Engero 28
1 Abakozi b’ebibi badduka nga tewali abagoba, naye abatuukirivu babeera n’obuvumu ng’empologoma.
Wicked [people] run away [even] when no one is pursuing them, but righteous/good [people are not afraid]; they are as brave as lions.
2 Eggwanga bwe lijeema, liba n’abafuzi bangi, naye olw’omuntu alina okutegeera n’okumanya obutebenkevu budda nate mu nsi.
When [the people of] a nation sin, they will have one ruler after another; but when their leaders are wise and have good sense, their government will last for a long time.
3 Omufuzi anyigiriza abaavu, afaanana nga enkuba etonnya ezikiriza n’eterekaawo birime.
A poor person who oppresses [other] poor [people] is [like] [MET] a very heavy/hard rain that [destroys the crops], with the result that there is no food [for people to eat].
4 Abo abava ku mateeka ga Mukama batendereza aboonoonyi, naye abo abagakuuma babawakanya.
Those who reject/disobey [God’s] laws always speak well of wicked [people]; but those who obey [God’s] laws [always] oppose what wicked people do.
5 Abantu abakozi b’ebibi tebategeera bwenkanya, naye abo abanoonya Mukama babutegeerera ddala bulungi.
Evil people do not understand what it means to act justly, but those who try to obey/worship Yahweh understand that very well.
6 Omuntu omwavu atambulira mu butuukirivu, asinga omugagga ow’amakubo amakyamu.
It is better to be honest [even] though you are poor than to be dishonest [even] though you are rich.
7 Oyo akuuma amateeka ga Mukama mwana eyeegendereza, naye mukwano gw’ab’omululu akwasa kitaawe ensonyi.
Young people who obey the laws are wise [IDM]; parents whose children associate with those who (carouse/go to wild parties) are humiliated/disgraced because of what their children do.
8 Ayongera ku bugagga bwe mu bukumpanya, abukuŋŋaanyiza omulala anaayinza okuba ow’ekisa eri abaavu.
When people become very rich by charging very high interest [DOU], their money will [eventually] go to someone who does kind things for the poor.
9 Atassaayo mwoyo kuwulira mateeka ga Mukama, n’okusaba kwe tekukkirizibwa.
If people do not obey [MTY] [God’s] laws, [God] (detests their prayers/considers that their prayers stink).
10 Buli akyamya abatuukirivu mu kkubo ebbi, aligwa mu katego ke ye, naye abatuukirivu balisikira ebirungi.
Those who cause honest/good [people] to do what is evil will fall into their own pits/traps, but good things will happen to those who (are innocent/have not done what is wrong).
11 Omugagga alowooza nti mugezi, naye omwavu alina okutegeera, amunyooma.
[Many] rich people think that they are wise, but poor people who have good sense will find out whether rich people really are wise or not.
12 Abatuukirivu bwe bawangula wabaawo okujaguza okw’amaanyi, naye abakakanyalira mu kukola ebikyamu bwe bafuna obuyinza abantu beekweka.
When righteous/good [people] (succeed/win [elections]), everyone (celebrates/is happy); but when wicked [people win], everyone hides [because they are afraid of what the wicked people will do].
13 Oyo akweka ebibi bye, talifuna mukisa kukulaakulana, naye buli abyatula n’abireka, alisaasirwa.
Those who refuse to confess/admit their sins will not prosper, but [God] acts mercifully/kindly toward those who confess their sins and turn away from their sinful behavior.
14 Alina omukisa omuntu atya Mukama ebbanga lyonna, naye oyo akakanyaza omutima gwe abonaabona.
[God] is pleased with those who always revere him, but those who are stubborn [IDM] will experience disasters.
15 Ng’empologoma ewuluguma oba eddubu eritiisatiisa, bw’abeera omufuzi omubi atulugunya abateesobola.
Wicked people who [mistreat] poor people whom they rule are [as dangerous to them as] [SIM] a lion roaring [at them] or a bear springing up [to attack them].
16 Omufuzi nantagambwako tafuga na bwenkanya, naye oyo akyawa amagoba agafuniddwa mu bukyamu alibeera n’essanyu ery’obulamu obuwangaazi.
Rulers who do not have good sense cruelly oppress [the people they rule], but rulers who do not want to become rich by cheating/deceiving [people] will live (OR, rule) for a long time.
17 Omuntu alumirizibwa olw’okutta munne, alibeera mu kutegana okutuusa okufa, tewabanga n’omu amuyamba.
Those who are guilty of murdering [MTY] another person will (be fugitives/keep running away) until they die; do not help them to escape.
18 Omuntu atambulira mu bugolokofu alinunulibwa talibeerako kabi, naye oyo ow’amakubo amabi aligwa mbagirawo.
Those who [continually] do what is right will be safe/protected, but those who are dishonest will [suddenly] be ruined.
19 Omuntu alima ennimiro ye aliba n’emmere nnyingi, naye oyo ali mu birowoozo ebitaliimu alifa bwavu.
Farmers who work [hard] in their fields will [produce good crops and always] have plenty of food [to eat], but those who spend all their time (on useless projects/doing things that do not benefit anyone) will become very poor.
20 Omusajja omwesigwa aliweebwa emikisa mingi, naye oyo ayanguyiriza okugaggawala talirema kubonerezebwa.
[God] will greatly bless those who (are trustworthy/always do what they say that they will do), but he will certainly punish [LIT] those who try to become rich quickly.
21 Okuttira abantu ku liiso ng’osala emisango si kirungi, naye ate olw’okunoonya akookulya omuntu ayinza okuzza omusango.
It is not good [for judges] to decide matters unfairly/unjustly, but [some] people will do what is wrong [even] if they receive [only] a very small bribe [HYP] [for doing it].
22 Omusajja omukodo yeegomba okugaggawala, naye nga tamanyi nti obwavu bumulindiridde.
Selfish people [IDM] are very eager to become rich quickly; they do not realize that they will [soon] become poor.
23 Oyo anenya omuntu, oluvannyuma aliganja, okusinga oyo awaaniriza n’olulimi.
Those who rebuke someone will be appreciated/thanked more than those who [say nice things to others merely] to (flatter them/cause them to feel good).
24 Buli anyaga kitaawe, oba nnyina, n’agamba nti, “Si nsonga,” afaanana n’oyo azikiriza.
Anyone who steals things from his father or his mother and says “That is not sinful” is as bad as a bandit.
25 Omuntu ow’omululu aleeta oluyombo, naye oyo eyeesiga Mukama aligaggawazibwa.
Greedy people cause trouble/strife; those who trust in Yahweh will prosper [IDM].
26 Eyeesiga omutima gwe, musirusiru, naye oyo atambulira mu magezi alifuna emirembe.
Those who believe that what they think [is always right] are foolish; those who act wisely will (escape danger/be safe).
27 Agabira abaavu talibaako ne kye yeetaaga, naye abakodowalira anaabanga n’ebikolimo bingi.
Those who give things to poor [people] will not become poor, but many [people] will curse those who refuse to help [IDM] poor people.
28 Abakozi b’ebibi bwe babeera mu buyinza, abantu beekweka, naye abakozi b’ebibi bwe bazikirira, abatuukirivu bakulaakulana.
When wicked [people] become rulers, people hide [because they are afraid of what those wicked people will do]; but when wicked people are no longer rulers, good/righteous [people will] become the rulers.
