Engero 23
1 Bw’otuulanga okulya n’omufuzi, weetegerezanga ebiri mu maaso go;
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, Consider well what is before thee;
2 era weegendereze bw’obanga omanyi ng’olulunkanira ebyokulya.
For thou wilt put a knife to thy throat, If thou art a man given to appetite!
3 Tolulunkanira mmere ye ennungi, kubanga erimbalimba.
Long not for his dainties. For they are deceitful meat.
4 Teweemalangako mirembe ng’oyaayaanira obugagga; weefuge obeere mukkakkamu.
Toil not to become rich; Cease from this, thy wisdom.
5 Eby’obugagga obikubako eriiso limu nga by’agenze dda, kubanga ddala bimera ebiwaawaatiro ne bibuuka mu bbanga ng’empungu.
Wilt thou let thine eyes fly toward them? They are gone! For riches truly make to themselves wings; They fly away like the eagle toward heaven.
6 Tolyanga mmere ya muntu mukodo, wadde okwegomba ebirungi by’alya.
Eat not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, And long not for his dainties;
7 Kubanga ye muntu abalirira ensimbi z’asaasaanyizza, n’akugamba nti, “Weeriire, weenywere,” naye ng’omutima gwe tegukusanyukira.
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” saith he to thee; But his heart is not with thee.
8 Akatono k’onooba olidde onookasesema, ebigambo byo ebirungi eby’okwebaza bibe bya bwereere.
The morsel, which thou hast eaten, thou shalt vomit up; And thou wilt have thrown away thy sweet words.
9 Totegana kubuulirira musirusiru, kubanga ajja kunyooma ebigambo byo eby’amagezi.
Speak not in the ears of a fool; For he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
10 Tojjululanga nsalo ey’edda, so toyingiriranga nnimiro za bamulekwa,
Remove not the ancient landmark, And enter not into the fields of the fatherless!
11 kubanga abalwanirira w’amaanyi, alikuggulako omusango.
For their avenger is mighty; He will maintain their cause against thee.
12 Ossangayo omwoyo eri okuyigirizibwa, n’amatu go eri ebigambo by’okutegeera.
Apply thy heart to instruction, And thine ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Tolekangayo kukangavvula mwana, bw’omubonereza n’akaggo tekimutta.
Withhold not correction from a child; If thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Beat him thyself with the rod, And thou shalt rescue him from the underworld. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwana wange, bw’oba n’omutima ogw’amagezi, kinsanyusa.
My son, if thy heart be wise, My heart shall rejoice, even mine;
16 Nnaajjaguzanga okuva ku ntobo y’omutima gwange, bw’onooyogeranga ebituufu.
Yea, my reins shall exult, When thy lips speak right things.
17 Omutima gwo gulemenga okukwatirwa aboonoonyi obuggya, kyokka nyiikira okutya Mukama ebbanga lyonna.
Let not thy heart envy sinners, But continue thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long;
18 Mazima ddala onoobanga n’essuubi mu biseera eby’omu maaso, n’essuubi lyo eryo teririggwaawo.
For surely there shall be a reward, And thine expectation shall not be cut off.
19 Mwana wange wulirizanga, obeerenga n’amagezi, okumenga omutima gwo mu kkubo ettuufu.
Hear thou, my son, and be wise; And let thy heart go forward in the way!
20 Teweegattanga ku abo abeekamirira omwenge, n’abalulunkanira ennyama:
Be not thou among winebibbers, And riotous eaters of flesh;
21 Kubanga omutamiivu n’omuluvu baavuwala, n’okubongoota olutata kubambaza enziina.
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.
22 Wulirizanga kitaawo eyakuzaala, so togayanga nnyoko ng’akaddiye.
Hearken to thy father, who begat thee, And despise not thy mother when she is old.
23 Gula amazima so togatunda, ffuna amagezi, n’okuyigirizibwa n’okutegeera.
Buy the truth, and sell it not; Buy wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24 Kitaawe w’omutuukirivu alina essanyu lingi, n’oyo azaala omwana ow’amagezi amwenyumiririzaamu.
The father of a righteous man shall greatly rejoice; Yea, he who begetteth a wise child shall have joy in him.
25 Leka kitaawo ne nnyoko basanyuke, omukazi eyakuzaala ajaguzenga.
Let thy father and thy mother have joy; Yea, let her that bore thee rejoice!
26 Mwana wange mpa omutima gwo, n’amaaso go geekalirize amakubo gange,
My son, give me thy heart, And let thine eyes observe my ways!
27 kubanga omukazi omwenzi lukonko luwanvu, n’omukazi omubambaavu luzzi lufunda.
For a harlot is a deep ditch; Yea, a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28 Ateega ng’omutemu, n’ayongera ku muwendo gw’abasajja abatali beesigwa eri bakazi baabwe.
Like a robber she lieth in wait, And increaseth the treacherous among men.
29 Ani alina obuyinike? Ani alina ennaku? Ani alina ennyombo? Ani alina okwemulugunya? Ani alina ebiwundu eby’obwereere? Ani amyuse amaaso?
Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who contentions? Who anxiety? Who wounds without cause? Who dimness of eyes?
30 Abo abatava ku mwenge, nga bagenda baloza ku mwenge omutabule.
They that tarry long at the wine; They that go in to seek mixed wine.
31 Totunuulira wayini ng’amyuse, bw’atemaganira mu ggiraasi ng’akka empolampola;
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it sparkleth in the cup, When it goeth down smoothly.
32 ku nkomerero aluma ng’omusota, wa busagwa ng’essalambwa.
At the last it biteth like a serpent, And stingeth like an adder.
33 Amaaso go galiraba ebyewuunyo, n’omutwe gwo ne gulowooza ebitategeerekeka.
Thine eyes will look upon strange women, And thy heart will utter perverse things.
34 Oliba ng’omuntu eyeebase wakati mu nnyanja, obanga oyo alengejjera waggulu ku mulongooti.
Yea, thou shalt be as one that lieth down in the midst of the sea, And as one that lieth down upon the top of a mast.
35 Olyogera nti, “Bankubye, naye sirumiddwa. Bankubye naye sirina kye mpuliddemu. Nnaazuukuka ddi, neeyongere okunywa?”
They have stricken me [[shalt thou say]], —I suffered no pain! They have beaten me, —I felt it not! When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
