< Engero 4 >

1 Muwulirize baana bange okuyigiriza kwange ng’okwa kitammwe, era musseeyo omwoyo mufune okutegeera.
Hear, [my] sons, the instruction of a father, And attend to know understanding:
2 Kubanga mbawa okuyigiriza okulungi; temulekanga biragiro byange.
For I give you good doctrine; Forsake ye not my law.
3 Bwe nnali omuvubuka nga ndi ne kitange, omwana omu yekka omwagalwa, owa mmange,
For I was a son unto my father, Tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 yanjigiriza n’aŋŋamba nti, “Ebigambo byange bikuumenga ku mutima gwo, kuuma ebiragiro byange obeere mulamu.
And he taught me, and said unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my commandments, and live;
5 Funa amagezi; funa okutegeera, teweerabiranga era tovanga ku bigambo bya mu kamwa kange.
Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
6 Togalekanga, nago ganaakukuumanga, gaagale nago ganaakulabiriranga.
Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will keep thee.
7 Ddala amagezi kye kintu ekisingira ddala obukulu; noolwekyo fuba ofune amagezi, era fubira ddala nnyo ofune okutegeera.
Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
8 Amagezi gagulumize, nago gajja kukuyimusa, gaanirize, nago gajja kukuweesa ekitiibwa.
Exalt her, and she will promote thee; She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.
9 Amagezi gajja kukutikkira engule ey’ekisa, era gakuwe n’engule ey’ekitiibwa.”
She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; A crown of beauty will she deliver to thee.
10 Wuliriza ggwe, mutabani, era okkirize ebigambo byange olyoke owangaalire ku nsi n’essanyu eringi.
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; And the years of thy life shall be many.
11 Nkuluŋŋamya mu kkubo ery’amagezi, ne nkukulembera mu makubo ag’obutuukirivu.
I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
12 Bw’onootambulanga, ekigere kyo kireme okuziyizibwa; era bw’onoddukanga, tojjanga kwesittala.
When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; And if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Nywerezanga ddala okuyigirizibwa, tokutanga: kukuumenga kubanga bwe bulamu bwo.
Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: Keep her; for she is thy life.
14 Toyingiranga mu kkubo ly’abakozi b’ebibi, wadde okutambulira mu kkubo ly’abantu aboonoonyi.
Enter not into the path of the wicked, And walk not in the way of evil men.
15 Lyewalenga, tolitambulirangamu, liveeko okwate ekkubo lyo.
Avoid it, pass not by it; Turn from it, and pass on.
16 Kubanga abakozi b’ebibi tebayinza kwebaka okuggyako nga bakoze ebibi, era otulo tubabulira ddala bwe baba tebalina gwe bakozeeko bulabe.
For they sleep not, except they do evil; And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17 Okukola ebibi y’emmere yaabwe, n’okukozesa eryanyi kye kyokunywa kyabwe.
For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.
18 Ekkubo ly’abatuukirivu liri ng’enjuba eyakavaayo, eyeeyongera okwaka okutuusa obudde lwe butangaalira ddala.
But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19 Naye ekkubo ly’ababi liri ng’ekizikiza ekikutte, tebamanyi kibaleetera kwesittala.
The way of the wicked is as darkness: They know not at what they stumble.
20 Mutabani wange wuliriza n’obwegendereza ebigambo byange; osseeyo omwoyo eri bye nkutegeeza;
My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 ebigambo bino tebikuvangako, bikuumire ddala mu mutima gwo,
Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart.
22 kubanga bya bulamu eri abo ababifuna, era biwonya omubiri gwabwe gwonna.
For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh.
23 Ekisinga byonna kuuma omutima gwo, kubanga y’ensulo y’obulamu bwo.
Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.
24 Weewalire ddala eby’obubambavu era n’okwogera ebya swakaba.
Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee.
25 Amaaso go gatunulenga butereevu, era otunulenga n’obumalirivu eyo gy’olaga.
Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Ttereeza bulungi amakubo go; okwate amakubo ageesigika gokka.
Make level the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established.
27 Tokyamanga ku mukono ogwa ddyo oba ogwa kkono; ebigere byo byewalenga ekkubo ekyamu.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.

< Engero 4 >