Proverbs 4
1 My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.
Tẹ́tí, ẹ̀yin ọmọ mi, sí ẹ̀kọ́ baba; fetísílẹ̀ kí o sì ní òye sí i.
2 What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.
Mo fún ọ ní ẹ̀kọ́ tí ó yè kooro, nítorí náà, má ṣe kọ ẹ̀kọ́ mi sílẹ̀.
3 When I was a young boy, loved by 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 my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].
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 and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.
Gba ọgbọ́n, gba òye, má ṣe gbàgbé ọ̀rọ̀ mi tàbí kí o yẹsẹ̀ kúrò nínú rẹ̀.
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.
Má ṣe kọ ọgbọ́n sílẹ̀, yóò sì dáàbò bò ọ́, fẹ́ràn rẹ̀, yóò sì bojútó ọ.
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.
Ọgbọ́n ni ó ga jù; nítorí náà gba ọgbọ́n. Bí ó tilẹ̀ ná gbogbo ohun tí o ní, gba òye.
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.
Gbé e ga, yóò sì gbé ọ ga dìrọ̀ mọ́ ọn, yóò sì bu iyì fún ọ.
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].
Yóò fi òdòdó ọ̀ṣọ́ ẹwà sí orí rẹ yóò sì fi adé ẹlẹ́wà fún ọ.”
10 [So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.
Tẹ́tí, ọmọ mi, gba ohun tí mo sọ, ọjọ́ ayé è rẹ yóò sì gùn.
11 I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].
Mo tọ́ ọ ṣọ́nà ní ọ̀nà ti ọgbọ́n mo sì mú ọ lọ ní ọ̀nà ti tààrà.
12 If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].
Nígbà tí o rìn, ìgbésẹ̀ rẹ kò ní ní ìdíwọ́ nígbà tí o bá sáré, ìwọ kì yóò kọsẹ̀.
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.
Di ẹ̀kọ́ mú, má ṣe jẹ́ kí ó lọ; tọ́jú u rẹ̀ dáradára nítorí òun ni ìyè rẹ.
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].
Má ṣe gbé ẹsẹ̀ rẹ sí ojú ọnà àwọn ènìyàn búburú tàbí kí o rìn ní ọ̀nà àwọn ẹni ibi.
15 Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;
Yẹra fún un, má ṣe rìn níbẹ̀; yàgò fún un kí o sì bá ọ̀nà tìrẹ lọ.
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.
Nítorí wọn kò le sùn àyàfi tí wọ́n bá ṣe ibi, wọn kò ní tòògbé àyàfi tí wọ́n bá gbé ẹlòmíràn ṣubú.
17 What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”
Wọ́n ń jẹ oúnjẹ ìwà búburú wọ́n sì ń mu wáìnì ìwà ìkà.
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.
Ipa ọ̀nà olódodo dàbí àṣẹ̀ṣẹ̀yọ oòrùn tí ń tànmọ́lẹ̀ sí i títí ọjọ́ fi kanrí
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.
ṣùgbọ́n ọ̀nà ènìyàn búburú dàbí òkùnkùn biribiri; wọn kò mọ ohun tí ó ń mú wọn kọsẹ̀.
20 My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.
Ọmọ mi, tẹ́tí sí ohun tí mo sọ; fetísílẹ̀ dáradára sí ọ̀rọ̀ mi.
21 Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,
Má ṣe jẹ́ kí wọ́n rá mọ́ ọ lójú pa wọ́n mọ́ sínú ọkàn rẹ,
22 because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.
nítorí ìyè ni wọ́n jẹ́ fún gbogbo ẹni tí ó rí wọn àti ìlera fún gbogbo ara ènìyàn.
23 It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.
Ju gbogbo nǹkan tókù lọ, pa ọkàn rẹ mọ́, nítorí òun ni orísun ìyè.
24 Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.
Mú àrékérekè kúrò ní ẹnu rẹ; sì jẹ́ kí ọ̀rọ̀ ìsọkúsọ jìnnà réré sí ẹnu rẹ.
25 Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.
Jẹ́ kí ojú rẹ máa wo iwájú, jẹ́ kí ìwo ojú rẹ máa wo ọ̀kánkán iwájú rẹ sá á.
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.
Kíyèsi ìrìn ẹsẹ̀ rẹ sì rìn ní àwọn ọ̀nà tí ó dára nìkan.
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.
Má ṣe yà sọ́tùn ún tàbí sósì; pa ẹsẹ̀ rẹ mọ́ kúrò nínú ibi.
