Engero 23
1 Bw’otuulanga okulya n’omufuzi, weetegerezanga ebiri mu maaso go;
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently him that is before thee;
2 era weegendereze bw’obanga omanyi ng’olulunkanira ebyokulya.
And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
3 Tolulunkanira mmere ye ennungi, kubanga erimbalimba.
Be not desirous of his dainties; seeing they are deceitful meat.
4 Teweemalangako mirembe ng’oyaayaanira obugagga; weefuge obeere mukkakkamu.
Weary not thyself to be rich; cease from thine own wisdom.
5 Eby’obugagga obikubako eriiso limu nga by’agenze dda, kubanga ddala bimera ebiwaawaatiro ne bibuuka mu bbanga ng’empungu.
Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for [riches] certainly make themselves wings, like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.
6 Tolyanga mmere ya muntu mukodo, wadde okwegomba ebirungi by’alya.
Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainties:
7 Kubanga ye muntu abalirira ensimbi z’asaasaanyizza, n’akugamba nti, “Weeriire, weenywere,” naye ng’omutima gwe tegukusanyukira.
For as he reckoneth within himself, 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 shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
9 Totegana kubuulirira musirusiru, kubanga ajja kunyooma ebigambo byo eby’amagezi.
Speak not in the hearing 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 redeemer is strong; he shall plead their cause against thee.
12 Ossangayo omwoyo eri okuyigirizibwa, n’amatu go eri ebigambo by’okutegeera.
Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Tolekangayo kukangavvula mwana, bw’omubonereza n’akaggo tekimutta.
Withhold not correction from the child: [for] if thou beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwana wange, bw’oba n’omutima ogw’amagezi, kinsanyusa.
My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall be glad, even mine:
16 Nnaajjaguzanga okuva ku ntobo y’omutima gwange, bw’onooyogeranga ebituufu.
Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
17 Omutima gwo gulemenga okukwatirwa aboonoonyi obuggya, kyokka nyiikira okutya Mukama ebbanga lyonna.
Let not thine heart envy sinners: but [be 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 is a reward; and thy hope 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 guide thine heart in the way.
20 Teweegattanga ku abo abeekamirira omwenge, n’abalulunkanira ennyama:
Be not among winebibbers; among gluttonous 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 shall clothe [a man] with rags.
22 Wulirizanga kitaawo eyakuzaala, so togayanga nnyoko ng’akaddiye.
Hearken unto thy father that 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; [yea], wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24 Kitaawe w’omutuukirivu alina essanyu lingi, n’oyo azaala omwana ow’amagezi amwenyumiririzaamu.
The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
25 Leka kitaawo ne nnyoko basanyuke, omukazi eyakuzaala ajaguzenga.
Let thy father and thy mother be glad, and let her that bare thee rejoice.
26 Mwana wange mpa omutima gwo, n’amaaso go geekalirize amakubo gange,
My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes delight in my ways.
27 kubanga omukazi omwenzi lukonko luwanvu, n’omukazi omubambaavu luzzi lufunda.
For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28 Ateega ng’omutemu, n’ayongera ku muwendo gw’abasajja abatali beesigwa eri bakazi baabwe.
Yea, she lieth in wait as a robber, 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 hath contentions? who hath complaining? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30 Abo abatava ku mwenge, nga bagenda baloza ku mwenge omutabule.
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek out 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 giveth its colour 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 shall behold strange things, and thine heart shall utter froward things.
34 Oliba ng’omuntu eyeebase wakati mu nnyanja, obanga oyo alengejjera waggulu ku mulongooti.
Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth 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], and I was not hurt; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
