Engero 23
1 Bw’otuulanga okulya n’omufuzi, weetegerezanga ebiri mu maaso go;
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what [is] before thee:
2 era weegendereze bw’obanga omanyi ng’olulunkanira ebyokulya.
And put a knife to thy throat, if thou [art] a man given to appetite.
3 Tolulunkanira mmere ye ennungi, kubanga erimbalimba.
Be not desirous of his dainties: for they [are] deceitful food.
4 Teweemalangako mirembe ng’oyaayaanira obugagga; weefuge obeere mukkakkamu.
Labor not to be rich: cease from thy 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 thy eyes upon that which is not? for [riches] certainly make to themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle towards 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 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 shalt thou vomit up, and lose 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 old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
11 kubanga abalwanirira w’amaanyi, alikuggulako omusango.
For their redeemer [is] mighty; he will plead their cause with thee.
12 Ossangayo omwoyo eri okuyigirizibwa, n’amatu go eri ebigambo by’okutegeera.
Apply thy heart to instruction, and thy ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Tolekangayo kukangavvula mwana, bw’omubonereza n’akaggo tekimutta.
Withhold not correction from the child: for [if] thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. (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.
Yes, 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 thy 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 an end; and thy 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 guide thy heart in the way.
20 Teweegattanga ku abo abeekamirira omwenge, n’abalulunkanira ennyama:
Be not among wine-bibbers; among 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 shall clothe [a man] with rags.
22 Wulirizanga kitaawo eyakuzaala, so togayanga nnyoko ng’akaddiye.
Hearken to 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; [also] 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.
Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bore thee shall rejoice.
26 Mwana wange mpa omutima gwo, n’amaaso go geekalirize amakubo gange,
My son, give me thy heart, and let thy eyes observe my ways.
27 kubanga omukazi omwenzi lukonko luwanvu, n’omukazi omubambaavu luzzi lufunda.
For a lewd woman [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.
She also lieth in wait as [for] a prey, and increaseth the transgressors 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 babbling? 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 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 color in the cup, [when] it moveth itself aright.
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.
Thy eyes shall behold strange women, and thy heart shall utter perverse things.
34 Oliba ng’omuntu eyeebase wakati mu nnyanja, obanga oyo alengejjera waggulu ku mulongooti.
And 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, [wilt thou say], [and] I was not sick; they have beaten me, [and] I felt [it] not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
