Proverbs 4
1 My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.
Yaa ilmaan ko, mee gorsa abbaan namaaf kennu dhagaʼaa; qalbeeffadhaatii hubannaa argadhaa.
2 What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.
Ani barumsa gaarii isinii nan kenna; kanaafuu barsiisa koo hin dhiisinaa.
3 When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,
Yeroo ani mucaa xinnaa taʼee mana abbaa koo turetti, yeroo ani daaʼima dhiiga taʼee haadha kootiif ilma tokkicha turetti,
4 my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].
inni akkana jedhee na barsiise; “Garaa kee guutuudhaan dubbii koo jabeessii qabadhu; seera koo eegi; ati ni jiraattaatii.
5 Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.
Ogummaa argadhu; hubannaas argadhu; dubbii koo hin dagatin yookaan irraa hin jalʼatin.
6 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.
Ogummaa hin dhiisin; isheen si eegdii; ishee jaalladhu; isheenis si tiksitii.
7 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.
Ogummaan waan hunda caalti; kanaafuu ogummaa argadhu. Yoo isheen waan ati qabdu hunda si baasifte illee hubannaa argadhu.
8 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.
Ogummaa kabaji; inni ol si guddisaatii; isa hammadhu; innis si kabajaatii.
9 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].
Isheen kallacha bareedaa mataa kee irra siif keessi; gonfoo miidhagaa illee siif kenniti.”
10 [So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.
Yaa ilma ko dhagaʼi; waan ani jedhu illee fudhadhu; barri jireenya keetiis ni baayʼataa.
11 I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].
Ani karaa ogummaa irra sin qajeelcha; daandii qajeelaa irras sin buusa.
12 If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].
Yeroo ati deemtu, tarkaanfiin kee hin ittifamu; yoo fiigdu illee ati hin gufattu.
13 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.
Qajeelfama jabeessii qabadhu; gad hin dhiisin; waan inni jireenya kee taʼeef jabeessii eeggadhu.
14 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].
Daandii hamootaa irra miilla kee hin dhaabin yookaan karaa jalʼootaa irra hin deemin.
15 Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;
Irraa fagaadhu; irras hin deemin; irraa goriitii karaa kee irra qajeeli.
16 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.
Isaan waan hamaa hojjetan malee rafuu hin dandaʼaniitii; isaan hamma nama gufachiisanitti hirriba hin argatan.
17 What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”
Isaan buddeena hamminaa nyaatu; daadhii wayinii kan dabaan argame dhugu.
18 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.
Karaan qajeeltotaa akkuma ifa barii barraaqaa kan hamma saafaatti ittuma fufee ifaa deemuu ti.
19 [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.
Karaan hamootaa garuu akkuma dukkana guddaa ti; isaan waan isaan gufachiisu hin beekan.
20 My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.
Yaa ilma ko, waan ani jedhu qalbeeffadhu; dubbii kootiifis gurra kenni.
21 Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,
Akka inni fuula kee duraa dhabamu hin godhin; garaa kee keessa ol kaaʼadhu;
22 because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.
inni warra isa argatuuf jireenya, dhagna namaa guutuufis fayyinaatii.
23 It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.
Waan hunda caalaa qalbii kee eeggadhu; burqaan jireenyaa achii baʼaatii.
24 Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.
Dubbii jalʼinaa afaan kee keessaa balleessi; haasaa hamaas arraba kee irraa fageessi.
25 Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.
Iji kee kallattiidhaan qajeelchee haa ilaalu; atis xiyyeeffadhuu fuula kee dura ilaali.
26 Plan carefully where you will go and what you will do, and then stay on that road. Then what you do will be right.
Miilla keetiif daandii wal qixxeeffadhu; karaan kee hundinuu haa jabaatu.
27 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.
Gara mirgaatti yookaan gara bitaatti hin gorin; miilla kee hammina irraa eeggadhu.
