Engero 23
1 Bw’otuulanga okulya n’omufuzi, weetegerezanga ebiri mu maaso go;
When you sit to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you,
2 era weegendereze bw’obanga omanyi ng’olulunkanira ebyokulya.
and put a knife to your throat if you are a person who likes to eat a lot of food.
3 Tolulunkanira mmere ye ennungi, kubanga erimbalimba.
Do not crave his delicacies, for it is the food of lies.
4 Teweemalangako mirembe ng’oyaayaanira obugagga; weefuge obeere mukkakkamu.
Do not work too hard to gain wealth; be wise enough to know when to stop.
5 Eby’obugagga obikubako eriiso limu nga by’agenze dda, kubanga ddala bimera ebiwaawaatiro ne bibuuka mu bbanga ng’empungu.
Will you let your eyes light upon it? It will be gone, for it will surely take up wings like an eagle and fly off to the sky.
6 Tolyanga mmere ya muntu mukodo, wadde okwegomba ebirungi by’alya.
Do not eat the food of one with an evil eye— and do not crave his delicacies,
7 Kubanga ye muntu abalirira ensimbi z’asaasaanyizza, n’akugamba nti, “Weeriire, weenywere,” naye ng’omutima gwe tegukusanyukira.
for he is the kind of man who counts the price of the food. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 Akatono k’onooba olidde onookasesema, ebigambo byo ebirungi eby’okwebaza bibe bya bwereere.
You will vomit up the little you have eaten and you will have wasted your compliments.
9 Totegana kubuulirira musirusiru, kubanga ajja kunyooma ebigambo byo eby’amagezi.
Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Tojjululanga nsalo ey’edda, so toyingiriranga nnimiro za bamulekwa,
Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of orphans,
11 kubanga abalwanirira w’amaanyi, alikuggulako omusango.
for their Redeemer is strong and he will plead their case against you.
12 Ossangayo omwoyo eri okuyigirizibwa, n’amatu go eri ebigambo by’okutegeera.
Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
13 Tolekangayo kukangavvula mwana, bw’omubonereza n’akaggo tekimutta.
Do not withhold instruction from a child, for if you discipline him, he will not die.
It is you who must beat him with the rod and save his soul from Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwana wange, bw’oba n’omutima ogw’amagezi, kinsanyusa.
My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart also will be glad;
16 Nnaajjaguzanga okuva ku ntobo y’omutima gwange, bw’onooyogeranga ebituufu.
my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 Omutima gwo gulemenga okukwatirwa aboonoonyi obuggya, kyokka nyiikira okutya Mukama ebbanga lyonna.
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of Yahweh all the day.
18 Mazima ddala onoobanga n’essuubi mu biseera eby’omu maaso, n’essuubi lyo eryo teririggwaawo.
Surely there is a future and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Mwana wange wulirizanga, obeerenga n’amagezi, okumenga omutima gwo mu kkubo ettuufu.
Hear—you!—my son, and be wise and direct your heart in the way.
20 Teweegattanga ku abo abeekamirira omwenge, n’abalulunkanira ennyama:
Do not associate with drunkards, or with gluttonous eaters of meat,
21 Kubanga omutamiivu n’omuluvu baavuwala, n’okubongoota olutata kubambaza enziina.
for the drunkard and the glutton become poor and slumber will clothe them with rags.
22 Wulirizanga kitaawo eyakuzaala, so togayanga nnyoko ng’akaddiye.
Listen to your father who begot you and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Gula amazima so togatunda, ffuna amagezi, n’okuyigirizibwa n’okutegeera.
Buy the truth, but do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 Kitaawe w’omutuukirivu alina essanyu lingi, n’oyo azaala omwana ow’amagezi amwenyumiririzaamu.
The father of the righteous person will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will be glad in him.
25 Leka kitaawo ne nnyoko basanyuke, omukazi eyakuzaala ajaguzenga.
Let your father and your mother be glad and let her who bore you rejoice.
26 Mwana wange mpa omutima gwo, n’amaaso go geekalirize amakubo gange,
My son, give me your heart and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 kubanga omukazi omwenzi lukonko luwanvu, n’omukazi omubambaavu luzzi lufunda.
For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an immoral woman is a narrow well.
28 Ateega ng’omutemu, n’ayongera ku muwendo gw’abasajja abatali beesigwa eri bakazi baabwe.
She lies in wait like a robber and she increases the number of the treacherous among humanity.
29 Ani alina obuyinike? Ani alina ennaku? Ani alina ennyombo? Ani alina okwemulugunya? Ani alina ebiwundu eby’obwereere? Ani amyuse amaaso?
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has fights? Who has complaining? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Abo abatava ku mwenge, nga bagenda baloza ku mwenge omutabule.
Those who linger over wine, those who try the mixed wine.
31 Totunuulira wayini ng’amyuse, bw’atemaganira mu ggiraasi ng’akka empolampola;
Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
32 ku nkomerero aluma ng’omusota, wa busagwa ng’essalambwa.
In the last it bites like a serpent and it stings like an adder.
33 Amaaso go galiraba ebyewuunyo, n’omutwe gwo ne gulowooza ebitategeerekeka.
Your eyes will see strange things and your heart will utter perverse things.
34 Oliba ng’omuntu eyeebase wakati mu nnyanja, obanga oyo alengejjera waggulu ku mulongooti.
You will be as one who sleeps on the high seas or lies on the top of a mast.
35 Olyogera nti, “Bankubye, naye sirumiddwa. Bankubye naye sirina kye mpuliddemu. Nnaazuukuka ddi, neeyongere okunywa?”
“They hit me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt. They beat me, but I did not feel it. When will I wake up? I will seek another drink.”
