a quick look at riches, they are gone.
They grow wings and fly away into the sky like an eagle.
Saying 9
6Don’t eat the food of anyone who doesn’t want to share it.
Don’t long for his fancy food.
7He is the kind of person
who is always thinking about how much it costs.
“Eat and drink,” he says to you.
But he doesn’t mean it.
8You will throw up what little you have eaten.
You will have wasted your words of praise.
Saying 10
9Don’t speak to foolish people.
They will laugh at your wise words.
Saying 11
10Don’t move old boundary stones.
Don’t try to take over the fields of children whose fathers have died.
11That’s because the God who guards them is strong.
He will stand up for them in court against you.
Saying 12
12Apply your heart to what you are taught.
Listen carefully to words of knowledge.
Saying 13
13Don’t hold back correction from a child.
If you correct them, they won’t die.
14So correct them.
Then you will save them from death.
Saying 14
15My son, if your heart is wise,
my heart will be very glad.
16Deep down inside, I will be happy
when you say what is right.
Saying 15
17Do not long for what sinners have.
But always show great respect for the Lord.
18There really is hope for you in days to come.
So your hope will not be cut off.
Saying 16
19My son, listen and be wise.
Set your heart on the right path.
20Don’t join those who drink too much wine.
Don’t join those who stuff themselves with meat.
21Those who drink or eat too much will become poor.
If they sleep too much, they’ll have to wear rags.
Saying 17
22Listen to your father, who gave you life.
Don’t hate your mother when she is old.
23Buy the truth and don’t sell it.
Get wisdom, instruction and understanding as well.
24The father of a godly child is very happy.
A man who has a wise son is glad.
25May your father and mother be glad.
May the woman who gave birth to you be joyful.
Saying 18
26My son, give me your heart.
May you be happy living the way you see me live.
27An unfaithful wife is like a deep pit.
A wife who commits adultery is like a narrow well.
28She hides and waits like a thief.
She causes many men to sin.
Saying 19
29Who has trouble? Who has sorrow?
Who argues? Who has problems?
Who has wounds for no reason? Who has red eyes?
30Those who spend too much time with wine.
Or those who like to taste wine mixed with spices.
31Don’t look at wine when it is red.
Don’t look at it when it bubbles in the cup.
And don’t look at it when it goes down smoothly.
32In the end it bites like a snake.
It bites like a poisonous serpent.
33Your eyes will see strange sights.
Your mind will imagine weird things.
34You will feel like someone sleeping on the ocean.
You will think you are lying among the ropes in a boat.
35“They hit me,” you will say. “But I’m not hurt!
They beat me. But I don’t feel it!
When will I wake up
so I can find another drink?”
Ìfẹ́kúfẹ̀ẹ́ ohun àdídùn
1Nígbà tí ìwọ bá jókòó láti bá ìjòyè jẹun,
kíyèsi ohun tí ó wà níwájú rẹ gidigidi.
2Ìwọ a sì fi ọ̀bẹ lé ara rẹ ní ọ̀fun,
bí ìwọ bá jẹ́ òkúndùn ènìyàn.
3Má ṣe fẹ́ oúnjẹ dídùn rẹ̀:
nítorí pé oúnjẹ ẹ̀tàn ni.
4Má ṣe ṣe làálàá láti lọ́rọ̀:
ṣíwọ́ kúrò nínú ọgbọ́n ara rẹ.
5Ìwọ ó ha fi ojú rẹ lépa ohun tí kò sí?
Nítorí tí ọ̀rọ̀ hu ìyẹ́ apá fún ara rẹ̀,
ó sì ń fò bí idì ní ojú ọ̀run.
6Má ṣe jẹ oúnjẹ ẹni tí ó háwọ́,
bẹ́ẹ̀ ni kí o má sì ṣe fẹ́ oúnjẹ dídùn rẹ̀.
7Nítorí pé bí ẹni tí ń ṣírò ní ọkàn rẹ̀, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni ó rí:
“Máa jẹ, kí o sì máa mu,” ni ó ń wí fún ọ;
ṣùgbọ́n ọkàn rẹ̀ kò pẹ̀lú rẹ.
8Òkèlè tí ìwọ jẹ ni ìwọ ó pọ̀ jáde,
ìwọ a sì sọ ọ̀rọ̀ dídùn rẹ̀ nù.
9Má ṣe sọ̀rọ̀ ní etí aṣiwèrè;
nítorí tí yóò gan ọgbọ́n ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ.
