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Èròǹgbà àti kókó-ọ̀rọ̀

Àwọn òwe ti Solomoni, ọmọ Dafidi, ọba Israẹli.

Láti le ní ọgbọ́n àti ẹ̀kọ́,
    Láti ní òye àwọn ọ̀rọ̀-ìjìnlẹ̀.
Láti gba ẹ̀kọ́ ọgbọ́n, òdodo,
    àti ìdájọ́, àti àìṣègbè;
láti fi òye fún onírẹ̀lẹ̀,
    ìmọ̀ àti ìṣọ́ra fún àwọn èwe.
Jẹ́ kí ọlọ́gbọ́n tẹ́tí kí ó sì ní ìmọ̀ kún ìmọ̀,
    sì jẹ́ kí ẹni òye gba ìtọ́sọ́nà.
Láti mọ ìtumọ̀ òwe àti ìtán-dòwe,
    àwọn ọ̀rọ̀ àti àlọ́ àwọn ọlọ́gbọ́n.

Ìbẹ̀rù Olúwa ni ìbẹ̀rẹ̀ ìmọ̀,
    ṣùgbọ́n aláìgbọ́n kẹ́gàn ọgbọ́n àti ẹ̀kọ́.

Ọ̀rọ̀ ìyànjú láti ṣàfẹ́rí ọgbọ́n

Tẹ́tí, ìwọ ọmọ mi sí ẹ̀kọ́ baba rẹ,
    má ṣe kọ ẹ̀kọ́ màmá rẹ sílẹ̀.
Wọn yóò jẹ́ òdòdó ẹ̀yẹ olóòórùn dídùn lórí rẹ
    àti ọ̀ṣọ́ tí ó dára yí ọrùn rẹ ká.

10 Ọmọ mi, bí àwọn ẹlẹ́ṣẹ̀ bá ń tàn ọ́,
    má ṣe gbà fún wọn.
11 Bí wọn bá wí pé, “Wá pẹ̀lú wa;
    jẹ́ kí á ba ní ibùba fún ẹ̀jẹ̀ ẹnìkan,
    jẹ́ kí á lúgọ ní ìkọ̀kọ̀ de aláìṣẹ̀ ní àìnídìí;
12 Jẹ́ ká gbé wọn mì láààyè, bí ibojì òkú,
    àti lódidi, bí àwọn tí ń sọ̀kalẹ̀ lọ sínú kòtò;
13 A ó rí ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ nǹkan tó níye lórí
    a ó sì fi ìkógun kún inú ilé wa;
14 Da ìpín rẹ pọ̀ mọ́ àárín wa,
    a ó sì jọ pawó sínú àpò kan náà”
15 Ọmọ mi, má ṣe bá wọn lọ,
    má ṣe rìn ní ojú ọ̀nà wọn;
16 Nítorí ẹsẹ̀ wọn ń sáré sí ẹ̀ṣẹ̀,
    wọ́n yára láti ta ẹ̀jẹ̀ sílẹ̀.
17 Wàhálà asán ni kí ènìyàn máa dẹ àwọ̀n sílẹ̀,
    ní ojú ẹyẹ!
18 Àwọn ọkùnrin wọ̀nyí ń lúgọ fún ẹ̀jẹ̀ ara wọn.
    Ara wọn ni wọ́n ń dá lọ́nà
19 Báyìí ni ìgbẹ̀yìn gbogbo àwọn tí ń wá èrè àìtọ́;
    yóò mú ẹ̀mí gbogbo ẹni tí ó rí i lọ.

Ìkìlọ̀ láti má ṣe kọ ọgbọ́n sílẹ̀

20 (A)Ọgbọ́n kígbe sókè ní pópó
    ó gbé ohùn rẹ̀ sókè láàrín ọjà;
21 Láàrín ọjà ni ó ti kígbe jáde
    Ní ibodè ìlú ni ó ti sọ̀rọ̀ ọ rẹ̀:

22 “Yóò ha ti pẹ́ tó tí ẹ̀yin aláìmọ̀kan yóò fi fẹ́ àìmọ̀kan yín tó?
    Yóò ha ti pẹ́ tó tí àwọn ẹlẹ́gàn yóò ṣe inú dídùn sí ìpẹ̀gàn tó?
    Àwọn aláìgbọ́n kórìíra ìmọ̀?
23 Bí ẹ bá ti gbọ́ ìbáwí ì mi ni,
    Ǹ bá ti tú ohun tí ó wà nínú ọkàn mi jáde fún yín
    kí n sì fi inú mi hàn sí i yín.
24 Ṣùgbọ́n níwọ̀n bí ẹ ti kọ ìpè ní ìgbà tí mo pè
    kò sì sí ẹni tí ó kọ ibi ara sí mi gbà tí mo na ọwọ́ sí wọn,
25 Níwọ́n bí ẹ ti kọ gbogbo ìmọ̀ràn mi,
    tí ẹ̀yin kò sì gba ìbáwí mi,
26 Èmi pẹ̀lú yóò fi ìdààmú yín rẹ́rìn-ín;
    èmi yóò ṣẹ̀fẹ̀ nígbà tí ìyọnu bá dé bá a yín.
27 Nígbà tí ìyọnu bá dé bá a yín bí ìjì líle,
    Nígbà tí ìdààmú bá dé bá ọ bí ààjà,
    nígbà tí wàhálà àti ìbànújẹ́ ọkàn bá bò ọ́ mọ́lẹ̀.

