Soakas 23
1 Kom fin wi sie mwet fulat muta mongo, esam akwoya lah su el uh.
When you sit down for a meal with a ruler, look carefully at what is placed before you,
2 Kom finne ke mongo yohk, kom eis na lupa fal.
and cut down if you have a big appetite.
3 Nimet oasroasr nu ke mwe mongo yuyu el kite kom kac. Sahp el oru in mwe srike kom.
Don't be greedy for his fancy food, for it's offered with deceptive motives.
4 Kom in lalmwetmet, ac tia kemkatula in suk mwe kasrup.
Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich—be wise enough not to bother!
5 Mani lom uh ku in wanginla ke kitin pacl na — oana in oasr posohksok kac, na sohkla oana sie eagle.
It disappears in the blink of an eye, suddenly growing wings and flying off into the sky like an eagle.
6 Nimet mongo yurin sie mwet srowohsr, ku mwel mwe mongo yuyu el oru.
Don't accept meal invitations from miserly people; don't be greedy for their fancy food,
7 El ac fahk mu, “Fahsru eis pac kutu mongo uh,” tusruktu el tia fahk ke inse pwaye. Nunak lal siena.
for what they're thinking inside is what they really are. They say, “Come on, eat and drink!”—but in their minds they don't really care about you.
8 Kom ac wihtacla ma kom kangla, ac kusen eyeinse lom uh wanginla sripa.
You'll vomit up the little pieces you've eaten, and your kind words of appreciation will be wasted.
9 Nimet srike in sramsram in lalmwetmet nu sin sie mwet lalfon; el tia ku in eis in nunku kac.
Don't talk to stupid people because they'll ridicule your wise words.
10 Nimet mokle sie masrol matu, ku eisla acn lun mwet mukaimtal.
Don't move ancient boundary markers, and don't encroach on fields belonging to orphans,
11 LEUM GOD El ac loangelos ke ku lal, ac aolulos in sramsram lain kom.
for their Protector is powerful and he will plead their case against you.
12 Porongo mwet luti lom, ac sang kuiyom in lutlut.
Focus your mind on instruction; listen intently to words of knowledge.
13 Nimet alolo in kai sie tulik. Sie sringsring fal ac tia unilya,
Don't keep from disciplining your children—a beating won't kill them.
If you use physical correction you can save them from death. (Sheol h7585)
15 Tulik nutik, kom fin sun lalmwetmet, nga ac arulana insewowo.
My son, if you think wisely then I'll be happy;
16 Nga ac arulana engan ke nga lohng kom fahk kas lalmwetmet.
I'll be delighted when you say what's right.
17 Nimet sok sin mwet koluk, a kom in akfulatye LEUM GOD pacl nukewa.
Don't think enviously of sinners, but always remember to honor the Lord,
18 Fin ouinge, kom ac fah sun finsrak nukewa lom.
for there's definitely a future for you, and your hope will not be crushed.
19 Tulik nutik, porongeyu. Kom in lalmwetmet ac nunak akloalya ke ouiyen moul lom.
Pay attention, my son, and be wise; make sure your mind concentrates on following the right way.
20 Nimet kupasr nu sin mwet nim wain yokla ac kainmongo.
Don't join in with people who drink too much wine or who stuff themselves with meat.
21 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.
For people who get drunk and overeat lose all they've got, and they spend so much time dozing that all they have left to wear is rags.
22 Porongo papa tomom — funu tia el, kom lukun wangin. Ke pacl se nina kiom el matuoh, akkalemye srui lom nu sel.
Pay attention to your father, and don't disregard your mother when she's old.
23 Pwaye, lalmwetmet, lutlut, ac etauk — ma inge kewa fal kom in moli, tusruktu kom in tia kukakunla, mweyen ma inge arulana saok.
Invest in truth—and don't sell it! Invest in wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 Mwe insewowo nu sin sie papa tulik natul fin lalmwetmet ac moul suwohs.
Children who do right make their fathers very happy; a wise son brings joy to his father.
25 Oru ma ac akinsewowoye papa tomom ac nina kiom. Kom fin oru ouinge, nina kiom el ac arulana engan.
Make your father and mother happy; bring joy to her who gave birth to you.
26 Wen nutik, lohang akwoya, ac lela moul luk in mwe srikasrak nu sum.
My son, give me your undivided attention, and cheerfully follow my example.
27 Mutan kosro su eis molin kosro lalos, ac mutan koluk uh, elos sie kwasrip nu ke misa.
A prostitute is like being trapped in a pit; an immoral woman is like getting stuck a narrow well,
28 Elos soanekom oana mwet pisrapasr, ac oru mukul puspis in tia pwaye nu sin mutan kialos.
Like a robber, she lies in wait ready to ambush men and make more of them unfaithful to their wives.
29 Su oasr ongoiya yoro? Su oasr asor yoro? Su amei ac lungse anwuk finne wangin sripa? Su srusrala atronmuta?
Who's in trouble? Who's in pain? Who's arguing? Who's complaining? Who's injured for no reason? Who's got bloodshot eyes?
30 Elos su muta paht ke wain uh, ac elos su kar mwe nim ku.
—those who spend a long time drinking wine, those who are always trying some new cocktail.
31 Nimet lela wain uh in srifekomla, finne srusra ac saromrom in cup uh, ac arulana wo emah ke kom ac ukumya uh.
Don't let the look of wine tempt you—how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smooth it feels as it goes down.
32 Ke lotutang tok ah, kom ac pula mu oana soko wet pwasin el ngaliskomi.
In the end it bites like a serpent, it stings like a snake.
33 Motom ac liye ma sakirik, ac nunak lom ac kaskas lom ac fah tia kalem.
You'll hallucinate, seeing strange things, and your confused mind will make you say all kinds of craziness.
34 Kom ac pula mu kom kalkal meoa — ikwot ikme oana ke kom muta elucng ke kwesu in oak uh.
You'll stumble around like you're on the rolling ocean, you'll be tossed about like someone lying down at the top of a ship's mast, saying,
35 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.”
“People punched me, but it didn't hurt me; they beat me, but I didn't feel a thing. I've got to get up because I need another drink.”
