Mga Kawikaan 18
1 Ang humihiwalay ay humahanap ng sarili niyang nasa, at nakikipagtalo laban sa lahat na magaling na karunungan.
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 Ang mangmang ay walang kaluguran sa paguunawa, kundi maihayag lamang ang kaniyang puso.
Foolish people do not want to understand [anything]; they only want to (express their [own] opinions/say what they think) [IDM].
3 Pagka ang masama ay dumarating, dumarating din naman ang paghamak, at kasama ng kutya ang pagkaduwahagi.
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 Ang mga salita ng bibig ng tao ay parang malalim na tubig; ang bukal ng karunungan ay parang umaagos na batis.
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 Igalang ang pagkatao ng masama ay hindi mabuti, ni iligaw man ang matuwid sa kahatulan.
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 Ang mga labi ng mangmang ay nanasok sa pagkakaalit, at tinatawag ng kaniyang bibig ang mga hampas.
When foolish people [SYN] start arguments, [it is as though] they [SYN] are requesting/inviting someone to flog/whip them.
7 Ang bibig ng mangmang ay kaniyang kapahamakan, at ang kaniyang mga labi ay silo ng kaniyang kaluluwa.
What foolish people [MTY] say causes them to be ruined; their [own] words are [like] a trap [MET] [that catches/seizes] them.
8 Ang mga salita ng mga mapaghatid-dumapit ay parang mga masarap na subo, at nagsisibaba sa pinakaloob ng tiyan.
[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 Siya mang walang bahala sa kaniyang gawain ay kapatid siya ng maninira.
People who are lazy while they work are [just as bad] as [IDM] those who destroy things.
10 Ang pangalan ng Panginoon ay matibay na moog: tinatakbuhan ng matuwid at naliligtas.
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 Ang yaman ng mayamang tao ay ang kaniyang matibay na bayan, at gaya ng matayog na kuta sa kaniyang sariling isip,
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 Bago ang pagkapahamak ay pagmamalaki ng puso ng tao, at bago ang karangalan ang pagpapakumbaba.
Proud people are on the road to being ruined, but being humble leads to being honored.
13 Ang sumasagot bago makinig, ay kamangmangan at kahihiyan sa kaniya.
Those who reply to someone before that person has finished speaking are foolish; doing that is disgraceful.
14 Aalalayan ng diwa ng tao ang kaniyang sakit; nguni't ang bagbag na diwa sinong nakapagdadala?
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 Ang puso ng mabait ay nagtatamo ng kaalaman; at ang pakinig ng pantas ay humahanap ng kaalaman.
Intelligent people [are always wanting to] learn more; wise people [SYN] are not content with what they already know.
16 Ang kaloob ng tao ay nagbubukas ng daan sa kaniya, at dinadala siya sa harap ng mga dakilang tao.
If you take a gift to an important person, that will open the way to allow you to talk to him.
17 Ang nakikipaglaban ng kaniyang usap na una ay tila ganap; nguni't dumarating ang kaniyang kapuwa at sinisiyasat siya.
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 Ang pagsasapalaran ay nagpapatigil ng mga pagtatalo, at naghihiwalay sa gitna ng mga makapangyarihan.
If two influential/important people are arguing, [someone can] settle the matter by (casting lots/throwing marked stones to decide who is right).
19 Ang kapatid na nasaktan sa kalooban ay mahirap mabawi kay sa matibay na bayan: at ang gayong mga pagtatalo ay parang mga halang ng isang kastilyo.
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 Ang tiyan ng tao ay mabubusog ng bunga ng kaniyang bibig; sa bunga ng kaniyang mga labi ay masisiyahan siya.
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 Kamatayan at buhay ay nasa kapangyarihan ng dila; at ang nagsisiibig sa kaniya ay magsisikain ng kaniyang bunga.
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 Sinomang lalaking nakakasumpong ng asawa ay nakasumpong ng mabuting bagay, at nagtatamo ng lingap ng Panginoon.
If you marry a [good] woman, that is [like] finding a wonderful thing; [it shows that] Yahweh is pleased with you.
23 Ang dukha ay gumagamit ng mga pamanhik: nguni't ang mayaman ay sumasagot na may kagilasan.
[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 Ang nagpaparami ng mga kaibigan ay sa kaniyang sariling kapahamakan: nguni't may kaibigan na mahigit kay sa isang kapatid.
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.
