Ngeche 18
1 Ngʼat ma ok jahera dwaro mana gige ok owinj puonj moro amora.
Those who separate themselves [from other people] think [only] about those things that they are interested in; [if they would continually associate with] those who have good judgment/sense, they would constantly disagree/quarrel with them.
2 Ngʼat mofuwo ok mor kod winjo wach to omor mana gi wacho paroge owuon.
Foolish people do not want to understand [anything]; they only want to (express their [own] opinions/say what they think) [IDM].
3 Ka richo biro, e kaka achaya biro, to wichkuot kelo duwruok.
Whenever people do wicked things, others will despise them; when people do things that cause themselves to no [longer] be honored, they will be disgraced [also].
4 Weche mag dho ngʼato tut ka nam, to soko mar rieko en aora mabubni kamol.
What wise people say is [like] a deep ocean [that you can never get to the bottom of] [MET], and it [refreshes us like water from] a rapidly flowing stream.
5 Ok en gima ber chwako ngʼat ma timbene richo kata ketho buch ngʼato maonge ketho.
It is not good [for a judge] to decide matters in favor of those who (are guilty/have done wicked things) and to not do what is just for those who (are innocent/have not done what is wrong).
6 Lew ngʼat mofuwo kelone dhawo, to dhoge luongo goch.
When foolish people [SYN] start arguments, [it is as though] they [SYN] are requesting/inviting someone to flog/whip them.
7 Dho ngʼat mofuwo ema tieke, to lewe ema bedo obadho ne ngimane.
What foolish people [MTY] say causes them to be ruined; their [own] words are [like] a trap [MET] [that catches/seizes] them.
8 Weche mag kuoth chalo gi chiemo mamit; gidhiyo e chuny dhano ma iye.
[People enjoy listening to] what gossips say like [SIM] [they enjoy] tasty food; they [accept what gossips tell them like] [MET] they swallow tasty food.
9 Ngʼat ma jasamuoyo e tich en owadgi ngʼat maketho gik moko.
People who are lazy while they work are [just as bad] as [IDM] those who destroy things.
10 Nying Jehova Nyasaye en ohinga maratego, ngʼat makare ringo ma pond kanyo kendo yud resruok.
Yahweh [MTY] is [like] a strong tower [MET]; righteous people [can] go to him and be safe [like they can run to a tower to be safe].
11 Mwandu mar jomoko e ohinga mochiel motegno ma gigengʼorego, giparo ni en ohinga maonge ngʼama nyalo muko.
Rich people [are protected because they have] a lot of money [PRS] like a city is protected because it has a high wall surrounding it [SIM].
12 Kapok ngʼato opodho, to sunga bedo e chunye, to muolo kelo pak.
Proud people are on the road to being ruined, but being humble leads to being honored.
13 Chik iti kapok idwoko wach; ka ok itimo kamano to ibedo mofuwo kendo ikelo wichkuot.
Those who reply to someone before that person has finished speaking are foolish; doing that is disgraceful.
14 Chuny ngʼato sire e tuo, to chuny mool, en ngʼa manyalo konyo?
A desire to [continue to] live can sustain someone when he is sick; if he loses that desire, he (cannot endure it/will become very discouraged) when he is sick [RHQ].
15 Chuny ma weche donjone yudo ngʼeyo; to it mariek dwaro mondo weche odonjne.
Intelligent people [are always wanting to] learn more; wise people [SYN] are not content with what they already know.
16 Chiwo yawo yo ne ngʼat machiwo kendo tere e nyim jomadongo.
If you take a gift to an important person, that will open the way to allow you to talk to him.
17 Ngʼat mokwongo keto wachne nenore ni en kare, nyaka ngʼat machielo bi maket penjo ne wachneno.
The first person to present his case in court seems right, but when (someone else/his opponent) begins to ask him questions, [it may become clear that what he said was not true].
18 Goyo ombulu tieko larruok kendo thego joma roteke.
If two influential/important people are arguing, [someone can] settle the matter by (casting lots/throwing marked stones to decide who is right).
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.
If you help relatives, they will [protect you] like [SIM] a strong wall [protects a city], but if you quarrel with them, [that will separate you from them] like bars on a city gate [separate the city from those who want to enter it] [MET].
20 Wach mawuok e dho ngʼato ema miyo ngʼato yiengʼ; keyo mar dhoge ema miyo oyiengʼ.
People are happy when they hear others say [MTY] something that is good, [like] they are happy when they eat food that is good [MET].
21 Lep nigi teko mar ngima kod tho, to jogo mohere biro chamo olembe.
What you say can cause others to be killed or it can cause them to [continue to] live; [so] those who like [to talk a lot] must (accept the consequences/realize that what they say can cause much harm).
22 Ngʼatno moyudo dhako onwangʼo gima ber kendo oyudo ngʼwono moa kuom Jehova Nyasaye.
If you marry a [good] woman, that is [like] finding a wonderful thing; [it shows that] Yahweh is pleased with you.
23 Ngʼat ma jachan ywak kokwayo ngʼwono, to ngʼat ma jamoko dwoko gi gero.
[It is necessary for] poor [people] to speak politely when they request [rich people to do something for them], but rich [people] reply very impolitely when poor people speak to them.
24 Ngʼat man-gi osiepe mangʼeny nyalo chopo e kethruok to nitie osiep moro masiko buti machiegni maloyo owadu.
There are [some] people who [only] pretend to be friends [with us], but there are [some] friends who are more loyal than members of our families.
