Proverbs 22
1 Yíyan orúkọ rere sàn ju púpọ̀ ọrọ̀ lọ, àti ojúrere dára ju fàdákà àti wúrà lọ.
(Having a good reputation/Being honored by people) is better than having a lot of money; being well respected is better than having plenty of gold or silver [DOU].
2 Ọlọ́rọ̀ àti tálákà péjọpọ̀: Olúwa ni ẹlẹ́dàá gbogbo wọn.
There is one thing that is true about both rich people and poor people: Yahweh is the one who created all of them.
3 Ọlọ́gbọ́n ènìyàn ti rí ibi tẹ́lẹ̀, ó ṣé ara rẹ̀ mọ́: ṣùgbọ́n àwọn òpè tẹ̀síwájú, a sì jẹ wọ́n ní yà.
Those who have good sense realize [that there is something] dangerous ahead, and they avoid it; those who do not have good sense just keep going and later they will suffer because of doing that.
4 Èrè ìrẹ̀lẹ̀ àti ìbẹ̀rù Olúwa ni ọrọ̀ ọlá, àti ìyè.
The reward that Yahweh gives to those who are humble and who revere him is that he causes them to be rich and honored and to live for a long time.
5 Ègún àti ìdẹ̀kùn ń bẹ ní ọ̀nà aláyídáyidà: ẹni tí ó bá pa ọkàn rẹ̀ mọ́ yóò jìnnà sí wọn.
Because of the things that wicked people do, [they have difficulties/troubles] that will be like thorns and traps on the roads that they walk on [MET]; people who are careful/cautious will be able to stay away from those difficulties.
6 Tọ́ ọmọdé ní ọ̀nà tí yóò tọ̀: nígbà tí ó bá dàgbà, kì yóò kúrò nínú rẹ̀.
If you train/teach children to do what is right, all during their life they will act/behave in that manner.
7 Ọlọ́rọ̀ ṣe olórí olùpọ́njú, ajigbèsè sì ṣe ìránṣẹ́ fún ẹni tí a jẹ ní gbèsè.
Rich people rule over poor people harshly, and those who borrow money become like slaves [MET] of the people who lend [money to them].
8 Ẹni tí ó bá fúnrúgbìn ẹ̀ṣẹ̀, yóò ká asán: ọ̀pá ìbínú rẹ̀ yóò kùnà.
[If you plant corn or rice, corn or rice will grow]; [similarly], if you act unjustly, you will have disasters [MET]; and if you try to harm/oppress people [because you are angry with them], you will not be able to harm them.
9 Ẹni tí ó ní ojú àánú ni a ó bùkún fún; nítorí tí ó fi nínú oúnjẹ rẹ̀ fún olùpọ́njú.
[God] will bless those who are generous [IDM], those who give some of their food to poor [people].
10 Lé ẹlẹ́gàn sí ìta, ìjà yóò sì jáde; nítòótọ́ ìjà àti ẹ̀gàn yóò dẹ́kun.
If you get rid of those who make fun of [everything that is good], there will no more arguing or quarreling or insulting [other people].
11 Ẹni tí ó fẹ́ ìwà funfun ti àyà, tí ó sì ń sọ̀rọ̀ iyì jáde, ọba yóò ṣe ọ̀rẹ́ rẹ̀.
If you always act sincerely [IDM] and always speak kindly, the king will be your friend.
12 Ojú Olúwa pa ìmọ̀ mọ́, ó sì yí ọ̀rọ̀ olùrékọjá pò.
Yahweh [SYN] (watches over/takes care of) [those who have] good understanding/sense, but he ruins the plans/affairs of those who always try to deceive others.
13 Ọ̀lẹ wí pé, “Kìnnìún ń bẹ lóde! Yóò pa mí ní ìgboro!”
Lazy people [remain in their houses]; they say, “A lion might attack me if I go out into the street [to go to work]!”
14 Ẹnu àwọn àjèjì obìnrin, ihò jíjìn ni; ẹni tí a ń bínú sí láti ọ̀dọ̀ Olúwa wá ni yóò ṣubú sínú rẹ̀.
What (wives who commit adultery/immoral women) say [to men] [MTY] is [like] a deep pit [MET] [into which those men fall]; those with whom Yahweh is angry will fall into that pit.
