Ngeche 26
1 Mana kaka pe e ndalo oro kata koth e kinde keyo, e kaka luor ok owinjore ni ngʼat mofuwo.
Like snow in summer and rain when the grain is being cut, so honour is not natural for the foolish.
2 Mana kaka oyundi mafuyo kata ka opija maringo e kaka kwongʼ maonge gimomiyo kadho akadha.
As the sparrow in her wandering and the swallow in her flight, so the curse does not come without a cause.
3 Kaka faras owinjore gi chwat, to dho punda owinjore gi tweyo e kaka ngʼe joma ofuwo owinjore gi goch.
A whip for the horse, a mouth-bit for the ass, and a rod for the back of the foolish.
4 Kik idwok ngʼat mofuwo machalre gi fupe, to dipo ka ibiro bedo machal kode.
Do not give to the foolish man a foolish answer, or you will be like him.
5 Dwok ngʼat mofuwo koluwore gi fupe, dipo ka obiro nenore e wangʼe owuon ni oriek.
Give a foolish man a foolish answer, or he will seem wise to himself.
6 Mana kaka ingʼado tiend ngʼato kata kelo masira, chalo gioro ngʼama ofuwo mondo oter ote.
He who sends news by the hand of a foolish man is cutting off his feet and drinking in damage.
7 Mana ka tiend ngʼat mongʼol mawengni, e kaka ngero moa e dho ngʼat mofuwo.
The legs of one who has no power of walking are hanging loose; so is a wise saying in the mouth of the foolish.
8 Mana kaka keto kidi e orujre e kaka miyo ngʼat mofuwo luor.
Giving honour to a foolish man is like attempting to keep a stone fixed in a cord.
9 Mana kaka bungu mar kudho e lwet ngʼat momer, e kaka ngero moa e dho ngʼat mofuwo.
Like a thorn which goes up into the hand of a man overcome by drink, so is a wise saying in the mouth of a foolish man.
10 Mana kaka ngʼama thoro diro aserni adira ema chalo gi ngʼat mandiko ngʼat mofuwo kata ngʼato angʼata moyudo e tich.
Like an archer wounding all who go by, is a foolish man overcome by drink.
11 Kaka guok dok e ngʼokne mosengʼogo e kaka ngʼat mofuwo nwoyo fupe.
Like a dog going back to the food which he has not been able to keep down, is the foolish man doing his foolish acts over again.
12 Bende ineno ngʼato ma paro owuon ni oriek? Ngʼat mofuwo nitiere gi geno moloye.
Have you seen a man who seems to himself to be wise? There is more hope for the foolish than for him.
13 Jasamuoyo wacho niya, “Sibuor ni e wangʼ yo, sibuor mager bayo e yore mag dala!”
The hater of work says, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
14 Mana kaka dhoot marundore e pata, e kaka jasamuoyo lokore aloka e kitandane.
A door is turned on its pillar, and the hater of work on his bed.
15 Jasamuoyo luto lwete malal ei tawo; onyap ahinya ma ok onyal gole oko moduoge e dhoge.
The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin: lifting it again to his mouth is a weariness to him.
16 Jasamuoyo paro e chunye ni oriek moloyo ji abiriyo ma dwoko wach gi rieko.
The hater of work seems to himself wiser than seven men who are able to give an answer with good sense.
17 Mana kaka ngʼat mamako guok gi ite, e kaka ngʼat makadho akadha madonjo e dhawo ma ok mare.
He who gets mixed up in a fight which is not his business, is like one who takes a dog by the ears while it is going by.
18 Mana kaka ngʼat ma janeko madiro pil mach kata aserni mager,
As one who is off his head sends about flaming sticks and arrows of death,
19 e kaka ngʼato mawuondo jabute kowacho niya, “Ne angeri angera!”
So is the man who gets the better of his neighbour by deceit, and says, Am I not doing so in sport?
20 Ka yien onge to mach tho; ka kuoth onge dhawo rumo.
Without wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no secret talk, argument is ended.
21 Kaka makaa miyo mach ngʼangʼni, to yien bende miyo mach liel, e kaka ngʼat makwiny kelo miero.
Like breath on coals and wood on fire, so a man given to argument gets a fight started.
22 Weche mag kuoth chalo gi chiemo mamit; gidhiyo e chuny dhano ma iye.
The words of one who says evil of his neighbour secretly are like sweet food, they go down into the inner parts of the stomach.
23 Mana kaka range mangʼangʼni mowir e agulu mochwe chalo e kaka lep mager mar chuny mopongʼ gi richo.
Smooth lips and an evil heart are like a vessel of earth plated with silver waste.
24 Jasigu wuondore koumore kod dhoge, to ei chunye okano miriambo.
With his lips the hater makes things seem what they are not, but deceit is stored up inside him;
25 Kata bed ni wechene lombo chuny, kik iyie kode, nimar gik maricho abiriyo opongʼo chunye.
When he says fair words, have no belief in him; for in his heart are seven evils:
26 Onyalo wuondore ni oonge wuond, to timbene maricho biro nenore ratiro e nyim oganda.
Though his hate is covered with deceit, his sin will be seen openly before the meeting of the people.
27 Ka ngʼato okunyo bur, obiro lutore e iye; to ka ngʼato ngʼielo kidi, to kidino biro ngʼielore kaduogo ire.
He who makes a hole in the earth will himself go falling into it: and on him by whom a stone is rolled the stone will come back again.
28 Lep mariambo mon kod jogo mohinyo, to dhok mawuondo ji kelo kethruok.
A false tongue has hate for those who have clean hearts, and a smooth mouth is a cause of falling.