28 “Nígbà náà ni wọn yóò ké pè mí ṣùgbọ́n, èmi kò ní dáhùn;
    wọn yóò fi ara balẹ̀ wá mi ṣùgbọ́n wọn kì yóò rí mi.
29 Níwọ́n bí wọ́n ti kórìíra ìmọ̀
    tí wọ́n sì kọ̀ láti bẹ̀rù Olúwa.
30 Níwọ́n bí wọn kò ti gbà ìmọ̀ràn mi
    tí wọ́n sì kẹ́gàn ìmọ̀ràn mi,
31 Wọn yóò jẹ èrè iṣẹ́ ọwọ́ wọn
    wọn yóò sì jèrè èso ètè wọn ní kíkún
32 Nítorí ìrìnkurìn àwọn aláìmọ̀kan ni yóò pa wọ́n
    ìkáwọ́gbera aláìgbọ́n ni yóò pa á run;
33 Ṣùgbọ́n ẹnìkan tí ó bá fetí sí mi, yóò gbé láìléwu
    yóò sì wà nínú ìdẹ̀ra, láìsí ìbẹ̀rù ìpalára.”

Purpose and Theme

The proverbs(A) of Solomon(B) son of David, king of Israel:(C)

for gaining wisdom and instruction;
    for understanding words of insight;
for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
    doing what is right and just and fair;
for giving prudence to those who are simple,[a](D)
    knowledge and discretion(E) to the young—
let the wise listen and add to their learning,(F)
    and let the discerning get guidance—
for understanding proverbs and parables,(G)
    the sayings and riddles(H) of the wise.[b](I)

The fear of the Lord(J) is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools[c] despise wisdom(K) and instruction.(L)

Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom

Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men

Listen, my son,(M) to your father’s(N) instruction
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(O)
They are a garland to grace your head
    and a chain to adorn your neck.(P)

10 My son, if sinful men entice(Q) you,
    do not give in(R) to them.(S)
11 If they say, “Come along with us;
    let’s lie in wait(T) for innocent blood,
    let’s ambush some harmless soul;
12 let’s swallow(U) them alive, like the grave,
    and whole, like those who go down to the pit;(V)
13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
    and fill our houses with plunder;
14 cast lots with us;
    we will all share the loot(W)”—
15 my son, do not go along with them,
    do not set foot(X) on their paths;(Y)
16 for their feet rush into evil,(Z)
    they are swift to shed blood.(AA)
17 How useless to spread a net
    where every bird can see it!
18 These men lie in wait(AB) for their own blood;
    they ambush only themselves!(AC)
19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
    it takes away the life of those who get it.(AD)

Wisdom’s Rebuke

20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,(AE)
    she raises her voice in the public square;
21 on top of the wall[d] she cries out,
    at the city gate she makes her speech:

22 “How long will you who are simple(AF) love your simple ways?
    How long will mockers delight in mockery
    and fools hate(AG) knowledge?
23 Repent at my rebuke!
    Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
    I will make known to you my teachings.
24 But since you refuse(AH) to listen when I call(AI)
    and no one pays attention(AJ) when I stretch out my hand,
25 since you disregard all my advice
    and do not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh(AK) when disaster(AL) strikes you;
    I will mock(AM) when calamity overtakes you(AN)
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
    when disaster(AO) sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
    when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;(AP)
    they will look for me but will not find me,(AQ)
29 since they hated knowledge
    and did not choose to fear the Lord.(AR)
30 Since they would not accept my advice
    and spurned my rebuke,(AS)
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
    and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.(AT)
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them;(AU)
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety(AV)
    and be at ease, without fear of harm.”(AW)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:4 The Hebrew word rendered simple in Proverbs denotes a person who is gullible, without moral direction and inclined to evil.
  2. Proverbs 1:6 Or understanding a proverb, namely, a parable, / and the sayings of the wise, their riddles
  3. Proverbs 1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient.
  4. Proverbs 1:21 Septuagint; Hebrew / at noisy street corners