15 Àyà ọmọdé ni ìwà wèrè dì sí; ṣùgbọ́n pàṣán ìtọ́ni ni yóò lé e jìnnà kúrò lọ́dọ̀ rẹ̀.
Children [SYN] naturally do things that are foolish, but if you punish/spank them [PRS], they [will] (stop doing foolish things/learn to behave as they should).
16 Ẹni tó ń ni tálákà lára láti ní ọrọ̀, tí ó sì ń ta ọlọ́rọ̀ lọ́rẹ, yóò di aláìní bí ó ti wù kó rí. Gbọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ ọlọ́gbọ́n ènìyàn.
Those who oppress poor [people] in order to become rich, and those who give [a bribe] to rich [people in order that the rich people will do a favor for them], will just lose their money.
17 Dẹtí rẹ sílẹ̀, kí o gbọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ àwọn ọlọ́gbọ́n, kí o sì fi àyà rẹ sí ẹ̀kọ́ mi.
[Now] listen [MTY] to what wise [people] have said; think carefully about what I am teaching you.
18 Nítorí ohun dídùn ni bí ìwọ bá pa wọ́n mọ́ ní inú rẹ; nígbà tí a sì pèsè wọn tán ní ètè rẹ.
It will be good to (keep these things in your minds/always remember them), because if you do that, you will be able to quote/recite them [to others].
19 Kí ìgbẹ́kẹ̀lé rẹ lè wà ní ti Olúwa, èmi fihàn ọ́ lónìí, àní fún ọ.
[I want you to] trust in Yahweh, and that is the reason that I am telling them to you, now.
20 Èmi kò ha ti kọ̀wé ohun dáradára sí ọ ní ti ìmọ̀ràn àti ní ti ẹ̀kọ́,
I have written [RHQ] 30 (sayings/things that wise people have said) from which you will receive good advice and you will be able you to know [many good/useful things].
21 kí ó lè mú ọ mọ ìdájú ọ̀rọ̀ òtítọ́; kí ìwọ le máa fi ìdáhùn òtítọ́ fún àwọn tí ó rán ọ?
From them, you will learn what is right and what is true, in order that you will be able to bring back a good report to those who sent you [to school] (OR, give a good answer [to those who ask you questions]).
22 Má ṣe ja tálákà ní olè, nítorí tí ó jẹ́ tálákà: bẹ́ẹ̀ ni kí o má sì ṣe ni olùpọ́njú lára ní ibodè,
[It is easy to] rob poor [people] who are helpless [and cannot defend themselves, but] never [do that]; and do not oppress in court those who are needy/afflicted,
23 nítorí Olúwa yóò gbèjà wọn, yóò sì gba ọkàn àwọn tí ń gba tiwọn náà.
because Yahweh will speak to defend them, and he will punish those who steal things from others—by causing them to die.
24 Má ṣe bá oníbìínú ènìyàn ṣe ọ̀rẹ́; má sì ṣe bá ọkùnrin onínú-fùfù rìn.
Do not become friends with those who often become angry, and do not associate with those who cannot control their temper/anger,
25 Kí ìwọ má ba à kọ́ ìwà rẹ̀, ìwọ a sì gba ìkẹ́kùn fún ara rẹ.
because you might start to act like they do and not be able to stop doing that.
26 Má ṣe wà nínú àwọn tí ń ṣe ìgbọ̀nwọ́, tàbí nínú àwọn tí ó dúró fún gbèsè.
If someone borrows money, do not be one of those who promises to pay what that person owes he cannot pay it back,
27 Bí ìwọ kò bá ní nǹkan tí ìwọ ó fi san, nítorí kín ni yóò ṣe gba ẹni rẹ kúrò lábẹ́ rẹ?
because if you cannot pay it back, people will surely [RHQ] [come and] take away [everything you own], even your bed.
28 Má ṣe yẹ ààlà ilẹ̀ ìgbàanì, tí àwọn baba rẹ ti pa.
Do not [steal some of your neighbors’ land by] removing the boundary lines/markers that your ancestors placed/set.
29 Ìwọ ha rí ènìyàn tí ó ń fi àìṣe ìmẹ́lẹ́ ṣe iṣẹ́ rẹ̀? Òun yóò dúró níwájú àwọn ọba; òun kì yóò dúró níwájú àwọn ènìyàn lásán.
Know/Learn [RHQ] this about those who do their work very skillfully: They will quit working for ordinary people and will start working for kings [because the kings will want people like that to work for them].
