Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye children, the correction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Yaa ilmaan ko, mee gorsa abbaan namaaf kennu dhagaʼaa; qalbeeffadhaatii hubannaa argadhaa.
2 For good information do I give you: my teaching must ye not forsake.
Ani barumsa gaarii isinii nan kenna; kanaafuu barsiisa koo hin dhiisinaa.
3 For I was a son unto my father, a tender and an only child before my mother.
Yeroo ani mucaa xinnaa taʼee mana abbaa koo turetti, yeroo ani daaʼima dhiiga taʼee haadha kootiif ilma tokkicha turetti,
4 And he instructed me, and said unto me, Let thy heart grasp firmly my words: observe my commandments and live.
inni akkana jedhee na barsiise; “Garaa kee guutuudhaan dubbii koo jabeessii qabadhu; seera koo eegi; ati ni jiraattaatii.
5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding: forget not, and depart not from the sayings of my mouth.
Ogummaa argadhu; hubannaas argadhu; dubbii koo hin dagatin yookaan irraa hin jalʼatin.
6 Forsake her not, and she will watch over thee: love her, and she will keep thee.
Ogummaa hin dhiisin; isheen si eegdii; ishee jaalladhu; isheenis si tiksitii.
7 The beginning of wisdom is, Acquire wisdom: and with all thy acquisition acquire understanding.
Ogummaan waan hunda caalti; kanaafuu ogummaa argadhu. Yoo isheen waan ati qabdu hunda si baasifte illee hubannaa argadhu.
8 Hold her in high esteem, and she will exalt thee: she will bring thee to honor, when thou embracest her.
Ogummaa kabaji; inni ol si guddisaatii; isa hammadhu; innis si kabajaatii.
9 She will give to thy head a wreath of grace: a crown of ornament will she deliver to thee.
Isheen kallacha bareedaa mataa kee irra siif keessi; gonfoo miidhagaa illee siif kenniti.”
10 Hear, O my son, and accept my sayings: and they will increase unto thee the years of life.
Yaa ilma ko dhagaʼi; waan ani jedhu illee fudhadhu; barri jireenya keetiis ni baayʼataa.
11 In the way of wisdom have I instructed thee: I have led thee in the tracks of uprightness.
Ani karaa ogummaa irra sin qajeelcha; daandii qajeelaa irras sin buusa.
12 When thou walkest, thy step shall not be narrowed; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Yeroo ati deemtu, tarkaanfiin kee hin ittifamu; yoo fiigdu illee ati hin gufattu.
13 Lay fast hold of correction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
Qajeelfama jabeessii qabadhu; gad hin dhiisin; waan inni jireenya kee taʼeef jabeessii eeggadhu.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and step not on the way of the bad.
Daandii hamootaa irra miilla kee hin dhaabin yookaan karaa jalʼootaa irra hin deemin.
15 Avoid it, pass not through by it, turn off from it, and pass away.
Irraa fagaadhu; irras hin deemin; irraa goriitii karaa kee irra qajeeli.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done evil, and their sleep is robbed away, unless they cause some to stumble.
Isaan waan hamaa hojjetan malee rafuu hin dandaʼaniitii; isaan hamma nama gufachiisanitti hirriba hin argatan.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness; and the wine of violence do they drink.
Isaan buddeena hamminaa nyaatu; daadhii wayinii kan dabaan argame dhugu.
18 But the path of the righteous is as the early morning light, that shineth more and more brightly until the height of noonday.
Karaan qajeeltotaa akkuma ifa barii barraaqaa kan hamma saafaatti ittuma fufee ifaa deemuu ti.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness: they know not against what they stumble.
Karaan hamootaa garuu akkuma dukkana guddaa ti; isaan waan isaan gufachiisu hin beekan.
20 My son, attend to my words, unto my sayings incline thy ear.
Yaa ilma ko, waan ani jedhu qalbeeffadhu; dubbii kootiifis gurra kenni.
21 Let them not slip away from thy eyes: guard them in the midst of thy heart.
Akka inni fuula kee duraa dhabamu hin godhin; garaa kee keessa ol kaaʼadhu;
22 For they are life unto every one of those that find them, and to all his body a healing.
inni warra isa argatuuf jireenya, dhagna namaa guutuufis fayyinaatii.
23 Above all that is to be guarded, keep thy heart, for out of it are the issues of life.
Waan hunda caalaa qalbii kee eeggadhu; burqaan jireenyaa achii baʼaatii.
24 Remove from thee frowardness of mouth; and perverseness of lips put away far from thee.
Dubbii jalʼinaa afaan kee keessaa balleessi; haasaa hamaas arraba kee irraa fageessi.
25 Let thy eyes look right forward, and let thy eyelids see straight out before thee.
Iji kee kallattiidhaan qajeelchee haa ilaalu; atis xiyyeeffadhuu fuula kee dura ilaali.
26 Balance well the track of thy foot, and let all thy ways be firmly right.
Miilla keetiif daandii wal qixxeeffadhu; karaan kee hundinuu haa jabaatu.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Gara mirgaatti yookaan gara bitaatti hin gorin; miilla kee hammina irraa eeggadhu.
