Proverbs 26
1 Bí òjò-dídì tàbí òjò ní ìgbà ìkórè ọlá kò yẹ aláìgbọ́n ènìyàn.
Just [like] [SIM] [it is not appropriate for] snow [to fall] in summer time, or rain [to fall] at harvest time, it is not appropriate to praise/honor foolish people.
2 Bí ológoṣẹ́ tí ń ṣí kiri tàbí alápáǹdẹ̀dẹ̀ tí ń rábàbà èpè kò le è mọ́ ẹni tí kò ṣiṣẹ́ èpè èpè kì í jani bí a kò bá ṣiṣẹ́ èpè.
Like [SIM] birds that fly by [and do not alight/land on anything], if someone curses you, it cannot hurt you if you (do not deserve them/have not done to him what is wrong).
3 Ẹgba fún ẹṣin, ìjánu fún kẹ́tẹ́kẹ́tẹ́ àti pàṣán fún ẹ̀yìn aṣiwèrè.
It is necessary to whip a horse and to put a bridle on a donkey [to force them to go where we want them to go], and similarly [SIM] [it is often necessary to strike] foolish people with a stick [to cause them to do what is right].
4 Má ṣe dá aláìgbọ́n lóhùn gẹ́gẹ́ bí ìwà òmùgọ̀ rẹ̀ àìṣe bẹ́ẹ̀ ìwọ pẹ̀lú yóò dàbí i rẹ̀.
If a foolish person asks a foolish question, [do not answer him], because [if you answer his question], you are just as foolish as he is.
5 Dá aláìgbọ́n lóhùn gẹ́gẹ́ bí ìwà òmùgọ̀ rẹ̀ àìṣe bẹ́ẹ̀ yóò dàbí ọlọ́gbọ́n lójú ara rẹ̀.
If you give a foolish answer to someone who asks a foolish question, he will realize that he is (not very wise/foolish).
6 Bí ìgbà tí ènìyàn gé ẹsẹ̀ ara rẹ̀ tàbí mú ìwà ipá ni kí a ránṣẹ́ nípasẹ̀ aṣiwèrè.
Anyone who asks a foolish person to take a message to someone [is himself doing something as foolish as] cutting off his own feet or drinking poison.
7 Bí ẹsẹ̀ arọ tí ó ń mi dirodiro ni òwe lẹ́nu aṣiwèrè.
A lame man cannot use his legs, and similarly [SIM] [it is useless for] a foolish person to speak [MTY] (proverbs/wise sayings).
8 Bí ìgbà tí a so òkúta mọ́ okùn títa ni fífún aláìgbọ́n ní ọlá.
Tying a stone in a sling [so that it cannot be thrown at a target] is [as foolish as] [SIM] honoring a foolish person.
9 Bí ẹ̀gún èṣùṣú lọ́wọ́ ọ̀mùtí ni òwe lẹ́nu aláìgbọ́n.
If a drunk person waves some thorns/brambles with his hand, [he is not able to accomplish anything useful by doing that] (OR, [he does not feel it when a thorn sticks in his hand]); similarly, if foolish people speak [MTY] proverbs, [they do not help anyone who hears them].
10 Bí tafàtafà ti ń ṣe ni léṣe lẹ́ẹ̀kọ̀ọ̀kan ni ẹni tí ó gba aṣiwèrè ṣíṣẹ́ tàbí ẹni tí ń kọjá lọ.
A man who shoots arrows [to try] to wound everybody who is near [is foolish]; similarly, anyone who hires a foolish person [who passes by is very foolish].
11 Bí ajá ti í padà sí èébì rẹ̀ bẹ́ẹ̀ ni aṣiwèrè tún ń hu ìwà òmùgọ̀ rẹ̀.
A foolish person will foolishly do something stupid a second time; it is [like] [SIM] a dog returning to [eat] what it has vomited.
12 Ǹjẹ́ o rí ènìyàn tí ó jẹ́ ọlọ́gbọ́n ní ojú ara rẹ̀? Ìrètí ń bẹ fún aláìgbọ́n ènìyàn jù ú lọ.
[God] can help/bless foolish people more easily than he can help/bless people who are not wise [RHQ], but think that they are wise.
13 Ọ̀lẹ wí pé, “Kìnnìún wà lójú ọ̀nà kìnnìún búburú ń ké ní ojú ọ̀nà.”
Lazy people [just stay inside their houses and do nothing]; [they keep] saying “[I think] there is a lion in the street!”
