Yobu 28
1 “Ddala ddala waliwo ebirombe mwe basima effeeza, n’ekifo gye balongooseza effeeza.
“It is true that there are places where men dig to find silver, and there are places where people refine/purify gold [that they have dug].
2 Ekyuma kisimibwa mu ttaka, n’ekikomo ne bakisaanuusa okukiggya mu mayinja.
People dig iron [ore] out of the ground, and they (smelt copper ore/heat copper ore to get the copper from it).
3 Omuntu agoberera enzikiza n’anoonya eyo mu ttaka wansi, asime ekyuma mu kizikiza ekiri wansi ennyo.
Men use lamps while they work far down under the ground to search for the ore inside the mines where it is very dark.
4 Asima ekinnya ekiri ewala n’abantu gye babeera, mu bifo eteyita bantu, ewala okuva abantu gye bayita.
They dig (shafts/narrow holes very deep down into the ground) in places that are far from where people live, where travelers do not go. They work far away from [other] people, swinging back and forth on ropes [as they descend into the mine shafts].
5 Ensi evaamu emmere, naye wansi waayo yafuusibwa nga muliro.
Food grows on the surface of the ground, but down under the ground, [where there is no food, ] the miners make fires to break apart the rocks.
6 Safira eva mu mayinja gaayo, era enfuufu yaayo erimu zaabu.
The stones [that are dug from under the ground] contain (sapphires/very valuable blue stones), and the dirt contains bits of gold.
7 Tewali kinyonyi kiyizzi kimanyi kkubo lino, wadde n’amaaso ga kamunye tegarirabanga.
[Some birds have very good eyes, ] but even hawks do not know [where the mines are], and falcons/vultures have not seen those places.
8 Ekibinja ky’empologoma ento tekituukangayo, tewali mpologoma yali eyiseeyo.
Lions or [other] proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
9 Omuntu ayasa n’omukono gwe ejjinja ery’embaalebaale, n’avuunika ensozi okuviira ddala we zisibuka.
Miners tear apart [MTY] very hard rock; [it is as though] they turn the mountains upside down [to get the ore].
10 Asima ensalosalo ku njazi; n’amaaso ge galaba eby’omuwendo byonna.
They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find (precious/very valuable) things.
11 Anoonya wansi mu migga, n’aggyayo ebintu ebyakwekebwa.
They dam up small streams in order that water does not flow, and they bring up into the light valuable things that are hidden [in the ground and in the streams].
12 “Naye amagezi gasangibwa wa? Okutegeera kuva wa?
“But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
13 Omuntu tayinza kutegeera mugaso gwago; tegasangibwa mu nsi y’abalamu.
Humans do not know where to find it; no one can find it [here on this earth] where they are living.
14 Obuziba bwogera nti, ‘Tegali mu nze,’ ennyanja eyogera nti, ‘Tegali mu nze.’
[It is as though] water that is deep [inside the earth] and [water that is in] the seas say [PRS], ‘Wisdom is not here!’
15 Tegayinza kugulibwa na zaabu asingayo obulungi, wadde omuwendo gwago okupimibwa mu ffeeza.
[People] cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
16 Tegayinza kugulibwa na zaabu wa Ofiri, mu mayinja ag’omuwendo aga onuku oba safiro.
Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from Ophir [land] or other very valuable stones.
17 Zaabu n’endabirwamu tebiyinza kugenkana: so tegayinza kugeraageranyizibwa n’amayinja ag’omuwendo.
It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass, worth more than vases made from fine gold.
18 Kolali n’amayinja ag’endabirwamu tebyogerwa nako; omuwendo ogugula amagezi gusinga amayinja amatwakaavu.
Wisdom is worth more than coral or crystal/pure quartz; the price of wisdom is higher/more than the price of pearls.
19 Topazi eva mu Esiyopya teyinza kugenkana, tegayinza wadde okugulibwa mu zaabu etetabikiddwamu kantu konna.
The prices of (topaz/very valuable yellow stones) from Ethiopia and of pure gold are lower/less than the price of wisdom.
20 “Kale amagezi gava ludda wa? N’okutegeera kubeera ludda wa?
“So, where does wisdom come from? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
21 Gakwekebwa okuva mu maaso g’ebintu byonna ebiramu, era gakwekeddwa ebinyonyi by’omu bbanga.
No living humans can see it [MTY]; and birds cannot see it while they are flying [MTY].
22 Okuzikiriza n’Okufa kwogera nti, ‘Nawulirako buwulizi ku lugambo lwakwo mu matu gange.’
[It is as though] the places where people go after they die say [PRS], ‘We have only heard rumors about [where to find wisdom].’
23 Katonda ategeera ekkubo erigatuukako era ye yekka y’amanyi gye gabeera,
God [is the only one who] knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is,
24 kubanga alaba enkomerero y’ensi era alaba ebintu byonna wansi w’eggulu.
because he can see things even in the most remote/distant places on the earth; he can see everything that is below the sky.
25 Bwe yateekawo amaanyi g’empewo, n’apima n’amazzi,
When he decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain would be in the clouds,
26 bwe yateekera enkuba etteeka era n’ekkubo eggulu we linaayitanga nga limyansa,
and when he decided where rain [should fall], and what path lightning should take [from the clouds down to the ground],
27 olwo n’atunuulira amagezi n’agalangirira; n’agateekawo, n’agagezesa.
at that time he saw wisdom and decided that it is extremely valuable. He examined it and (approved it/said that it was very good).
28 N’agamba omuntu nti, ‘Laba, okutya Mukama, ge magezi, n’okuleka ekibi, kwe kutegeera.’”
And [then] he said to humans, ‘Listen! To have an awesome respect for me is [what will enable you to become] wise; and to truly understand everything, you must first turn away from doing what is evil.’”