10Má ṣe ṣí ààlà àtijọ́ kúrò;
má sì ṣe bọ́ sínú oko aláìní baba.
11Nítorí pé Olùràpadà wọn lágbára;
yóò gba ìjà wọn jà sí ọ.
12Fi àyà sí ẹ̀kọ́,
àti etí rẹ sí ọ̀rọ̀-ìmọ̀.
13Má ṣe fa ọwọ́ ìbáwí sẹ́yìn kúrò lára ọmọdé,
nítorí pé bí ìwọ bá fi pàṣán nà án, òun kì yóò kú.
14Bí ìwọ fi pàṣán nà án,
ìwọ ó sì gbà ọkàn rẹ̀ là kúrò ní ọ̀run àpáàdì.
Ọ̀rọ̀ ọgbọ́n fún ọmọ rere
15Ọmọ mi, bí ọkàn rẹ bá gbọ́n,
ọkàn mi yóò yọ̀, àní èmi pẹ̀lú.
16Inú mi yóò sì dùn nígbà tí ètè rẹ̀ bá ń sọ̀rọ̀ títọ́.
17Má ṣe jẹ́ kí àyà rẹ ó ṣe ìlara sí àwọn ẹlẹ́ṣẹ̀,
ṣùgbọ́n kí ìwọ ó wà ní ìbẹ̀rù Olúwa,
ní ọjọ́ gbogbo.
18Nítorí pé ìgbẹ̀yìn ń bẹ nítòótọ́;
ìrètí rẹ̀ kì yóò sì gé kúrò.
19Gbọ́, ìwọ ọmọ mi, kí o sì gbọ́n,
kí o sì máa tọ́ àyà rẹ sí ọ̀nà títọ́.
20Má ṣe wà nínú àwọn ọ̀mùtí;
àti àwọn wọ̀bìà alájẹkì ọ̀jẹun;
21Nítorí pé ọ̀mùtí àti ọ̀jẹun ni yóò di tálákà;
ìmúni-tòògbé ní sì ń fi àkísà wọ ọkùnrin láṣọ.
22Fetí sí ti baba rẹ tí ó bí ọ,
má sì ṣe gan ìyá rẹ, nígbà tí o bá gbó
23Ra òtítọ́, kí o má sì ṣe tà á;
ra ọgbọ́n pẹ̀lú àti ẹ̀kọ́ àti òye.
24Baba olódodo ni yóò yọ̀ gidigidi:
ẹni tí ó sì bí ọmọ ọlọ́gbọ́n,
yóò ní ayọ̀ nínú rẹ̀.
25Jẹ́ kí baba rẹ àti ìyá rẹ ó yọ̀,
sì jẹ́ kí inú ẹni tí ó bí ọ dùn.
26Ọmọ mi, fi àyà rẹ fún mi,
kí o sì jẹ́ kí ojú rẹ ní inú dídùn sí ọ̀nà mi.
27Nítorí pé panṣágà obìnrin ọ̀gbun jíjìn ni;
àti àjèjì obìnrin kànga híhá ni.
28Òun á sì ba ní bùba bí olè,
a sì sọ àwọn olùrékọjá di púpọ̀ nínú àwọn ènìyàn.
29Ta ni ó ni òsì? Ta ni ó ni ìbànújẹ́?
Ta ni ó ni ìjà? Ta ni ó ni asọ̀? Ta ni ó ni ọgbẹ́ láìnídìí?
30Àwọn tí ó dúró pẹ́ níbi ọtí wáìnì;
àwọn tí ń lọ láti dán ọtí wáìnì àdàlú wò.
31Ìwọ má ṣe wò ọtí wáìnì nígbà tí ó pọ́n,
nígbà tí ó bá ń fi àwọ̀ rẹ̀ hàn nínú ago,
tí a gbé e mì, tí ó ń dùn.
32Níkẹyìn òun á bu ni ṣán bí ejò,
a sì bunijẹ bí i paramọ́lẹ̀.
33Ojú rẹ yóò wò àwọn àjèjì obìnrin,
àyà rẹ yóò sì sọ̀rọ̀ àyídáyidà.
34Nítòótọ́, ìwọ ó dàbí ẹni tí ó dùbúlẹ̀ ní àárín Òkun,
tàbí ẹni tí ó dùbúlẹ̀ lókè-ọkọ̀.
35Ìwọ ó sì wí pé, “Wọ́n lù mí; kò dùn mí;
wọ́n lù mí, èmi kò sì mọ̀:
nígbà wo ni èmi ó jí?
Èmi ó tún máa wá òmíràn láti mu.”
