Ngeche 24

1 Kik nyiego maki gi joricho bende kik iyie chunyi gomb bedo e chokruok margi;

Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them.

2 nimar chunjegi chano timo mamono to dhogi wacho mana gik makelo chandruok.

For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

3 Rieko ema igerogo ot, to kuom winjo ogurore mosiko;

Through wisdom is a house builded; and by understanding it is established;

4 kuom ngʼeyo, utene maiye ipongʼo gi gik moko ma ok yudo yot kod mwandu mabeyo.

And by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

5 Ngʼat mariek nigi teko maduongʼ; to ngʼat man-gi ngʼeyo medo teko;

A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

6 nimar dhiyo e lweny dwaro ni ongʼadni rieko, to bedo gi loch dwaro jongʼad rieko mangʼeny.

For with wise advice thou shalt make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

7 Rieko bor moyombo ngʼat mofuwo; e kar bura mar alap oonge gi gima onyalo wacho.

Wisdom is as unattainable to a fool as corals; he openeth not his mouth in the gate.

8 Ngʼat machano gima rach biro ngʼere kaka ja-andhoga.

He that deviseth to do evil, men shall call him a mischievous person.

9 Andhoga mar fuwo en richo, to ji mon kod ja-jar ji.

The thought of foolishness is sin; and the scorner is an abomination to men.

10 Ka tekri orumo mipodho e kinde mar lweny, to mano kaka tekri tin!

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small indeed.

11 Res jogo mitero kar tho; mak jogo mawuotho ka tangni dhiyo kar yengʼo.

Deliver them that are drawn unto death; and those that are ready to be slain wilt thou forbear to rescue?

12 Ka iwacho niya, “Ne ok wangʼeyo gimoro kuom wachni,” donge ngʼatno mapimo chuny dhano ongʼeyo wachno? Donge ngʼat morito kendo ngʼiyo ngimani ongʼeyogo? To donge obiro chulo ngʼato ka ngʼato mowinjore gi timbene?

If thou sayest: 'Behold, we knew not this', doth not He that weigheth the hearts consider it? And He that keepeth thy soul, doth not He know it? And shall not He render to every man according to his works?

13 Wuoda, cham mor kich, nimar ober; mor kich moa e pedni mar kich nigi ndhandhu mamit.

My son, eat thou honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to thy taste;

14 Ngʼe bende ne rieko mit ni chunyi; ka iyude, nitie geno mar ndalo mabiro kuomi, to genoni ok nongʼad oko.

So know thou wisdom to be unto thy soul; if thou hast found it, then shall there be a future, and thy hope shall not be cut off.

15 Kik ibut ka ngʼat marach mondo iketh od ngʼat makare, kik iyak dalane,

Lie not in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous, spoil not his resting-place;

16 kata bedni ngʼat makare ogore piny nyadibiriyo, pod obiro chungo kendo; to joricho igoyo piny gi masira.

For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again, but the wicked stumble under adversity.

17 Kik ibed mamor gi masiche mag jasiki, ka ochwanyore, kik iyie chunyi bed mamor;

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;

18 nimar Jehova Nyasaye biro neno kendo golo mirimbe oko kuome.

Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.

19 Kik ibed maluor nikech joricho kata kik nyiego maki kod joma timbegi richo,

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious at the wicked;

20 nimar jaricho onge gi geno mar ndalo mabiro, kendo taya mar ngʼat marach ibiro nego.

For there will be no future to the evil man, the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

21 Wuoda, luor Jehova Nyasaye kod ruoth morito piny, kendo kik iriwri gi joma kwede,

My son, fear thou the LORD and the king, and meddle not with them that are given to change;

22 nimar ji ariyogo biro kelonegi chandruok apoya nono, to en ngʼa ma dingʼe ni en chandruok manade ma ginyalo kelo?

For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin from them both?

23 Magi bende gin weche mag jomariek: Luoro wangʼ kuom ngʼado bura ok ber:

These also are sayings of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.

24 Ngʼatno mowachone jaketho niya, “In kare ionge ketho” ji biro kwongʼe to piny kwede.

He that saith unto the wicked: 'Thou art righteous', peoples shall curse him, nations shall execrate him;

25 To nobed maber gi jogo makumo joma oketho, kendo gweth mogundho nobed kodgi.

But to them that decide justly shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

26 Dwoko maratiro nyiso ni mano osiepni mar adier.

He kisseth the lips that giveth a right answer.

27 Tiek tijeni ma oko kendo ik puothegi; bangʼ mano, eka iger odi.

Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thy house.

28 Kik ibed janeno e wach jabuti kaonge gima omiyo, kata tiyo gi dhogi mondo iriambi.

Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

29 Kik iwach niya, “Abiro timone mana kaka osetimona; abiro chulo ngʼatno mana kaka notimona.”

Say not: 'I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.'

30 Nakadho but puoth jasamuoyo, kakadho but puoth olemb mzabibu mar ngʼat maonge gi rieko;

I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

31 kudho notwi kuonde duto, puodho duto noim gi buya, to ohinga mar kidi nomukore.

And, lo, it was all grown over with thistles, the face thereof was covered with nettles, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

32 Naketo chunya nono gino mane aneno to napuonjora kuom gino mane aneno.

Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction.

33 Nindo matin, ayula wangʼ matin, kwakruok matin kiyweyo,

'Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep' —

34 to dhier biro monji ka janjore kendo chan ka jalweny momanore.

So shall thy poverty come as a runner, and thy want as an armed man.