Engero 26
1 Ng’omuzira bwe gutasaana mu biseera bya kusiga oba enkuba mu makungula, n’ekitiibwa bwe kitasaanira musirusiru.
Like snow in summer and rain when the grain is being cut, so honour is not natural for the foolish.
2 Ng’enkazaluggya ewabye, ng’akataayi akabuukabuuka, ekikolimo ekitasaanidde tekibaako kye kikola.
As the sparrow in her wandering and the swallow in her flight, so the curse does not come without a cause.
3 Embooko ya mbalaasi, n’olukoba lwa ndogoyi, n’omuggo gusaanira migongo gya basirusirusiru.
A whip for the horse, a mouth-bit for the ass, and a rod for the back of the foolish.
4 Toyanukulanga musirusiru ng’obusirusiru bwe, bwe buli, oleme kubeera nga ye.
Do not give to the foolish man a foolish answer, or you will be like him.
5 Omusirusiru omuddangamu ng’obusirusiru bwe, bwe buli, si kulwa nga yeerowooza nti mugezi.
Give a foolish man a foolish answer, or he will seem wise to himself.
6 Omuntu atuma omusirusiru, aba ng’eyeetemyeko ebigere n’anywa obusungu.
He who sends news by the hand of a foolish man is cutting off his feet and drinking in damage.
7 Ng’amagulu g’omulema bwe galengejja obulengezzi, bwe lutyo n’olugero bwe lubeera mu kamwa k’omusirusiru.
The legs of one who has no power of walking are hanging loose; so is a wise saying in the mouth of the foolish.
8 Ng’atadde ejjinja mu nvuumuulo bw’aba, n’oyo awa omusirusiru ekitiibwa bw’atyo bw’abeera.
Giving honour to a foolish man is like attempting to keep a stone fixed in a cord.
9 Ng’eriggwa bwe lifumita mu mukono gw’omutamiivu, bwe lutyo n’olugero bwe lubeera mu kamwa k’abasirusiru.
Like a thorn which goes up into the hand of a man overcome by drink, so is a wise saying in the mouth of a foolish man.
10 Ng’omulasi w’akasaale, amala galasa buli gw’asanze, bw’abeera bw’atyo apangisa omusirusiru oba omuyise yenna gw’asanze.
Like an archer wounding all who go by, is a foolish man overcome by drink.
11 Ng’embwa bw’eddira ebisesemye by’ayo, bw’atyo bw’abeera omusirusiru adda mu nsobi ze.
Like a dog going back to the food which he has not been able to keep down, is the foolish man doing his foolish acts over again.
12 Olaba omuntu omugezi mu maaso ge ye? Omusirusiru alina essuubi okumusinga.
Have you seen a man who seems to himself to be wise? There is more hope for the foolish than for him.
13 Omugayaavu agamba nti, “Mu kkubo eriyo empologoma, empologoma enkambwe eyita mu luguudo!”
The hater of work says, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
14 Ng’oluggi bwe lukyukira ku ppata zaalwo, bw’atyo omugayaavu bw’akyukira ku kitanda kye.
A door is turned on its pillar, and the hater of work on his bed.
15 Omugayaavu akoza n’engalo ze mu kibya, naye olw’obunafu bwe n’atasobola kuzizza mu kamwa.
The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin: lifting it again to his mouth is a weariness to him.
16 Omugayaavu alowooza nti mugezi, okusinga abantu omusanvu abaddamu ebibuuzo mu butuufu.
The hater of work seems to himself wiser than seven men who are able to give an answer with good sense.
17 Ng’asika embwa amatu, omuyise bw’abeera eyeeyingiza mu luyombo olutali lulwe.
He who gets mixed up in a fight which is not his business, is like one who takes a dog by the ears while it is going by.
18 Ng’omulalu akasuka emmuli ez’omuliro oba obusaale obutta,
As one who is off his head sends about flaming sticks and arrows of death,
19 bw’abeera omuntu alimba munne, n’agamba nti, “Mbadde nsaaga busaazi.”
So is the man who gets the better of his neighbour by deceit, and says, Am I not doing so in sport?
20 Enku bwe zibula omuliro guzikira, awatali lugambo ennyombo ziggwaawo.
Without wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no secret talk, argument is ended.
21 Ng’amanda ku gannaago agaliko omuliro, oba enku ku muliro, bw’abeera omusajja omuyombi mu kuwakula entalo.
Like breath on coals and wood on fire, so a man given to argument gets a fight started.
22 Ebigambo by’omuntu ageya biri ng’emmere ewoomerera, bigenda mu bitundu by’omubiri eby’ewala.
The words of one who says evil of his neighbour secretly are like sweet food, they go down into the inner parts of the stomach.
23 Ng’ekintu eky’ebbumba ekibikkiddwako amasengere, bwe gibeera emimwa eminyiikivu egisibuka ku mutima omubi.
Smooth lips and an evil heart are like a vessel of earth plated with silver waste.
24 Omuntu ow’enkwe alimbalimba n’emimwa gye naye ng’aterese obulimba mu mutima gwe.
With his lips the hater makes things seem what they are not, but deceit is stored up inside him;
25 Wadde nga by’ayogera bisanyusa, tomukkiririzaamu kubanga eby’emizizo musanvu bijjuza mu mutima gwe.
When he says fair words, have no belief in him; for in his heart are seven evils:
26 Enkwe ze ziyinza okubikkibwa mu kubuzaabuuza, naye obutali butuukirivu bwe buliggyibwayo mu lukuŋŋaana.
Though his hate is covered with deceit, his sin will be seen openly before the meeting of the people.
27 Buli asima ekinnya y’alikigwamu, n’oyo aliyiringisa ejjinja gwe liriddira.
He who makes a hole in the earth will himself go falling into it: and on him by whom a stone is rolled the stone will come back again.
28 Olulimi olulimba lukyawa abo be lufumita, n’akamwa akawaanawaana kaleeta okuzikirira.
A false tongue has hate for those who have clean hearts, and a smooth mouth is a cause of falling.
