Ngeche 18
1 Ngʼat ma ok jahera dwaro mana gige ok owinj puonj moro amora.
He who is separated seeks [his own] desire, He interferes with all wisdom.
2 Ngʼat mofuwo ok mor kod winjo wach to omor mana gi wacho paroge owuon.
A fool does not delight in understanding, But in uncovering his heart.
3 Ka richo biro, e kaka achaya biro, to wichkuot kelo duwruok.
Contempt has also come with the coming of the wicked, And with shame—reproach.
4 Weche mag dho ngʼato tut ka nam, to soko mar rieko en aora mabubni kamol.
The words of a man’s mouth [are] deep waters, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
5 Ok en gima ber chwako ngʼat ma timbene richo kata ketho buch ngʼato maonge ketho.
Favoring of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
6 Lew ngʼat mofuwo kelone dhawo, to dhoge luongo goch.
The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth calls for stripes.
7 Dho ngʼat mofuwo ema tieke, to lewe ema bedo obadho ne ngimane.
The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
8 Weche mag kuoth chalo gi chiemo mamit; gidhiyo e chuny dhano ma iye.
The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
9 Ngʼat ma jasamuoyo e tich en owadgi ngʼat maketho gik moko.
He also that is remiss in his work, He [is] a brother to a destroyer.
10 Nying Jehova Nyasaye en ohinga maratego, ngʼat makare ringo ma pond kanyo kendo yud resruok.
The Name of YHWH [is] a tower of strength, The righteous runs into it, and is set on high.
11 Mwandu mar jomoko e ohinga mochiel motegno ma gigengʼorego, giparo ni en ohinga maonge ngʼama nyalo muko.
The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
12 Kapok ngʼato opodho, to sunga bedo e chunye, to muolo kelo pak.
The heart of man is high before destruction, And humility [is] before honor.
13 Chik iti kapok idwoko wach; ka ok itimo kamano to ibedo mofuwo kendo ikelo wichkuot.
Whoever is answering a matter before he hears, It is folly to him—and shame.
14 Chuny ngʼato sire e tuo, to chuny mool, en ngʼa manyalo konyo?
The spirit of a man sustains his sickness, And who bears a struck spirit?
15 Chuny ma weche donjone yudo ngʼeyo; to it mariek dwaro mondo weche odonjne.
The heart of the intelligent gets knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 Chiwo yawo yo ne ngʼat machiwo kendo tere e nyim jomadongo.
The gift of a man makes room for him, And it leads him before the great.
17 Ngʼat mokwongo keto wachne nenore ni en kare, nyaka ngʼat machielo bi maket penjo ne wachneno.
The first in his own cause [seems] righteous, [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.
18 Goyo ombulu tieko larruok kendo thego joma roteke.
The lot causes contentions to cease, And it separates between the mighty.
19 Kiketho ne owadu to duoge iri tek mana kadonjo e dala maduongʼ mochiel motegno; to larruok chalo gi dhorangeye mag dala modin gi lodi.
A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
20 Wach mawuok e dho ngʼato ema miyo ngʼato yiengʼ; keyo mar dhoge ema miyo oyiengʼ.
From the fruit of a man’s mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied.
21 Lep nigi teko mar ngima kod tho, to jogo mohere biro chamo olembe.
Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
22 Ngʼatno moyudo dhako onwangʼo gima ber kendo oyudo ngʼwono moa kuom Jehova Nyasaye.
[Whoever] has found a wife has found good, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
23 Ngʼat ma jachan ywak kokwayo ngʼwono, to ngʼat ma jamoko dwoko gi gero.
The poor speaks [with] supplications, And the rich answers fierce things.
24 Ngʼat man-gi osiepe mangʼeny nyalo chopo e kethruok to nitie osiep moro masiko buti machiegni maloyo owadu.
A man with friends—to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
