< Proverbs 23 >

1 Nígbà tí ìwọ bá jókòó láti bá ìjòyè jẹun, kíyèsi ohun tí ó wà níwájú rẹ gidigidi.
When you sit down to eat a meal with a (government official/king), think carefully about what (OR, who) is in front of you.
2 Ìwọ a sì fi ọ̀bẹ lé ara rẹ ní ọ̀fun, bí ìwọ bá jẹ́ òkúndùn ènìyàn.
[Even] if you (have a big appetite/want to eat a lot of food), restrain yourself.
3 Má ṣe fẹ́ oúnjẹ dídùn rẹ̀: nítorí pé oúnjẹ ẹ̀tàn ni.
Do not want to eat [a lot of] his fine food, because he may be trying to trick you.
4 Má ṣe ṣe làálàá láti lọ́rọ̀: ṣíwọ́ kúrò nínú ọgbọ́n ara rẹ.
Do not [cause yourself to become very tired by] working very hard to become rich; be wise and stop doing that,
5 Ìwọ ó ha fi ojú rẹ lépa ohun tí kò sí? Nítorí tí ọ̀rọ̀ hu ìyẹ́ apá fún ara rẹ̀, ó sì ń fò bí idì ní ojú ọ̀run.
because as soon as you look [MTY] at [all the money that you have acquired], it will be gone; it will [disappear as if it] suddenly grew wings [SIM] and flew up into the sky like an eagle.
6 Má ṣe jẹ oúnjẹ ẹni tí ó háwọ́, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni kí o má sì ṣe fẹ́ oúnjẹ dídùn rẹ̀.
[If] someone who is stingy [invites you to a meal], do not eat [a lot of] his fine food,
7 Nítorí pé bí ẹni tí ń ṣírò ní ọkàn rẹ̀, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni ó rí: “Máa jẹ, kí o sì máa mu,” ni ó ń wí fún ọ; ṣùgbọ́n ọkàn rẹ̀ kò pẹ̀lú rẹ.
because he will be thinking about how much [the food cost that you are eating]. He [will] say to you, “Eat and drink all that you want!”, but that is not what he [will] really be thinking.
8 Òkèlè tí ìwọ jẹ ni ìwọ ó pọ̀ jáde, ìwọ a sì sọ ọ̀rọ̀ dídùn rẹ̀ nù.
[When you realize what he is really thinking, it will cause you to want to] vomit what you have eaten; and your kind words [telling him that you are enjoying the meal] will be wasted.
9 Má ṣe sọ̀rọ̀ ní etí aṣiwèrè; nítorí tí yóò gan ọgbọ́n ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ.
(Do not [waste time by]/It is useless) talking to foolish people; they will [only] despise the wise things that you say.
10 Má ṣe ṣí ààlà àtijọ́ kúrò; má sì ṣe bọ́ sínú oko aláìní baba.
Do not [steal someone’s property by] removing a boundary marker that has been there for a long time, and do not take for yourself the land that belongs to orphans,
11 Nítorí pé Olùràpadà wọn lágbára; yóò gba ìjà wọn jà sí ọ.
because Yahweh is strong, and he is [like] a relative that has the responsibility to defend them, he will [stand up in court and] argue for them and against you.
12 Fi àyà sí ẹ̀kọ́, àti etí rẹ sí ọ̀rọ̀-ìmọ̀.
Pay attention to what [your teachers] teach you, and try to learn from the wise things that they say.
13 Má ṣe fa ọwọ́ ìbáwí sẹ́yìn kúrò lára ọmọdé, nítorí pé bí ìwọ bá fi pàṣán nà án, òun kì yóò kú.
Do not refuse to discipline your children; if you punish/spank them, it will not cause them to die,
14 Bí ìwọ fi pàṣán nà án, ìwọ ó sì gbà ọkàn rẹ̀ là kúrò ní ọ̀run àpáàdì. (Sheol h7585)
and it may save them from [going to] the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
15 Ọmọ mi, bí ọkàn rẹ bá gbọ́n, ọkàn mi yóò yọ̀, àní èmi pẹ̀lú.
My son/child, if you [SYN] become wise, I [SYN] will be very happy.
16 Inú mi yóò sì dùn nígbà tí ètè rẹ̀ bá ń sọ̀rọ̀ títọ́.
I [SYN] will rejoice when I hear you [SYN] say what is right/wise.
17 Má ṣe jẹ́ kí àyà rẹ ó ṣe ìlara sí àwọn ẹlẹ́ṣẹ̀, ṣùgbọ́n kí ìwọ ó wà ní ìbẹ̀rù Olúwa, ní ọjọ́ gbogbo.
Do not envy sinful people; instead, revere Yahweh all of your life.
18 Nítorí pé ìgbẹ̀yìn ń bẹ nítòótọ́; ìrètí rẹ̀ kì yóò sì gé kúrò.
[If you do that], you will be happy in the future, and [God] will certainly [do for you what you are] confidently expecting him to do.