14 Bí ìlẹ̀kùn ti ń yí lórí ìsolẹ̀kùn rẹ̀, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni ọ̀lẹ ń yí lórí ibùsùn rẹ̀.
A door [continually] swings back and forth on its hinges [and does not go anywhere]; similarly [SIM], lazy people [just continually turn over] in their beds [and never do anything].
15 Ọ̀lẹ ki ọwọ́ rẹ̀ bọ inú àwo oúnjẹ, ó lẹ dé bi pé kò le è mú u padà wá sí ẹnu rẹ̀.
Some people are extremely lazy; they put their hand in a dish [to get some food] but do not [even] lift the food up to their mouths.
16 Ọ̀lẹ gbọ́n ní ojú ara rẹ̀, ju ènìyàn méje tí wọ́n le è fún un ní ìdáhùn ọlọ́gbọ́n.
Lazy people think that they are wiser than seven/several people who can answer [others’ questions] with good sense.
17 Bí ènìyàn tí ó di ajá ní etí mú ni ẹni tí ń kọjá lọ tí ó dá sí ọ̀rọ̀ ìjà tí kì í ṣe tirẹ̀.
Anyone who (meddles/involves himself) in a quarrel that does not concern him is [as foolish as] [SIM] someone who tries to grab a passing dog by its ears.
18 Bí i asínwín ti ń ju ọfà àti ọfà tí ń ṣe kú pa ni
Crazy people who shoot burning arrows to kill people
19 ni ènìyàn tí ń tan aládùúgbò rẹ̀ jẹ tí ó sì wí pé, “Àwàdà lásán ni mo ń ṣe.”
are as foolish as those who deceive someone else and [then] say, “I was only joking.”
20 Láìsí igi, iná yóò kú láìsí ọ̀rọ̀ ẹ̀yìn, ìjà máa ń parí.
If there is no [more] firewood [to put on the fire], the fire will go out; similarly [SIM], if there are no people who (gossip/tell people things that are not true), quarreling will end.
21 Bí èédú ti rí sí ẹyin iná, igi fún iná, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni ènìyàn oníjà fún ìjà dídá sílẹ̀.
[Putting] charcoal on burning coals or [putting] wood on a fire [causes the fire to keep burning]; similarly, people who like to quarrel cause people to keep arguing.
22 Ọ̀rọ̀ ẹni tí ń sọ̀rọ̀ ẹ̀yìn dàbí àṣàyàn òkèlè wọ́n a sì wọ ìsàlẹ̀ inú lọ.
People [enjoy listening to what gossips say about others just like] [SIM] they enjoy tasty food; they [enjoy listening to what gossips tell them like] they enjoy swallowing tasty food.
23 Ètè jíjóni, àti àyà búburú, dà bí ìdàrọ́ fàdákà tí a fi bo ìkòkò.
People who say nice things when they are thinking about doing evil things are like a nice glaze/covering on a [cheap] clay pot.
24 Ènìyàn tí ó kórìíra máa ń fi ètè rẹ̀ bo àṣírí ara rẹ̀ ṣùgbọ́n nínú ọkàn rẹ̀ ni ìtànjẹ wà.
Those who hate someone and are saying [MTY] something very different from what they are thinking are hypocrites; they are only planning [to harm that person].
25 Bí ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀ tilẹ̀ fanimọ́ra, má ṣe gbà á gbọ́ nítorí ìríra méje ni ó kún inú ọkàn rẹ̀.
When they say nice things, do not believe them, because in their inner beings are many things that [Yahweh] hates.
26 Ìkórìíra rẹ le è fi ara sin nípa ẹ̀tàn ṣùgbọ́n àṣírí ìwà búburú rẹ̀ yóò tú ní gbangba.
They try to deceive people to cause them to think that they do not hate [that person], but in a public meeting, the people will find out the evil things [that they have done].
27 Bí ènìyàn kan bá gbẹ́ kòtò, yóò ṣubú sínú rẹ̀. Bí ẹnìkan bá ju òkúta, yóò padà sọ́dọ̀ òun tìkára rẹ̀.
Those who dig a deep pit [for other people to fall into] will fall into it themselves; rocks will roll down on those who start to cause rocks to roll down [to crush someone].
28 Ahọ́n ẹ̀tàn máa ń kórìíra àwọn tí ó ṣe ní ìkà, ẹnu ìtànjẹ sì máa ń pa ni run.
Those [MTY] who tell lies to others [really] hate them, and those who deceive [others] ruin them.
