Proverbs 8

1 Ǹjẹ́ ọgbọ́n kò ha ń kígbe síta? Òye kò ha ń gbé ohùn rẹ sókè?

It is as if wisdom, with great understanding [of many things], is calling [PRS] out [to people].

2 Ní ibi gíga ní ẹ̀gbẹ́ ọ̀nà, ní ìkóríta, ní ó dúró;

Wisdom stands on hilltops and at crossroads.

3 ní ẹgbẹ́ ibodè tí ó wọ ìlú, ní ẹnu ibodè ni ó ń kígbe sókè:

[Wisdom also stands] at the city gates and shouts loudly,

4 “Sí i yín ẹ̀yin ènìyàn, ní mo ń kígbe pè; mo gbé ohun mi sókè sí gbogbo ènìyàn.

“I am calling to everyone! I am shouting loudly to all people!

5 Ẹ̀yin aláìmọ̀kan, ẹ kọ́gbọ́n; ẹ̀yin aṣiwèrè, ẹ gba òye.

You people who do not know how to do things that are smart to do, get sound judgment; you foolish people, get good understanding!

6 Ẹ gbọ́, nítorí tí èmi ó sọ̀rọ̀ ohun iyebíye; Èmí ṣí ètè mi láti sọ ohun tí ó tọ́,

Listen to me, because I have some excellent/important things to say. What I say is what is fair/right.

7 ẹnu mi ń sọ ohun tí í ṣe òtítọ́, nítorí ètè mi kórìíra ibi.

I speak what is true; I detest speaking [MTY] what is false/deceptive.

8 Gbogbo ọ̀rọ̀ ẹnu mi ni ó tọ́, kò sí èyí tí ó jẹ́ ẹ̀tàn tàbí àyídáyidà níbẹ̀.

Everything that I say is honest; there is nothing that I say that deceives [people].

9 Fún olóye gbogbo rẹ̀ ni ó tọ̀nà; wọ́n jẹ́ aláìlẹ́gàn fún gbogbo ẹni tí ó ní ìmọ̀.

My words are clear to those who have good sense; those who are wise know that what I say is right.

10 Yan ẹ̀kọ́ mi dípò fàdákà, ìmọ̀ dípò o wúrà àṣàyàn,

[If someone offers you the kind of teaching I give] or offers you silver, choose my teaching. [If he offers to show you how to be wise] or offers you gold, choose to know how to be wise,

11 nítorí ọgbọ́n ṣe iyebíye jù iyùn lọ, kò sí ohun tí ọkàn rẹ̀ fẹ́ tí a sì le fiwé e.

because wisdom is more valuable than jewels. Nothing that you desire [is as valuable] as being wise.

12 “Èmi, ọgbọ́n ń gbé pẹ̀lú òye; mo ní ìmọ̀ àti ọgbọ́n-inú.

I, wisdom, and understanding of what is smart to do, cannot be separated. We are like two people who live in the same house. I know how to be wise and how to make smart decisions.

13 Ìbẹ̀rù Olúwa ni ìkórìíra ibi mo kórìíra ìgbéraga àti agídí, ìwà ibi àti ọ̀rọ̀ ẹ̀tàn.

[All the people] who revere Yahweh hate evil. I, wisdom, hate [people who are] proud and [people] who think they are more important [than others]. I hate [people who] behave in an evil way and those who say things to deceive [others].

14 Ìmọ̀ràn àti ọgbọ́n tí ó yè kooro jẹ́ tèmi mo ní òye àti agbára.

I give [people] good advice and I enable them to do things that are wise. I understand how things really are, and I am strong.

15 Nípasẹ̀ mi ni ọba ń ṣàkóso tí àwọn aláṣẹ sì ń ṣe òfin tí ó dára.

When kings are wise, they rule [well]; and when rulers are wise, they make laws that are just/fair.

16 Nípasẹ̀ mi àwọn ọmọ-aládé ń ṣàkóso, àti gbogbo ọlọ́lá tí ń ṣàkóso ilẹ̀ ayé.

Rulers govern their people with the help of me, wisdom, and those who have authority decide things fairly/just with my help.

17 Mo fẹ́ràn àwọn tí ó fẹ́ràn mi, àwọn tí ó sì wá mi rí mi.

I, [wisdom], love [all] those who love me, and [all] those who truly seek me [will] find me.

18 Lọ́dọ̀ mi ni ọrọ̀ àti ọlá wà, ọrọ̀ tí í tọ́jọ́ àti ìgbéga rere.

I enable [people] to become rich and to be honored; [I enable them to have] wealth that will last and to be successful.

