< Proverbs 23 >

1 When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you;
Kom fin wi sie mwet fulat muta mongo, esam akwoya lah su el uh.
2 put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite.
Kom finne ke mongo yohk, kom eis na lupa fal.
3 Don’t be desirous of his dainties, since they are deceitful food.
Nimet oasroasr nu ke mwe mongo yuyu el kite kom kac. Sahp el oru in mwe srike kom.
4 Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.
Kom in lalmwetmet, ac tia kemkatula in suk mwe kasrup.
5 Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.
Mani lom uh ku in wanginla ke kitin pacl na — oana in oasr posohksok kac, na sohkla oana sie eagle.
6 Don’t eat the food of him who has a stingy eye, and don’t crave his delicacies,
Nimet mongo yurin sie mwet srowohsr, ku mwel mwe mongo yuyu el oru.
7 for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
El ac fahk mu, “Fahsru eis pac kutu mongo uh,” tusruktu el tia fahk ke inse pwaye. Nunak lal siena.
8 You will vomit up the morsel which you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
Kom ac wihtacla ma kom kangla, ac kusen eyeinse lom uh wanginla sripa.
9 Don’t speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Nimet srike in sramsram in lalmwetmet nu sin sie mwet lalfon; el tia ku in eis in nunku kac.
10 Don’t move the ancient boundary stone. Don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
Nimet mokle sie masrol matu, ku eisla acn lun mwet mukaimtal.
11 for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.
LEUM GOD El ac loangelos ke ku lal, ac aolulos in sramsram lain kom.
12 Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
Porongo mwet luti lom, ac sang kuiyom in lutlut.
13 Don’t withhold correction from a child. If you punish him with the rod, he will not die.
Nimet alolo in kai sie tulik. Sie sringsring fal ac tia unilya,
14 Punish him with the rod, and save his soul from Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
a ma ac molela moul lal. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine.
Tulik nutik, kom fin sun lalmwetmet, nga ac arulana insewowo.
16 Yes, my heart will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
Nga ac arulana engan ke nga lohng kom fahk kas lalmwetmet.
17 Don’t let your heart envy sinners, but rather fear the LORD all day long.
Nimet sok sin mwet koluk, a kom in akfulatye LEUM GOD pacl nukewa.
18 Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off.
Fin ouinge, kom ac fah sun finsrak nukewa lom.
19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!
Tulik nutik, porongeyu. Kom in lalmwetmet ac nunak akloalya ke ouiyen moul lom.
20 Don’t be amongst ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat;
Nimet kupasr nu sin mwet nim wain yokla ac kainmongo.
21 for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Mwet lungse nimnim ac mwet kainmongo elos ac sukasrup. Fin pwayena ma kom oru pa mongo ac motul, ac tia paht na kom nukum nuknuk mihsasa.
22 Listen to your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.
Porongo papa tomom — funu tia el, kom lukun wangin. Ke pacl se nina kiom el matuoh, akkalemye srui lom nu sel.
23 Buy the truth, and don’t sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding.
Pwaye, lalmwetmet, lutlut, ac etauk — ma inge kewa fal kom in moli, tusruktu kom in tia kukakunla, mweyen ma inge arulana saok.
24 The father of the righteous has great joy. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.
Mwe insewowo nu sin sie papa tulik natul fin lalmwetmet ac moul suwohs.
25 Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you rejoice!
Oru ma ac akinsewowoye papa tomom ac nina kiom. Kom fin oru ouinge, nina kiom el ac arulana engan.
26 My son, give me your heart; and let your eyes keep in my ways.
Wen nutik, lohang akwoya, ac lela moul luk in mwe srikasrak nu sum.
27 For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
Mutan kosro su eis molin kosro lalos, ac mutan koluk uh, elos sie kwasrip nu ke misa.
28 Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful amongst men.
Elos soanekom oana mwet pisrapasr, ac oru mukul puspis in tia pwaye nu sin mutan kialos.
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
Su oasr ongoiya yoro? Su oasr asor yoro? Su amei ac lungse anwuk finne wangin sripa? Su srusrala atronmuta?
30 Those who stay long at the wine; those who go to seek out mixed wine.
Elos su muta paht ke wain uh, ac elos su kar mwe nim ku.
31 Don’t look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.
Nimet lela wain uh in srifekomla, finne srusra ac saromrom in cup uh, ac arulana wo emah ke kom ac ukumya uh.
32 In the end, it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper.
Ke lotutang tok ah, kom ac pula mu oana soko wet pwasin el ngaliskomi.
33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will imagine confusing things.
Motom ac liye ma sakirik, ac nunak lom ac kaskas lom ac fah tia kalem.
34 Yes, you will be as he who lies down in the middle of the sea, or as he who lies on top of the rigging:
Kom ac pula mu kom kalkal meoa — ikwot ikme oana ke kom muta elucng ke kwesu in oak uh.
35 “They hit me, and I was not hurt! They beat me, and I don’t feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I will look for more.”
Na kom ac fahk, “Oasr mwet puokyu, nga tia pula. Oasr mwet uniyu tuh nga tiana esam. Efu ku nga kofla in tukakek? Nga enenu sie pac mwe nim ah.”

< Proverbs 23 >