Engero 21
1 Omutima gwa kabaka guli ng’amazzi agakulukutira mu mukono gwa Mukama, era agukyusiza gy’ayagala yonna.
Yahweh controls what kings do [MTY] [like] he controls how streams flow; he causes kings to do just what he wants them to do.
2 Buli kkubo lya muntu liba ng’ettuufu mu maaso ge, naye Mukama apima omutima.
People always think that what they do is right, but Yahweh judges our (motives/reasons [for doing things)] [MTY].
3 Okukola ebituufu n’eby’amazima kisanyusa Mukama okusinga ssaddaaka.
Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to Yahweh than [bringing] sacrifices [to him].
4 Amaaso ageegulumiza, n’omutima ogw’amalala, ye ttabaaza y’ababi, era ebyo kwonoona.
Being proud and arrogant [DOU] is [like] a lamp [MTY] [that guides] wicked people; being proud and arrogant characterizes (wicked people’s whole behavior/everything that wicked people do).
5 Enteekateeka z’omunyiikivu zivaamu magoba meereere, naye okwanguyiriza okutalina nteekateeka kuvaamu bwavu.
People who plan carefully will surely have plenty [of what they need]; those who act too quickly [to become rich] will become poor.
6 Okufuna obugagga n’olulimi olulimba, mpewo buwewo etwalibwa eruuyi n’eruuyi era mutego gwa kufa.
Money that people acquire [by cheating others] by lying [MTY] to them will soon disappear [like] a mist, and doing that will [soon] lead to their death.
7 Obukambwe bw’ababi bulibamalawo, kubanga bagaana okukola eby’ensonga.
Wicked [people] refuse to do what is right/just, but they will be ruined because of the violent things [PRS] that they do.
8 Ekkubo ly’abazza emisango liba kyamu, naye ery’abataliiko musango liba golokofu.
Guilty [people continually do what is evil; it is as though] [MET] they are walking on a crooked road; but righteous/innocent people [always] do what is right.
9 Okusula ku kasolya k’ennyumba, kisinga okubeera mu nnyumba n’omukazi omuyombi.
It is better to live in the corner of an attic/housetop [by yourself] than to live inside the house with a wife who is always nagging.
10 Emmeeme y’omubi yeegomba okukola ebibi; talaga muliraanwa we kisa n’akatono.
Wicked [people] [SYN] are always wanting [to do what is] evil; they never act mercifully toward anyone.
11 Omukudaazi bw’abonerezebwa, atalina magezi agafuna; n’ow’amagezi bw’ayigirizibwa afuna okutegeera.
When those who ridicule [others] are punished, [even] those who do not have good sense [see that, and] they become wise, and when those who are wise are taught, they become wiser.
12 Katonda alaba ebifa mu nnyumba y’omubi, era abakozi b’ebibi abazikkiririza ddala.
[God], the one [who is completely] righteous, knows [what happens inside] the houses of wicked [people], and [he will cause] those people to be completely ruined/destroyed.
13 Oyo aziba amatu ge eri okulaajana kw’omwavu, naye alikoowoola nga talina amwanukula.
There are people who refuse to listen when poor people cry out [for help]; [but some day] they themselves will cry out [for help], and no one will hear them.
14 Ekirabo ekigabire mu kyama kikakkanya obusungu obungi, n’enguzi ebikiddwa mu munagiro eggyawo ekiruyi ekingi.
When someone is angry [with you], if you secretly give him a gift, he will stop being angry.
15 Ensonga bwe zisalibwa mu bwenkanya, lye ssanyu eri abatuukirivu, naye kiba kyekango eri abakozi b’ebibi.
Good/Righteous [people] are happy when they [see others do] what is just/fair, but those who do what is evil are terrified [when they think about what may happen to them].
16 Omuntu awaba okuva mu kkubo ly’okutegeera, agukira mu bafu.
Those who stop behaving like those who have good sense behave will [soon] discover that they have gone to the place where dead people are.
17 Aganza eby’amasanyu anaabanga mwavu, n’oyo ayagala omwenge n’amafuta taligaggawala.
Those who spend their money to buy (things that give them pleasure/things that cause them to feel happy) will become poor; those who love [to spend money to buy] wine and nice/fancy food [MTY] will never become rich.
18 Abakozi b’ebibi batuukibwako emitawaana egyandigudde ku balungi, n’ekyandituuse ku b’amazima kituuka ku batali beesigwa.
Wicked [people] bring on themselves the sufferings that they were trying to cause righteous [people] to experience [DOU].
19 Okubeera mu ddungu, kisinga okubeera n’omukazi omuyombi anyiiganyiiga.
It is better to live [alone] in a desert than [to live] with a wife who is [always] nagging and complaining.
20 Mu nnyumba y’omutuukirivu mubaamu eby’obugagga eby’omuwendo, naye omusirusiru ebibye byonna abyonoona.
Wise people have many valuable things in their houses, but foolish people [quickly] spend/waste [all their money].
21 Agoberera obutuukirivu n’ekisa, alibeera n’obulamu obukulaakulana n’ekitiibwa.
Those who [always] try to act in a fair and kind way [toward others] will live [a long time] and be honored/respected.
22 Omuntu ow’amagezi alumba ekibuga eky’abazira nnamige, era n’asesebbula enfo yaabwe gye beesiga.
A wise army commander [helps his troops] climb over a wall [to attack] a city that is defended by a strong army, with the result that they are able to (get over/destroy) the high walls that their enemies trusted [would protect them].
23 Afuga akamwa ke n’olulimi lwe, yeewoonya emitawaana.
Those who are very careful about what they say [MTY] are [able to] avoid trouble.
24 “Mukudaazi,” lye linnya ly’ab’amalala abeeraga, abeetwalira mu kwemanya okw’ekitalo mwe batambulira.
Those who make fun of [everything that is good] are proud and conceited [DOU]; they [always] act in an inconsiderate way [toward others].
25 Okwetaaga kw’omugayaavu lwe luliba olumbe lwe, kubanga emikono gye tegyagala kukola.
Lazy people, who refuse to work, [will] die [of hunger] because they [SYN] do not earn [money to buy food].
26 Olunaku lwonna aba yeegomba kweyongezaako, naye omutuukirivu agaba awatali kwebalira.
All during the day [wicked people] desire to obtain things, but righteous [people] have plenty, [with the result that] they [are able to] give things generously to others.
27 Ssaddaaka y’omubi ya muzizo, na ddala bw’agireeta ng’alina ekigendererwa ekitali kirungi.
[Yahweh] detests the sacrifices that wicked [people] offer [to him]; [but he] detests it even more when they [think that they will escape being punished for] their evil deeds because of the sacrifices that they bring.
28 Omujulizi ow’obulimba alizikirira, naye ekigambo ky’oyo ayogera eby’amazima kiribeerera emirembe gyonna.
Those who tell lies in court will be punished; no one stops/silences witnesses who say what is truthful/reliable.
29 Omuntu omubi yeekazaakaza, naye omuntu ow’amazima yeegendereza amakubo ge.
Wicked people pretend [that they know everything], but righteous people think carefully about [what will happen because of] what they do.
30 Tewali magezi, newaakubadde okutegeera, wadde ebiteeso ebiyinza okulemesa Mukama.
[Thinking that we are] wise, and that we understand many things, and that we have good insight, does not help us if Yahweh is (acting against/not pleased with) us.
31 Embalaasi etegekerwa olunaku olw’olutalo, naye obuwanguzi buva eri Mukama.
We [can] get horses ready to fight in a battle, but Yahweh is the one who enables us to (win victories/defeat our enemies).