19 Èso mi dára ju wúrà dáradára lọ; ohun tí mò ń mú wá ju àṣàyàn fàdákà lọ.

What I can give people is more valuable than fine/pure gold and the best silver.

20 Mò ń rìn ní ọ̀nà òdodo, ní ojú ọ̀nà òtítọ́,

I always do what is righteous and just/fair.

21 mò ń fi ọrọ̀ fún gbogbo àwọn tí ó fẹ́ràn mi mo sì ń mú kí ilé ìṣúra wọn kún.

I give wealth to those who love me; I fill their houses with valuable things.

22 “Èmi ni Olúwa kọ́kọ́ dá nínú iṣẹ́ rẹ̀. Ṣáájú àwọn iṣẹ́ rẹ̀ àtijọ́;

Yahweh created me, [wisdom], when he began [to create the world]; he created me [to do my work] before he created anything else.

23 a ti yàn mí láti ayérayé, láti ìbẹ̀rẹ̀ pẹ̀pẹ̀, kí ayé tó bẹ̀rẹ̀.

He appointed me long ago, before he created the earth.

24 Nígbà tí kò tí ì sí Òkun, ni a ti bí mi, nígbà tí kò tí ì sí ìsun tí ó ní omi nínú;

I was born before the oceans were [created], when there were no springs from which water flowed.

25 kí a tó fi àwọn òkè sí ipò wọn, ṣáájú àwọn òkè ni a ti bí mi,

I was born before the hills and mountains were formed;

26 kí ó tó dá ilẹ̀ ayé tàbí àwọn oko rẹ̀ tàbí èyíkéyìí nínú eruku ayé.

[I, wisdom], was born before Yahweh made the earth, before he made the fields and the soil on the earth.

27 Mo wà níbẹ̀ nígbà tí ó fi àwọn ọ̀run sí ipò wọn, nígbà tí ó fi òsùwọ̀n àyíká sórí ibú omi,

I was there when Yahweh put the sky in place, when he marked the place [in the distance] where the sky and the oceans [seem to] come together.

28 nígbà tí ó ṣẹ̀dá òfúrufú lókè tí ó sì fi orísun ibú omi sí ipò rẹ̀ láì le è yẹsẹ̀,

I was there when Yahweh put the clouds above [the earth] and when he caused the water that is inside the earth to be secure.

29 nígbà tí ó ṣe ààlà fún omi Òkun kí omi má ba à kọjá ààlà àṣẹ rẹ̀, àti nígbà tí ó pààlà ìpìlẹ̀ ayé.

I was there when he fixed a boundary for the seas, so that the water in the seas would not go past those boundaries, and when he put down the foundations which support the earth.

30 Nígbà náà èmi ni gbẹ́nàgbẹ́nà ẹ̀gbẹ́ rẹ̀ mo kún fún inú dídùn lójoojúmọ́, mo ń yọ̀ nígbà gbogbo níwájú rẹ̀.

I was at the side of Yahweh, the master worker (OR, as though I was his child). I caused him to be happy every day, and I was always rejoicing when I was with him.

31 Mo ń yọ̀ nínú gbogbo àgbáyé tí ó dá mo sì ní inú dídùn sí àwọn ọmọ ènìyàn.

I was delighted with the world that he created; I was happy with the people whom he created, too.

32 “Nítorí náà báyìí, ẹ̀yin ọmọ mi, ìbùkún ni fún àwọn tí ó pa ọ̀nà mi mọ́.

So, [you people who are like] my sons, listen to me. [I am] pleased with [all] those who obey my teachings.

33 Fetí sí ìtọ́sọ́nà mi kí o sì gbọ́n; má ṣe pa á tì sápá kan.

Listen [carefully] to what I teach you and become wise. Do not reject my teaching!

34 Ìbùkún ni fún ẹni tí ó fetísílẹ̀ sí mi, tí ń ṣọ́nà ní ẹnu-ọ̀nà mi lójoojúmọ́, tí ń dúró ní ẹnu-ọ̀nà mi.

[I am] pleased with those who listen to me, those who are outside my house every day, waiting [for me to come out].

35 Nítorí ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó bá rí mi rí ìyè ó sì rí ojúrere gbà lọ́dọ̀ Olúwa.

Those who find me will have [a long] life, and Yahweh [will] be pleased with them.

36 Ṣùgbọ́n ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó bá kọ̀ láti rí ń pa ara rẹ̀ lára gbogbo ẹni tí ó kórìíra mi fẹ́ ikú.”

But those who stray away from me [just] harm themselves. All those who hate me, [it is as though] [IRO] they are loving death.”