Fakkeenya 23
1 Ati yeroo waa nyaachuuf bulchaa tokko wajjin teessutti, waan fuula kee dura jiru hubadhuu ilaali;
When you sit down for a meal with a ruler, look carefully at what is placed before you,
2 ati yoo nyaataaf fedhii guddaa qabaatte, qoonqoo kee irra billaa kaaʼi.
and cut down if you have a big appetite.
3 Waan nyaanni sun nama gowwoomsuuf, miʼaa isaatti hin gaggabin.
Don't be greedy for his fancy food, for it's offered with deceptive motives.
4 Sooromuuf jettee of hin dadhabsiisin; of qabuufis ogummaa qabaadhu.
Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich—be wise enough not to bother!
5 Sooromni yommuu ati ija irra buufattutti ni bada; inni dhugumaan Baallee baafatee akkuma risaa gara samiitti ol barrisaatii.
It disappears in the blink of an eye, suddenly growing wings and flying off into the sky like an eagle.
6 Buddeena doqnaa hin nyaatin; cidha isaas hin kajeelin;
Don't accept meal invitations from miserly people; don't be greedy for their fancy food,
7 inni yeroo hunda waaʼee gatii yaadaatii. Inni, “Nyaadhuu dhugi” siin jedha; garaan isaa garuu si wajjin hin jiru.
for what they're thinking inside is what they really are. They say, “Come on, eat and drink!”—but in their minds they don't really care about you.
8 Ati waanuma xinnoo nyaatte sana ni diddigda; dubbii kee gaarii sana illee ni dhabda.
You'll vomit up the little pieces you've eaten, and your kind words of appreciation will be wasted.
9 Sababii inni ogummaa dubbii keetii tuffatuuf ati nama gowwaatti hin dubbatin.
Don't talk to stupid people because they'll ridicule your wise words.
10 Dhagaa daangaa durii hin dhiibin yookaan lafa qotiisaa ijoollee abbaa hin qabneetti hin darbin.
Don't move ancient boundary markers, and don't encroach on fields belonging to orphans,
11 Furiin isaanii jabaadhaatii; inni gara isaanii goree sitti falma.
for their Protector is powerful and he will plead their case against you.
12 Qalbii kee gara gorsaatti, gurra kee immoo gara dubbii beekumsaatti deebifadhu.
Focus your mind on instruction; listen intently to words of knowledge.
13 Ijoollee kee adabachuu hin dhiisin; yoo ati arcummeedhaan adabde isaan hin duʼan.
Don't keep from disciplining your children—a beating won't kill them.
If you use physical correction you can save them from death. (Sheol h7585)
15 Yaa ilma ko, yoo garaan kee ogeessa taʼe, garaan koo ni gammada;
My son, if you think wisely then I'll be happy;
16 yoo arrabni kee waan qajeelaa dubbate, keessi koo baayʼee gammada.
I'll be delighted when you say what's right.
17 Garaan kee cubbamootatti hin hinaafin; garuu yeroo hunda Waaqayyoon sodaadhu.
Don't think enviously of sinners, but always remember to honor the Lord,
18 Ati dhugumaan gara fuulduraatti abdii qabda; abdiin kees hin citu.
for there's definitely a future for you, and your hope will not be crushed.
19 Yaa ilma ko, dhaggeeffadhu; ogeessa taʼi; qalbii kee daandii qajeelaa irra buufadhu.
Pay attention, my son, and be wise; make sure your mind concentrates on following the right way.
20 Warra daadhii wayinii baayʼee dhuganitti yookaan warra foonitti gaggabanitti hin makamin;
Don't join in with people who drink too much wine or who stuff themselves with meat.
21 machooftuu fi albaadheyyiin ni hiyyoomu; hirriba baayʼisuunis moofaa nama uffachiisa.
For people who get drunk and overeat lose all they've got, and they spend so much time dozing that all they have left to wear is rags.
22 Abbaa kee kan si dhalche dhagaʼi; haadha kees yeroo isheen jaartu hin tuffatin.
Pay attention to your father, and don't disregard your mother when she's old.
23 Dhugaa bitadhu malee hin gurgurin; ogummaa, qajeelfamaa fi hubannaas bitadhu.
Invest in truth—and don't sell it! Invest in wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 Abbaan nama qajeelaa gammachuu guddaa qaba; namni ilma ogeessa qabu isatti gammada.
Children who do right make their fathers very happy; a wise son brings joy to his father.
25 Abbaan keetii fi haati kee haa gammadan; isheen si deesse sun haa ililchitu!
Make your father and mother happy; bring joy to her who gave birth to you.
26 Yaa ilma ko, garaa kee naa kenni; iji kees karaa koo haa ilaalu;
My son, give me your undivided attention, and cheerfully follow my example.
27 sagaagaltuun boolla gad fagoodhaatii, niitiin ganda labeenis boolla bishaanii dhiphaa dha.
A prostitute is like being trapped in a pit; an immoral woman is like getting stuck a narrow well,
28 Isheen akkuma saamtuutti riphxee nama eeggatti; namoota gidduuttis warra hin amanamne baayʼifti.
Like a robber, she lies in wait ready to ambush men and make more of them unfaithful to their wives.
29 Eenyutu, “Anaaf wayyoo!” jedha? Eenyutu gadda qaba? Eenyutu lola qaba? Eenyutu komii qaba? Eenyutu sababii malee madaaʼa? Kan iji isaa diimatu eenyu?
Who's in trouble? Who's in pain? Who's arguing? Who's complaining? Who's injured for no reason? Who's got bloodshot eyes?
30 Warra daadhii wayinii dhuguu irra akka malee turan, warra daadhii wayinii walmakaa afaaniin qabuu dhaqanii dha.
—those who spend a long time drinking wine, those who are always trying some new cocktail.
31 Yeroo inni diimatutti, yeroo inni billillee keessa ol xixinniqutti, yeroo inni suuta jedhee gad buʼutti daadhii wayinii ija itti qabdee hin ilaalin.
Don't let the look of wine tempt you—how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smooth it feels as it goes down.
32 Dhuma irratti akkuma bofaa nama idda; akkuma buutiis nama ciniina.
In the end it bites like a serpent, it stings like a snake.
33 Iji kee waan haaraa arga; qalbiin kees jalʼina yaada.
You'll hallucinate, seeing strange things, and your confused mind will make you say all kinds of craziness.
34 Ati akkuma nama walakkaa galaana guddaa ciisuu ti; akkuma nama fiixee utubaa doonii irra ciisuu taata.
You'll stumble around like you're on the rolling ocean, you'll be tossed about like someone lying down at the top of a ship's mast, saying,
35 Ati akkana jetta; “Isaan na dhaʼan; ani garuu hin miidhamne! Isaan na tuman; garuu natti hin dhagaʼamne! Ani dhugaatii biraa barbaaddachuuf yooman dammaqa?”
“People punched me, but it didn't hurt me; they beat me, but I didn't feel a thing. I've got to get up because I need another drink.”
