Fakkeenya 4
1 Yaa ilmaan ko, mee gorsa abbaan namaaf kennu dhagaʼaa; qalbeeffadhaatii hubannaa argadhaa.
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend that you may know prudence.
2 Ani barumsa gaarii isinii nan kenna; kanaafuu barsiisa koo hin dhiisinaa.
I will give you a good gift, forsake not my law.
3 Yeroo ani mucaa xinnaa taʼee mana abbaa koo turetti, yeroo ani daaʼima dhiiga taʼee haadha kootiif ilma tokkicha turetti,
For I also was my father’s son, tender and as an only son in the sight of my mother:
4 inni akkana jedhee na barsiise; “Garaa kee guutuudhaan dubbii koo jabeessii qabadhu; seera koo eegi; ati ni jiraattaatii.
And he taught me, and said: Let thy heart receive my words, keep my commandments, and thou shalt live.
5 Ogummaa argadhu; hubannaas argadhu; dubbii koo hin dagatin yookaan irraa hin jalʼatin.
Get wisdom, get prudence: forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6 Ogummaa hin dhiisin; isheen si eegdii; ishee jaalladhu; isheenis si tiksitii.
Forsake her not, and she shall keep thee: love her, and she shall preserve thee.
7 Ogummaan waan hunda caalti; kanaafuu ogummaa argadhu. Yoo isheen waan ati qabdu hunda si baasifte illee hubannaa argadhu.
The beginning of wisdom, get wisdom, and with all thy possession purchase prudence.
8 Ogummaa kabaji; inni ol si guddisaatii; isa hammadhu; innis si kabajaatii.
Take hold on her, and she shall exalt thee: thou shalt be glorified by her, when thou shalt embrace her.
9 Isheen kallacha bareedaa mataa kee irra siif keessi; gonfoo miidhagaa illee siif kenniti.”
She shall give to thy head increase of graces, and protect thee with a noble crown.
10 Yaa ilma ko dhagaʼi; waan ani jedhu illee fudhadhu; barri jireenya keetiis ni baayʼataa.
Hear, O my son, and receive my words, that years of life may be multiplied to thee.
11 Ani karaa ogummaa irra sin qajeelcha; daandii qajeelaa irras sin buusa.
I will shew thee the way of wisdom, I will lead thee by the paths of equity:
12 Yeroo ati deemtu, tarkaanfiin kee hin ittifamu; yoo fiigdu illee ati hin gufattu.
Which when thou shalt have entered, thy steps shall not be straitened, and when thou runnest thou shalt not meet a stumblingblock.
13 Qajeelfama jabeessii qabadhu; gad hin dhiisin; waan inni jireenya kee taʼeef jabeessii eeggadhu.
Take hold on instruction, leave it not: keep it, because it is thy life.
14 Daandii hamootaa irra miilla kee hin dhaabin yookaan karaa jalʼootaa irra hin deemin.
Be not delighted in the paths of the wicked, neither let the way of evil men please thee.
15 Irraa fagaadhu; irras hin deemin; irraa goriitii karaa kee irra qajeeli.
Flee from it, pass not by it: go aside, and forsake it.
16 Isaan waan hamaa hojjetan malee rafuu hin dandaʼaniitii; isaan hamma nama gufachiisanitti hirriba hin argatan.
For they sleep not except they have done evil: and their sleep is taken away unless they have made some to fall.
17 Isaan buddeena hamminaa nyaatu; daadhii wayinii kan dabaan argame dhugu.
They eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of iniquity.
18 Karaan qajeeltotaa akkuma ifa barii barraaqaa kan hamma saafaatti ittuma fufee ifaa deemuu ti.
But the path of the just, as a shining light, goeth forwards and increaseth even to perfect day.
19 Karaan hamootaa garuu akkuma dukkana guddaa ti; isaan waan isaan gufachiisu hin beekan.
The way of the wicked is darksome: they know not where they fall.
20 Yaa ilma ko, waan ani jedhu qalbeeffadhu; dubbii kootiifis gurra kenni.
My son, hearken to my words, and incline thy ear to my sayings.
21 Akka inni fuula kee duraa dhabamu hin godhin; garaa kee keessa ol kaaʼadhu;
Let them not depart from thy eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart:
22 inni warra isa argatuuf jireenya, dhagna namaa guutuufis fayyinaatii.
For they are life to those that find them, and health to all flesh.
23 Waan hunda caalaa qalbii kee eeggadhu; burqaan jireenyaa achii baʼaatii.
With all watchfulness keep thy heart, because life issueth out from it.
24 Dubbii jalʼinaa afaan kee keessaa balleessi; haasaa hamaas arraba kee irraa fageessi.
Remove from thee a froward mouth, and let detracting lips be far from thee.
25 Iji kee kallattiidhaan qajeelchee haa ilaalu; atis xiyyeeffadhuu fuula kee dura ilaali.
Let thy eyes look straight on, and let thy eyelids go before thy steps.
26 Miilla keetiif daandii wal qixxeeffadhu; karaan kee hundinuu haa jabaatu.
Make straight the path for thy feet, and all thy ways shall be established.
27 Gara mirgaatti yookaan gara bitaatti hin gorin; miilla kee hammina irraa eeggadhu.
Decline not to the right hand, nor to the left: turn away thy foot from evil. For the Lord knoweth the ways that are on the right hand: but those are perverse which are on the left hand. But he will make thy courses straight, he will bring forward thy ways in peace.
