Proverbs 4
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
Yawuota, winjuru puonj mag wuonu; chikuru itu eka ubed gi ngʼeyo moloyo.
2 For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.
Puonj mara mamiyou beyo, omiyo kik ujwangʼ puonjna.
3 When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
Kane pod an wuowi e od wuora, kane pod an rawera kendo nyathi achiel kende mar minwa,
4 he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.
nopuonja kowacho niya, “Mak matek wechena gi chunyi duto, rit chikena eka inibed mangima.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
Yud rieko kod ngʼeyo matut, wiyi kik wil kod wechena kata weyogi.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
Kik ijwangʼ rieko to obiro bedoni ragengʼ; here, to obiro ritoi.
7 Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
Rieko nigi duongʼ moloyo, omiyo yud rieko. Kata obedo ni mwanduni duto nyalo rumo, to bed gi winjo tiend wach.
8 Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
Miye duongʼ, to enotingʼi malo; rwake chutho, to obiro miyi duongʼ.
9 She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”
Enoket ogut ngʼwono e wiyi kendo nosidhni osimbo mar duongʼ.”
10 Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
Wuoda, winji kendo yie gima awacho eka higni mag ngimani nobed mangʼeny.
11 I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
Apuonji e yor rieko kendo anyisi yo makare.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
Ka iwuotho, to ok inikier bende ka iringo, to ok inichwanyri.
13 Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
Mak motegno gima isepuonjori, kik iweye, olalni to irite maber, nikech en e ngimani.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
Kik iwuothi e yor joma timbegi mono kata kik iluw yor jomaricho.
15 Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.
Bed mabor gi yorno, kik iwuothie, to wichri kendo iluw yori iwuon.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
Nikech ok ginyal nindo nyaka gitim gima mono; ayula wangʼ bende ok nyal terogi kapok gimiyo ngʼato opodho.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
Timbe mamono e chiembgi ma gichamo, to timbe ja-mahundu e divai ma gimadho.
18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
Yor joma kare chalo ka ugwe mar kogwen, omedo rieny maler nyaka chiengʼ wuogi.
19 But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
To yor joricho chalo gi mudho mandiwa; ok gingʼeyo gima miyo gichwanyore.
20 My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
Wuoda, chik iti malongʼo ne gima awacho, chik iti maber ne wechena.
21 Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
Kik iwe gilal e wangʼi to kan-gi e chunyi;
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
nikech gikelo ngima ni jogo moyudogo kendo gin gi ngima maber ne ringre dhano duto.
23 Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
To moloyo duto, rit chunyi, nikech en e soko mar ngima.
24 Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
Wach ma ok adiera kik aa e dhogi; weche mag miganga kik wuogi e dhogi.
25 Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
Rang mana nyimi tir, ka ichomo wangʼi moriere tir e nyimi.
26 Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
Rie yore tir monego iluw kendo luw mana yore motegno.
27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.
Kik ibar kidhiyo korachwich kata koracham; rit tiendi mondo kik idonji e richo.
