Ngeche 19
1 Ber bedo jachan ma wuodhe ok nyal cha, moloyo ngʼat mofuwo ma lewe timo richo.
Better to be poor but honest than stupid and tell lies.
2 Ok ber bedo gi gombo maonge gi ngʼeyo, kata bedo ka irikni kae to ibayo yo.
It's not good to be someone who doesn't think. If you rush, things go wrong.
3 Fuwo mar ngʼato owuon ketho ngimane; to bende chunye bedo mager gi Jehova Nyasaye.
People mess up their lives by their own stupidity, and then get angry with the Lord.
4 Mwandu kelo osiepe mangʼeny, to osiep ngʼat ma jachan ringe.
If you're rich, you get a lot of friends, but if you're poor, you lose any friends you had.
5 Janeno ma ja-miriambo ok notony ma ok okum, to ngʼatno malando miriambo ok nobed thuolo.
A false witness will be punished; liars won't get away with their lies.
6 Ji mangʼeny temo mondo oyud pwoch kuom ruoth, to ngʼato ka ngʼato bedo osiep ngʼat machiwo mich.
Many ask favors from important people, and everyone's a friend of the generous.
7 Ngʼat ma jachan wedene duto kwede, osiepene to noringe maromo nadi! Kata bed notemo sayogi onge kama doyudgie.
If a poor man's relatives can't stand him, how much more will his friends avoid him! He tries to talk with them but they don't listen.
8 Ngʼatno moyudo rieko ohero chunye owuon, to ngʼat mohero winjo wach dhi maber.
If you become wise, you have good self-esteem; if you learn good sense you'll be successful.
9 Janeno ma ja-miriambo ok notony ma ok okume, to ngʼatno malando miriambo biro lal nono.
A false witness will be punished; people who tell lies will perish.
10 Ok en gima owinjore mondo ngʼat mofuwo odagi e ber, to en gima rach machalo nadi ka misumba ema omi loch kuom yawuot ruoth!
It's not right for stupid people to live in luxury, and it's even worse for a slave to rule over leaders.
11 Ngʼat mariek iye ok wangʼ piyo; oyudo duongʼ kuom weyo wach ma ok odewo ketho.
If you have good sense you'll be slow to get angry; you gain respect by forgiving wrongs.
12 Gero mar ruoth chalo gi sibuor maruto, to ka omor kodi to ochalo gi tho manie wi lum.
When a king gets angry, he sounds like a roaring lion; but his kindness is as soft as dew on the grass.
13 Wuowi mofuwo kelone wuon mare masira, to dhako maralep chalo gi kodh ajiki.
A stupid son makes his father miserable, and an argumentative wife is like dripping that never stops.
14 Ute kod mwandu gin girkeni miyudo kuom jonywol, to dhako mariek aa kuom Jehova Nyasaye.
You inherit a house and wealth from your father, but a sensible wife is a gift from the Lord.
15 Samuoyo kelo nindo matut, to ngʼat ma ja-mifwadhi bedo gi kech.
Lazy people are often fast asleep, but idleness means they're hungry.
16 Ngʼatno morito chike Jehova Nyasaye kendo timo gik mopuonje biro dak amingʼa, to ngʼat mochayo chikene biro tho.
Keep the commandments, and you'll live; despise them and you'll die.
17 Ngʼat manyiso ngʼwono ne jochan, holo mana Jehova Nyasaye, obiro gwedhe kuom gik mosetimo.
If you're kind to the poor, you're lending to the Lord, and he will repay you well for what you've done.
18 Kum wuodi, nikech mano e kama geno nitie; kik ibed e winjruok kuom gima nyalo kelone tho.
Discipline your son while there's still hope, but don't kill him.
19 Ngʼat ma ja-mirima nyaka yud kum, kendo ka ikonye, to chuno ni nyaka itim kamano kendo.
People who often get angry have to pay the penalty; if you help them, you'll have to do it again.
20 Chik iti ka ingʼadoni rieko kendo rwak puonj, to giko ni inibed mariek.
Listen to advice and accept instruction so that you'll eventually become wise.
21 Dhano nigi chenro mangʼeny e chunye, to dwaro mar Jehova Nyasaye ema timore.
Human beings make many plans in their minds, but the final decision is the Lord's.
22 Gima dhano dwaro en hera ma ok rum, ber bedo jachan moloyo bedo ja-miriambo.
The most desirable thing in anyone is trustworthy love; it is better to be poor than a liar.
23 Luoro Jehova Nyasaye tero ji e ngima; eka ngʼato yweyo kodhil, ma ok omule gi chandruok.
Honoring the Lord is life, and you will rest contentedly, safe from harm.
24 Jasamuoyo luto lwete malal ei tawo; kendo ok onyal gole oko moduoge e dhoge!
Lazy people put their hands in a dish, and won't even lift the food to their mouths.
25 Chwad jasunga mondo joma ngʼeyogi tin opuonjre; kwer ngʼat man-gi rieko, to obiro medo fwenyo tiend weche.
If you punish someone who mocks, you may help an immature person to learn. Correct the wise, and they become wiser.
26 Ngʼat mamayo wuon mare kendo riembo min mare en wuowi makelo wichkuot kod dwanyruok.
A son who abuses his father and chases away his mother brings shame and disgrace.
27 Kidagi chiko iti ne puonj in wuoda, to ibiro bayo mabor kuom weche mag ngʼeyo.
My son, stop listening to my instruction and you'll soon give up following wisdom.
28 Janeno ma ja-jar ji ochayo adiera, to dho ngʼat ma timbene richo golo mana richo.
A crooked witness makes a mockery of justice; and the wicked wolf down evil.
29 Kum oket mana ne jo-achaya, to chwat ne ngʼe joma ofuwo.
Punishment is ready for those who mock; flogging is ready for the backs of the stupid.
