Fakkeenya 18
1 Namni addaan of baasu ofittummaa duukaa buʼa; murtii dhugaa hundaanis ni morma.
Those who separate themselves [from other people] think [only] about those things that they are interested in; [if they would continually associate with] those who have good judgment/sense, they would constantly disagree/quarrel with them.
2 Namni gowwaan hubannaa argachuutti hin gammadu; garuu yaaduma isaa ibsuutti gammada.
Foolish people do not want to understand [anything]; they only want to (express their [own] opinions/say what they think) [IDM].
3 Yeroo hamminni dhufu tuffiin dhufa; salphinnis qaanii wajjin dhufa.
Whenever people do wicked things, others will despise them; when people do things that cause themselves to no [longer] be honored, they will be disgraced [also].
4 Dubbiin afaan namaa bishaan gad fagoo dha; burqaan ogummaa garuu bishaan yaaʼuu dha.
What wise people say is [like] a deep ocean [that you can never get to the bottom of] [MET], and it [refreshes us like water from] a rapidly flowing stream.
5 Gara nama hamaa goruun yookaan nama balleessaa hin qabne murtii qajeelaa dhowwachuun gaarii miti.
It is not good [for a judge] to decide matters in favor of those who (are guilty/have done wicked things) and to not do what is just for those who (are innocent/have not done what is wrong).
6 Hidhiin gowwaa lola fida; afaan isaas rukutamuu itti waama.
When foolish people [SYN] start arguments, [it is as though] they [SYN] are requesting/inviting someone to flog/whip them.
7 Afaan gowwaa badiisa isaa ti; hidhiin isaas kiyyoo lubbuu isaa ti.
What foolish people [MTY] say causes them to be ruined; their [own] words are [like] a trap [MET] [that catches/seizes] them.
8 Dubbiin hamattuu akkuma gurshaa miʼaawuu ti; gara kutaa garaattis gad buʼa.
[People enjoy listening to] what gossips say like [SIM] [they enjoy] tasty food; they [accept what gossips tell them like] [MET] they swallow tasty food.
9 Namni hojii isaa irratti dhibaaʼu, obboleessa nama waa balleessuu ti.
People who are lazy while they work are [just as bad] as [IDM] those who destroy things.
10 Maqaan Waaqayyoo gamoo jabaa dha; namni qajeelaan itti baqatee badiisa oola.
Yahweh [MTY] is [like] a strong tower [MET]; righteous people [can] go to him and be safe [like they can run to a tower to be safe].
11 Qabeenyi sooreyyii isaaniif magaalaa daʼoo qabduu dha; isaanis akka dallaa ol dheeraatti hedu.
Rich people [are protected because they have] a lot of money [PRS] like a city is protected because it has a high wall surrounding it [SIM].
12 Kufaatiidhaan dura garaan namaa of tuula; gad of qabuun garuu ulfinaan dura dhufa.
Proud people are on the road to being ruined, but being humble leads to being honored.
13 Utuu hin dhaggeeffatin deebii kennuun, gowwummaa fi qaanii dha.
Those who reply to someone before that person has finished speaking are foolish; doing that is disgraceful.
14 Hafuurri namaa dhukkuba ni obsa; hafuura cabe garuu eenyutu obsuu dandaʼa?
A desire to [continue to] live can sustain someone when he is sick; if he loses that desire, he (cannot endure it/will become very discouraged) when he is sick [RHQ].
15 Garaan nama hubataa beekumsa argata; gurri ogeessaas waan kana barbaada.
Intelligent people [are always wanting to] learn more; wise people [SYN] are not content with what they already know.
16 Kennaan abbicha kennuuf karaa bana; fuula namoota gurguddaa durattis isa dhiʼeessa.
If you take a gift to an important person, that will open the way to allow you to talk to him.
17 Hamma namni biraa dhufee isaan mormutti, namni jalqabatti himata isaa dhiʼeeffatu tokko dhugaa qabeessa fakkaata.
The first person to present his case in court seems right, but when (someone else/his opponent) begins to ask him questions, [it may become clear that what he said was not true].
18 Ixaa buusuun wal falmii qabbaneessa; namoota wal lolan jajjaboos addaan galcha.
If two influential/important people are arguing, [someone can] settle the matter by (casting lots/throwing marked stones to decide who is right).
19 Obboleessa yakkame tokko deebisuun magaalaa daʼoo qabdu irra ulfaata; wal falmiinis akkuma danqaraa karra dallaa dhagaa ti.
If you help relatives, they will [protect you] like [SIM] a strong wall [protects a city], but if you quarrel with them, [that will separate you from them] like bars on a city gate [separate the city from those who want to enter it] [MET].
20 Ija afaan isaatiin garaan namaa quufa; dubbii arraba isaatiinis ni guuta.
People are happy when they hear others say [MTY] something that is good, [like] they are happy when they eat food that is good [MET].
21 Arrabni humna jireenyaatii fi duʼaa qaba; warri isa jaallatanis ija isaa nyaatu.
What you say can cause others to be killed or it can cause them to [continue to] live; [so] those who like [to talk a lot] must (accept the consequences/realize that what they say can cause much harm).
22 Namni niitii argatu waan gaarii argata; fuula Waaqayyoo durattis surraa argata.
If you marry a [good] woman, that is [like] finding a wonderful thing; [it shows that] Yahweh is pleased with you.
23 Hiyyeessi arraba laafaadhaan dubbata; sooressi garuu sagalee jabaadhaan deebii kenna.
[It is necessary for] poor [people] to speak politely when they request [rich people to do something for them], but rich [people] reply very impolitely when poor people speak to them.
24 Namni michoota baayʼisu ni bada; garuu michuun obboleessa caalaa namatti aanu ni jira.
There are [some] people who [only] pretend to be friends [with us], but there are [some] friends who are more loyal than members of our families.
