Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Yaa ilmaan ko, mee gorsa abbaan namaaf kennu dhagaʼaa; qalbeeffadhaatii hubannaa argadhaa.
2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
Ani barumsa gaarii isinii nan kenna; kanaafuu barsiisa koo hin dhiisinaa.
3 For I was my father's son, tender and only [beloved] in the sight of my mother.
Yeroo ani mucaa xinnaa taʼee mana abbaa koo turetti, yeroo ani daaʼima dhiiga taʼee haadha kootiif ilma tokkicha turetti,
4 He taught me also, and said to me, Let thy heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
inni akkana jedhee na barsiise; “Garaa kee guutuudhaan dubbii koo jabeessii qabadhu; seera koo eegi; ati ni jiraattaatii.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget [it] not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Ogummaa argadhu; hubannaas argadhu; dubbii koo hin dagatin yookaan irraa hin jalʼatin.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
Ogummaa hin dhiisin; isheen si eegdii; ishee jaalladhu; isheenis si tiksitii.
7 Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
Ogummaan waan hunda caalti; kanaafuu ogummaa argadhu. Yoo isheen waan ati qabdu hunda si baasifte illee hubannaa argadhu.
8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.
Ogummaa kabaji; inni ol si guddisaatii; isa hammadhu; innis si kabajaatii.
9 She shall give to thy head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
Isheen kallacha bareedaa mataa kee irra siif keessi; gonfoo miidhagaa illee siif kenniti.”
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
Yaa ilma ko dhagaʼi; waan ani jedhu illee fudhadhu; barri jireenya keetiis ni baayʼataa.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
Ani karaa ogummaa irra sin qajeelcha; daandii qajeelaa irras sin buusa.
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Yeroo ati deemtu, tarkaanfiin kee hin ittifamu; yoo fiigdu illee ati hin gufattu.
13 Take fast hold of instruction; 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 go not in the way of evil [men].
Daandii hamootaa irra miilla kee hin dhaabin yookaan karaa jalʼootaa irra hin deemin.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn 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 mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause [some] to fall.
Isaan waan hamaa hojjetan malee rafuu hin dandaʼaniitii; isaan hamma nama gufachiisanitti hirriba hin argatan.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
Isaan buddeena hamminaa nyaatu; daadhii wayinii kan dabaan argame dhugu.
18 But the path of the just [is] as the shining light, that shineth more and more to the perfect day.
Karaan qajeeltotaa akkuma ifa barii barraaqaa kan hamma saafaatti ittuma fufee ifaa deemuu ti.
19 The way of the wicked [is] as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
Karaan hamootaa garuu akkuma dukkana guddaa ti; isaan waan isaan gufachiisu hin beekan.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thy ear to my sayings.
Yaa ilma ko, waan ani jedhu qalbeeffadhu; dubbii kootiifis gurra kenni.
21 Let them not depart from thy eyes; keep 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 to those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
inni warra isa argatuuf jireenya, dhagna namaa guutuufis fayyinaatii.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.
Waan hunda caalaa qalbii kee eeggadhu; burqaan jireenyaa achii baʼaatii.
24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Dubbii jalʼinaa afaan kee keessaa balleessi; haasaa hamaas arraba kee irraa fageessi.
25 Let thy eyes look right on, and let thy eyelids look straight before thee.
Iji kee kallattiidhaan qajeelchee haa ilaalu; atis xiyyeeffadhuu fuula kee dura ilaali.
26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
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.
