Ngeche 4
1 Yawuota, winjuru puonj mag wuonu; chikuru itu eka ubed gi ngʼeyo moloyo.
My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.
2 Puonj mara mamiyou beyo, omiyo kik ujwangʼ puonjna.
What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.
3 Kane pod an wuowi e od wuora, kane pod an rawera kendo nyathi achiel kende mar minwa,
When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,
4 nopuonja kowacho niya, “Mak matek wechena gi chunyi duto, rit chikena eka inibed mangima.
my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].
5 Yud rieko kod ngʼeyo matut, wiyi kik wil kod wechena kata weyogi.
Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.
6 Kik ijwangʼ rieko to obiro bedoni ragengʼ; here, to obiro ritoi.
Do not turn away from wisdom, because if you are wise, you will be protected [from all evil/danger]. If you love wisdom, wisdom [PRS] will guard you.
7 Rieko nigi duongʼ moloyo, omiyo yud rieko. Kata obedo ni mwanduni duto nyalo rumo, to bed gi winjo tiend wach.
The most important thing that you can do is to get wisdom. Even if you obtain many other things, the best thing is to know what things are wise.
8 Miye duongʼ, to enotingʼi malo; rwake chutho, to obiro miyi duongʼ.
If you consider being wise to be very valuable, [people] will think very highly of you. If you cling to wisdom [like you would cling to a woman you love], [many people] will honor you.
9 Enoket ogut ngʼwono e wiyi kendo nosidhni osimbo mar duongʼ.”
If you become wise, that will for you be [like] a beautiful wreath that is put {someone puts} on your head; it will be [like] a king’s glorious crown.” [That is what my father told me].
10 Wuoda, winji kendo yie gima awacho eka higni mag ngimani nobed mangʼeny.
[So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.
11 Apuonji e yor rieko kendo anyisi yo makare.
I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].
12 Ka iwuotho, to ok inikier bende ka iringo, to ok inichwanyri.
If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].
13 Mak motegno gima isepuonjori, kik iweye, olalni to irite maber, nikech en e ngimani.
Hold fast to the things I have taught you to do, and do not let them go. Guard them, because they [will be the source of a good] life.
14 Kik iwuothi e yor joma timbegi mono kata kik iluw yor jomaricho.
Do not do the things that wicked people do; [do not behave like they do]; do not even walk on the roads that evil [people] walk on [MET].
15 Bed mabor gi yorno, kik iwuothie, to wichri kendo iluw yori iwuon.
Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;
16 Nikech ok ginyal nindo nyaka gitim gima mono; ayula wangʼ bende ok nyal terogi kapok gimiyo ngʼato opodho.
because evil people cannot sleep if they have not done some evil deed [on that day]. They cannot rest if they have not harmed someone.
17 Timbe mamono e chiembgi ma gichamo, to timbe ja-mahundu e divai ma gimadho.
What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”
18 Yor joma kare chalo ka ugwe mar kogwen, omedo rieny maler nyaka chiengʼ wuogi.
The behavior of good/righteous [people] is like the light [that begins to shine] at dawn and then [continues to] shine brighter until the brightest time of day.
19 To yor joricho chalo gi mudho mandiwa; ok gingʼeyo gima miyo gichwanyore.
[But] the behavior of wicked [people] is like deep/thick darkness. [Because it is very dark], they cannot see the things that cause them to stumble.
20 Wuoda, chik iti malongʼo ne gima awacho, chik iti maber ne wechena.
My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.
21 Kik iwe gilal e wangʼi to kan-gi e chunyi;
Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,
22 nikech gikelo ngima ni jogo moyudogo kendo gin gi ngima maber ne ringre dhano duto.
because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.
23 To moloyo duto, rit chunyi, nikech en e soko mar ngima.
It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.
24 Wach ma ok adiera kik aa e dhogi; weche mag miganga kik wuogi e dhogi.
Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.
25 Rang mana nyimi tir, ka ichomo wangʼi moriere tir e nyimi.
Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.
26 Rie yore tir monego iluw kendo luw mana yore motegno.
Plan carefully where you will go and what you will do, and then stay on that road. Then what you do will be right.
27 Kik ibar kidhiyo korachwich kata koracham; rit tiendi mondo kik idonji e richo.
Do not leave the straight road by turning to the left or to the right. [Do only what is right] and keep yourself from [doing what is] evil.
