Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Yaa ilmaan ko, mee gorsa abbaan namaaf kennu dhagaʼaa; qalbeeffadhaatii hubannaa argadhaa.
2 For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not my teaching.
Ani barumsa gaarii isinii nan kenna; kanaafuu barsiisa koo hin dhiisinaa.
3 For I was a son unto my father, tender and an only one in the sight of my mother.
Yeroo ani mucaa xinnaa taʼee mana abbaa koo turetti, yeroo ani daaʼima dhiiga taʼee haadha kootiif ilma tokkicha turetti,
4 And he taught me, and said unto me: 'Let thy heart hold fast my words, keep my commandments, and live;
inni akkana jedhee na barsiise; “Garaa kee guutuudhaan dubbii koo jabeessii qabadhu; seera koo eegi; ati ni jiraattaatii.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
Ogummaa argadhu; hubannaas argadhu; dubbii koo hin dagatin yookaan irraa hin jalʼatin.
6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; love her, and she will keep thee.
Ogummaa hin dhiisin; isheen si eegdii; ishee jaalladhu; isheenis si tiksitii.
7 The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom; yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
Ogummaan waan hunda caalti; kanaafuu ogummaa argadhu. Yoo isheen waan ati qabdu hunda si baasifte illee hubannaa argadhu.
8 Extol her, and she will exalt thee; she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
Ogummaa kabaji; inni ol si guddisaatii; isa hammadhu; innis si kabajaatii.
9 She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow on thee.'
Isheen kallacha bareedaa mataa kee irra siif keessi; gonfoo miidhagaa illee siif kenniti.”
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
Yaa ilma ko dhagaʼi; waan ani jedhu illee fudhadhu; barri jireenya keetiis ni baayʼataa.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
Ani karaa ogummaa irra sin qajeelcha; daandii qajeelaa irras sin buusa.
12 When thou goest, thy step shall not be straitened; and if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Yeroo ati deemtu, tarkaanfiin kee hin ittifamu; yoo fiigdu illee ati hin gufattu.
13 Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go; keep her, for she is thy life.
Qajeelfama jabeessii qabadhu; gad hin dhiisin; waan inni jireenya kee taʼeef jabeessii eeggadhu.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men.
Daandii hamootaa irra miilla kee hin dhaabin yookaan karaa jalʼootaa irra hin deemin.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass on.
Irraa fagaadhu; irras hin deemin; irraa goriitii karaa kee irra qajeeli.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
Isaan waan hamaa hojjetan malee rafuu hin dandaʼaniitii; isaan hamma nama gufachiisanitti hirriba hin argatan.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
Isaan buddeena hamminaa nyaatu; daadhii wayinii kan dabaan argame dhugu.
18 But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Karaan qajeeltotaa akkuma ifa barii barraaqaa kan hamma saafaatti ittuma fufee ifaa deemuu ti.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble.
Karaan hamootaa garuu akkuma dukkana guddaa ti; isaan waan isaan gufachiisu hin beekan.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Yaa ilma ko, waan ani jedhu qalbeeffadhu; dubbii kootiifis gurra kenni.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thy heart.
Akka inni fuula kee duraa dhabamu hin godhin; garaa kee keessa ol kaaʼadhu;
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
inni warra isa argatuuf jireenya, dhagna namaa guutuufis fayyinaatii.
23 Above all that thou guardest keep thy heart; for out of it are the issues of life.
Waan hunda caalaa qalbii kee eeggadhu; burqaan jireenyaa achii baʼaatii.
24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Dubbii jalʼinaa afaan kee keessaa balleessi; haasaa hamaas arraba kee irraa fageessi.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Iji kee kallattiidhaan qajeelchee haa ilaalu; atis xiyyeeffadhuu fuula kee dura ilaali.
26 Make plain the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Miilla keetiif daandii wal qixxeeffadhu; karaan kee hundinuu haa jabaatu.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.
Gara mirgaatti yookaan gara bitaatti hin gorin; miilla kee hammina irraa eeggadhu.
