< Proverbs 4 >
1 Listen, sons, to the discipline of a father, and pay attention, so that you may know prudence.
Tẹ́tí, ẹ̀yin ọmọ mi, sí ẹ̀kọ́ baba; fetísílẹ̀ kí o sì ní òye sí i.
2 I will bestow upon you a good gift. Do not relinquish my law.
Mo fún ọ ní ẹ̀kọ́ tí ó yè kooro, nítorí náà, má ṣe kọ ẹ̀kọ́ mi sílẹ̀.
3 For I, too, was the son of my father, tender and an only son in the sight of my mother.
Nígbà tí mo jẹ́ ọ̀dọ́mọkùnrin ní ilé baba à mí, mo jẹ́ èwe, tí mo sì jẹ́ ọ̀kan ṣoṣo lọ́wọ́ ìyá mi.
4 And he taught me, and he also said: “Let your heart accept my words. Keep my precepts, and you shall live.
Ó kọ́ mi ó sì wí pé, “Jẹ́ kí àyà rẹ kí ó gba ọ̀rọ̀ mi dúró, pa òfin mi mọ́, kí ìwọ kí ó sì yè.
5 Obtain wisdom, obtain prudence. May you neither forget, nor turn away from, the words of my mouth.
Gba ọgbọ́n, gba òye, má ṣe gbàgbé ọ̀rọ̀ mi tàbí kí o yẹsẹ̀ kúrò nínú rẹ̀.
6 Do not send her away, and she will guard you. Love her, and she will preserve you.
Má ṣe kọ ọgbọ́n sílẹ̀, yóò sì dáàbò bò ọ́, fẹ́ràn rẹ̀, yóò sì bojútó ọ.
7 The beginning of wisdom is to obtain wisdom, and, with all that you possess, to acquire prudence.
Ọgbọ́n ni ó ga jù; nítorí náà gba ọgbọ́n. Bí ó tilẹ̀ ná gbogbo ohun tí o ní, gba òye.
8 Grasp her, and she will exalt you. You will be glorified by her, when you have embraced her.
Gbé e ga, yóò sì gbé ọ ga dìrọ̀ mọ́ ọn, yóò sì bu iyì fún ọ.
9 She will bestow upon your head an increase in graces, and she will protect you with a noble crown.
Yóò fi òdòdó ọ̀ṣọ́ ẹwà sí orí rẹ yóò sì fi adé ẹlẹ́wà fún ọ.”
10 Listen, my son, and accept my words, so that years of life may be multiplied for you.
Tẹ́tí, ọmọ mi, gba ohun tí mo sọ, ọjọ́ ayé è rẹ yóò sì gùn.
11 I will demonstrate to you the way of wisdom. I will lead you along the paths of equity.
Mo tọ́ ọ ṣọ́nà ní ọ̀nà ti ọgbọ́n mo sì mú ọ lọ ní ọ̀nà ti tààrà.
12 When you have entered by these, your steps will not be constrained, and when running, you will have no obstacle.
Nígbà tí o rìn, ìgbésẹ̀ rẹ kò ní ní ìdíwọ́ nígbà tí o bá sáré, ìwọ kì yóò kọsẹ̀.
13 Take hold of discipline. Do not dismiss it. Guard it, for it is your life.
Di ẹ̀kọ́ mú, má ṣe jẹ́ kí ó lọ; tọ́jú u rẹ̀ dáradára nítorí òun ni ìyè rẹ.
14 Do not delight in the paths of the impious, nor permit the way of evil-doers to please you.
Má ṣe gbé ẹsẹ̀ rẹ sí ojú ọnà àwọn ènìyàn búburú tàbí kí o rìn ní ọ̀nà àwọn ẹni ibi.
15 Take flight from it. Do not pass close to it. Turn away and abandon it.
Yẹra fún un, má ṣe rìn níbẹ̀; yàgò fún un kí o sì bá ọ̀nà tìrẹ lọ.
16 For they do not sleep, unless they have done evil. And their sleep is quickly taken away from them, unless they have overthrown.
Nítorí wọn kò le sùn àyàfi tí wọ́n bá ṣe ibi, wọn kò ní tòògbé àyàfi tí wọ́n bá gbé ẹlòmíràn ṣubú.
17 They eat the bread of impiety, and they drink the wine of iniquity.
Wọ́n ń jẹ oúnjẹ ìwà búburú wọ́n sì ń mu wáìnì ìwà ìkà.
18 But the path of the just is like a shining light: it advances and increases, even to the day of completion.
Ipa ọ̀nà olódodo dàbí àṣẹ̀ṣẹ̀yọ oòrùn tí ń tànmọ́lẹ̀ sí i títí ọjọ́ fi kanrí
19 The way of the impious is darkened. They do not know where they may fall.
ṣùgbọ́n ọ̀nà ènìyàn búburú dàbí òkùnkùn biribiri; wọn kò mọ ohun tí ó ń mú wọn kọsẹ̀.
20 My son, pay attention to my sermons, and incline your ear to my eloquent words.
Ọmọ mi, tẹ́tí sí ohun tí mo sọ; fetísílẹ̀ dáradára sí ọ̀rọ̀ mi.
21 Let them not recede from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart.
Má ṣe jẹ́ kí wọ́n rá mọ́ ọ lójú pa wọ́n mọ́ sínú ọkàn rẹ,
22 For they are life to those who find them and health to all that is flesh.
nítorí ìyè ni wọ́n jẹ́ fún gbogbo ẹni tí ó rí wọn àti ìlera fún gbogbo ara ènìyàn.
23 Preserve your heart with all watchfulness, for life proceeds from this.
Ju gbogbo nǹkan tókù lọ, pa ọkàn rẹ mọ́, nítorí òun ni orísun ìyè.
24 Remove from yourself a corrupt mouth, and let detracting lips be far from you.
Mú àrékérekè kúrò ní ẹnu rẹ; sì jẹ́ kí ọ̀rọ̀ ìsọkúsọ jìnnà réré sí ẹnu rẹ.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelids precede your steps.
Jẹ́ kí ojú rẹ máa wo iwájú, jẹ́ kí ìwo ojú rẹ máa wo ọ̀kánkán iwájú rẹ sá á.
26 Direct the path of your feet, and all your ways shall be secure.
Kíyèsi ìrìn ẹsẹ̀ rẹ sì rìn ní àwọn ọ̀nà tí ó dára nìkan.
27 Turn aside, neither to the right, nor to the left; yet turn your foot away from evil. For the Lord knows the ways that are on the right, and truly, those that are on the left are perverse. But he himself will make your courses straight. Then your journey will advance in peace.
Má ṣe yà sọ́tùn ún tàbí sósì; pa ẹsẹ̀ rẹ mọ́ kúrò nínú ibi.