Engero 23
1 Bw’otuulanga okulya n’omufuzi, weetegerezanga ebiri mu maaso go;
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, thou shalt consider well, what is before thee;
2 era weegendereze bw’obanga omanyi ng’olulunkanira ebyokulya.
And shalt put a knife to thy throat, if, of great appetite, thou art:
3 Tolulunkanira mmere ye ennungi, kubanga erimbalimba.
Do not crave his dainties, for, the same, are deceitful food.
4 Teweemalangako mirembe ng’oyaayaanira obugagga; weefuge obeere mukkakkamu.
Do not toil to get wealth, of thine own understanding, forbear:
5 Eby’obugagga obikubako eriiso limu nga by’agenze dda, kubanga ddala bimera ebiwaawaatiro ne bibuuka mu bbanga ng’empungu.
Wilt thou let thine eye fly thereupon, when it is nothing? for it will, surely make, itself wings, Like an eagle, will it wing its way across the heavens.
6 Tolyanga mmere ya muntu mukodo, wadde okwegomba ebirungi by’alya.
Do not eat the food of him that hath a begrudging eye, neither crave thou his dainties;
7 Kubanga ye muntu abalirira ensimbi z’asaasaanyizza, n’akugamba nti, “Weeriire, weenywere,” naye ng’omutima gwe tegukusanyukira.
For, just as he hath thought in his own mind, so, he is: Eat and drink! he may say to thee, but, his heart, is not with thee.
8 Akatono k’onooba olidde onookasesema, ebigambo byo ebirungi eby’okwebaza bibe bya bwereere.
As for thy morsel thou hast eaten, thou shalt vomit it, so shalt thou waste thy things so sweet.
9 Totegana kubuulirira musirusiru, kubanga ajja kunyooma ebigambo byo eby’amagezi.
In the ears of a dullard, do not speak, for he will despise the good sense of thy words.
10 Tojjululanga nsalo ey’edda, so toyingiriranga nnimiro za bamulekwa,
Do not move back the ancient boundary, and, into the fields of the fatherless, do not enter;
11 kubanga abalwanirira w’amaanyi, alikuggulako omusango.
For, their near of kin, is strong, he, will plead their cause with thee.
12 Ossangayo omwoyo eri okuyigirizibwa, n’amatu go eri ebigambo by’okutegeera.
Bring, to correction, thy heart, and thine ears, to the sayings of knowledge.
13 Tolekangayo kukangavvula mwana, bw’omubonereza n’akaggo tekimutta.
Do not withhold, from a child, correction, When thou smitest him with the rod, he shall not die:
Thou, with the rod, shalt smite him, and, his soul from hades, shalt thou deliver. (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.
So shall my reins exult, when thy lips speak the things that are right.
17 Omutima gwo gulemenga okukwatirwa aboonoonyi obuggya, kyokka nyiikira okutya Mukama ebbanga lyonna.
Let not thy heart be envious of sinners, only of the reverence of Yahweh, all day long;
18 Mazima ddala onoobanga n’essuubi mu biseera eby’omu maaso, n’essuubi lyo eryo teririggwaawo.
For surely there is a future, 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 lead forward, in duty, thy heart.
20 Teweegattanga ku abo abeekamirira omwenge, n’abalulunkanira ennyama:
Do not be among them who tipple with wine, —among them who are gluttons;
21 Kubanga omutamiivu n’omuluvu baavuwala, n’okubongoota olutata kubambaza enziina.
For, the tippler and the glutton, shall come to poverty, and, rags, shall Slumber put on!
22 Wulirizanga kitaawo eyakuzaala, so togayanga nnyoko ng’akaddiye.
Hearken to thy father here, who begat thee, and despise not, when she is old, thy mother.
23 Gula amazima so togatunda, ffuna amagezi, n’okuyigirizibwa n’okutegeera.
Truth, buy thou, but do not sell, wisdom, and correction, and understanding.
24 Kitaawe w’omutuukirivu alina essanyu lingi, n’oyo azaala omwana ow’amagezi amwenyumiririzaamu.
Greatly shall exult, the father of a righteous man, and, he that begetteth a wise son, shall rejoice in him:
25 Leka kitaawo ne nnyoko basanyuke, omukazi eyakuzaala ajaguzenga.
Rejoice shall thy father and thy mother, yea she, shall exult, who bare thee.
26 Mwana wange mpa omutima gwo, n’amaaso go geekalirize amakubo gange,
Oh give, my son, thy mind unto me, and let, thine eyes, observe, my ways;
27 kubanga omukazi omwenzi lukonko luwanvu, n’omukazi omubambaavu luzzi lufunda.
For, a deep chasm, is the unchaste woman, and, a narrow pit, the female unknown;
28 Ateega ng’omutemu, n’ayongera ku muwendo gw’abasajja abatali beesigwa eri bakazi baabwe.
Yea, she, as for prey, lieth in wait, and, the treacherous among mankind, she causeth to abound.
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 outcry of pain? Who hath contentions? Who hath complaining? Who hath needless wounds? Who hath dullness of eyes?
30 Abo abatava ku mwenge, nga bagenda baloza ku mwenge omutabule.
They who tarry over wine, they who go in to search for mixed wine.
31 Totunuulira wayini ng’amyuse, bw’atemaganira mu ggiraasi ng’akka empolampola;
Do not look on wine when it becometh red, when it giveth in the cup its sparkle, glideth down smoothly.
32 ku nkomerero aluma ng’omusota, wa busagwa ng’essalambwa.
Its after effect, is that, like a serpent, it biteth, and, like a viper, it doth sting.
33 Amaaso go galiraba ebyewuunyo, n’omutwe gwo ne gulowooza ebitategeerekeka.
Thine eyes, will see strange women, and, thy heart, will speak perverse things:
34 Oliba ng’omuntu eyeebase wakati mu nnyanja, obanga oyo alengejjera waggulu ku mulongooti.
So shalt thou become, as one lying down in the heart of the sea, —or as one lying down on the top of the mastgear:
35 Olyogera nti, “Bankubye, naye sirumiddwa. Bankubye naye sirina kye mpuliddemu. Nnaazuukuka ddi, neeyongere okunywa?”
They smote me—I felt no pain, They struck me down—I noticed it not, —When shall I wake up? I will go on, I will seek it, again!