19 Gbọ́, ìwọ ọmọ mi, kí o sì gbọ́n, kí o sì máa tọ́ àyà rẹ sí ọ̀nà títọ́.
My son/child, listen carefully to me and become wise, and think about (all that you do/your behavior).
20 Má ṣe wà nínú àwọn ọ̀mùtí; àti àwọn wọ̀bìà alájẹkì ọ̀jẹun;
Do not associate with those who drink a lot of (wine/strong drink) or with those who (are gluttons/eat more than they should),
21 nítorí pé ọ̀mùtí àti ọ̀jẹun ni yóò di tálákà; ìmúni-tòògbé ní sì ń fi àkísà wọ ọkùnrin láṣọ.
because drunkards and gluttons will become poor; and if all that you do is eat and sleep, you will [soon] (be wearing rags/not have any money to buy clothes).
22 Fetí sí ti baba rẹ tí ó bí ọ, má sì ṣe gan ìyá rẹ, nígbà tí o bá gbó.
Pay attention to what your father tells you, and (do not neglect/take care of) [LIT] your mother when she is old.
23 Ra òtítọ́, kí o má sì ṣe tà á; ra ọgbọ́n pẹ̀lú àti ẹ̀kọ́ àti òye.
Try to know/learn what is wise, and get good instruction and understanding; and do not throw those things away.
24 Baba olódodo ni yóò yọ̀ gidigidi: ẹni tí ó sì bí ọmọ ọlọ́gbọ́n, yóò ní ayọ̀ nínú rẹ̀.
Righteous [children] will cause their parents to be very happy; those whose children are wise are proud of them.
25 Jẹ́ kí baba rẹ àti ìyá rẹ ó yọ̀, sì jẹ́ kí inú ẹni tí ó bí ọ dùn.
[Do what will] cause your father to be glad and enable your mother [also] to be happy.
26 Ọmọ mi, fi àyà rẹ fún mi, kí o sì jẹ́ kí ojú rẹ ní inú dídùn sí ọ̀nà mi.
My son, heed what I say to you, and allow what I do to be an example for you.
27 Nítorí pé panṣágà obìnrin ọ̀gbun jíjìn ni; àti àjèjì obìnrin kànga híhá ni.
Prostitutes and immoral women [DOU] are [like] [MET] a deep pit or a well [that you may fall into].
28 Òun á sì ba ní bùba bí olè, a sì sọ àwọn olùrékọjá di púpọ̀ nínú àwọn ènìyàn.
They wait [for you] like robbers [SIM], and they cause many men to (be unfaithful to/have sex with women who are not) their wives.
29 Ta ni ó ni òsì? Ta ni ó ni ìbànújẹ́? Ta ni ó ni ìjà? Ta ni ó ni asọ̀? Ta ni ó ni ọgbẹ́ láìnídìí?
I will tell you [RHQ] what kind of people are always miserable and sad. I will tell you [RHQ] which people are always causing arguments/quarrels and who are always complaining. I will tell you [RHQ] who are injured in fights and whose eyes are always red/bloodshot.
30 Àwọn tí ó dúró pẹ́ níbi ọtí wáìnì; àwọn tí ń lọ láti dán ọtí wáìnì àdàlú wò.
[It is] those who drink a lot of wine, who try drinking other kinds of strong drinks.
31 Ìwọ má ṣe wò ọtí wáìnì nígbà tí ó pọ́n, nígbà tí ó bá ń fi àwọ̀ rẹ̀ hàn nínú ago, tí a gbé e mì, tí ó ń dùn.
Do not look with pleasure at red wine that looks nice, and which sparkles when it is [poured out] into cups, and which tastes good as you drink it,
32 Níkẹyìn òun á bu ni ṣán bí ejò, a sì bunijẹ bí i paramọ́lẹ̀.
because the next morning [you will feel like] you have been bitten by a poisonous snake [DOU].
33 Ojú rẹ yóò wò àwọn àjèjì obìnrin, àyà rẹ yóò sì sọ̀rọ̀ àyídáyidà.
You [SYN] will [think that you are] seeing strange/weird things, and you [SYN] will not be able to think clearly or speak clearly.
34 Nítòótọ́, ìwọ ó dàbí ẹni tí ó dùbúlẹ̀ ní àárín Òkun, tàbí ẹni tí ó dùbúlẹ̀ lókè-ọkọ̀.
You will think you are in a ship that is tossing on the sea; you be like [SIM] someone who is trying to sleep when the ship is rolling from one side to the other.
35 Ìwọ ó sì wí pé, “Wọ́n lù mí; kò dùn mí; wọ́n lù mí, èmi kò sì mọ̀: nígbà wo ni èmi ó jí? Èmi ó tún máa wá òmíràn láti mu.”
You will say, “[I think that] someone struck me, but he did not hurt me; he hit me, but I did not feel it. When will I (wake up/feel normal again) in order that I can drink some more wine?”

< Proverbs 23 >