Engero 23
1 Bw’otuulanga okulya n’omufuzi, weetegerezanga ebiri mu maaso go;
When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you:
2 era weegendereze bw’obanga omanyi ng’olulunkanira ebyokulya.
And put a knife to your throat, if you be a man given to appetite.
3 Tolulunkanira mmere ye ennungi, kubanga erimbalimba.
Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful food.
4 Teweemalangako mirembe ng’oyaayaanira obugagga; weefuge obeere mukkakkamu.
Labour not to be rich: cease from your own wisdom.
5 Eby’obugagga obikubako eriiso limu nga by’agenze dda, kubanga ddala bimera ebiwaawaatiro ne bibuuka mu bbanga ng’empungu.
Will you set your eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
6 Tolyanga mmere ya muntu mukodo, wadde okwegomba ebirungi by’alya.
Eat you not the bread of him that has an evil eye, neither desire you his dainty meats:
7 Kubanga ye muntu abalirira ensimbi z’asaasaanyizza, n’akugamba nti, “Weeriire, weenywere,” naye ng’omutima gwe tegukusanyukira.
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, says he to you; but his heart is not with you.
8 Akatono k’onooba olidde onookasesema, ebigambo byo ebirungi eby’okwebaza bibe bya bwereere.
The morsel which you have eaten shall you vomit up, and lose your sweet words.
9 Totegana kubuulirira musirusiru, kubanga ajja kunyooma ebigambo byo eby’amagezi.
Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Tojjululanga nsalo ey’edda, so toyingiriranga nnimiro za bamulekwa,
Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
11 kubanga abalwanirira w’amaanyi, alikuggulako omusango.
For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with you.
12 Ossangayo omwoyo eri okuyigirizibwa, n’amatu go eri ebigambo by’okutegeera.
Apply your heart unto instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Tolekangayo kukangavvula mwana, bw’omubonereza n’akaggo tekimutta.
Withhold not correction from the child: for if you beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
You shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from hell. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwana wange, bw’oba n’omutima ogw’amagezi, kinsanyusa.
My son, if your heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
16 Nnaajjaguzanga okuva ku ntobo y’omutima gwange, bw’onooyogeranga ebituufu.
Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when your lips speak right things.
17 Omutima gwo gulemenga okukwatirwa aboonoonyi obuggya, kyokka nyiikira okutya Mukama ebbanga lyonna.
Let not your heart envy sinners: but be you in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
18 Mazima ddala onoobanga n’essuubi mu biseera eby’omu maaso, n’essuubi lyo eryo teririggwaawo.
For surely there is an end; and your expectation shall not be cut off.
19 Mwana wange wulirizanga, obeerenga n’amagezi, okumenga omutima gwo mu kkubo ettuufu.
Hear you, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the way.
20 Teweegattanga ku abo abeekamirira omwenge, n’abalulunkanira ennyama:
Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
21 Kubanga omutamiivu n’omuluvu baavuwala, n’okubongoota olutata kubambaza enziina.
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
22 Wulirizanga kitaawo eyakuzaala, so togayanga nnyoko ng’akaddiye.
Hearken unto your father that brings forth you, and despise not your mother when she is old.
23 Gula amazima so togatunda, ffuna amagezi, n’okuyigirizibwa n’okutegeera.
Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24 Kitaawe w’omutuukirivu alina essanyu lingi, n’oyo azaala omwana ow’amagezi amwenyumiririzaamu.
The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that bring forths a wise child shall have joy of him.
25 Leka kitaawo ne nnyoko basanyuke, omukazi eyakuzaala ajaguzenga.
Your father and your mother shall be glad, and she that bare you shall rejoice.
26 Mwana wange mpa omutima gwo, n’amaaso go geekalirize amakubo gange,
My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 kubanga omukazi omwenzi lukonko luwanvu, n’omukazi omubambaavu luzzi lufunda.
For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28 Ateega ng’omutemu, n’ayongera ku muwendo gw’abasajja abatali beesigwa eri bakazi baabwe.
She also lies in wait as for a prey, and increases the transgressors among men.
29 Ani alina obuyinike? Ani alina ennaku? Ani alina ennyombo? Ani alina okwemulugunya? Ani alina ebiwundu eby’obwereere? Ani amyuse amaaso?
Who has woe? who has sorrow? who has contentions? who has babbling? who has wounds without cause? who has redness of eyes?
30 Abo abatava ku mwenge, nga bagenda baloza ku mwenge omutabule.
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
31 Totunuulira wayini ng’amyuse, bw’atemaganira mu ggiraasi ng’akka empolampola;
Look not you upon the wine when it is red, when it gives his colour in the cup, when it moves itself aright.
32 ku nkomerero aluma ng’omusota, wa busagwa ng’essalambwa.
At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.
33 Amaaso go galiraba ebyewuunyo, n’omutwe gwo ne gulowooza ebitategeerekeka.
your eyes shall behold strange women, and your heart shall utter perverse things.
34 Oliba ng’omuntu eyeebase wakati mu nnyanja, obanga oyo alengejjera waggulu ku mulongooti.
Yea, you shall be as he that lies down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lies upon the top of a mast.
35 Olyogera nti, “Bankubye, naye sirumiddwa. Bankubye naye sirina kye mpuliddemu. Nnaazuukuka ddi, neeyongere okunywa?”
They have stricken me, shall you say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
