Proverbs Chapter 24

No Dey Jealous Evil Men

1. No envy wicked men, no wish to stay wit
   dem.
2. Dem dey plan to shed blood for dia heart,
   and dia lips dey tok as dem wan take cos
   wahala.
3. Na wit wisdom pipo take dey build house,
   and na wit understanding—house take dey
   stand gidigbam.
4. Wit knowledge, di rooms go full wit everi
   fine-fine- tins, plus good tins.
5. Wise man strong kakaraka, eehn..man
   wey like to learn go get more-more pawa.
6. You need guidance to plan for war, and
   plenty advisers dey bring safety.
7. Mumu head no-fit carry wisdom; he no get
   anytin to tok for meeting.
8. Dem go know pesin wey dey plan evil as
   badbelle pesin.
9. Yeye tinking na sin, and pesin wey no-get-
   sense na tufiakwa for men.
10. If you fall on di day wen kasala burst,
    your pawa neva reach be dat!
11. Save pesin wey dey waka go kpeme; hold
    pesin wey dey stagger dey go where dem go
    kill am.
12. If you tok sey, “But we no know anytin
    about am.” Abi you tink sey Baba-God wey
    dey judge pesin heart no dey reason?” Abi
    Baba-God wey dey guard your soul—no
    know wetin sup? Abi he no go pay everi-
    pesin based-on wetin dem don do?
13. Chop honey, my pikin, becos honey
    good, honey wey
    sweet for your mouth.
14. Naso wisdom sef sweet for di soul if you
    sabi am; if you fyne wisdom, you don get
    bright future, and your hope no go cut
    komot.
15. Oh wicked man, make you no attack
    good man house, no rob hin house.
16. Good man fit fall seven times, he go rise
    up again, but kasala dey bring wicked pipo
    down.
17. No dey laff wen your enemy fall; no dey
    happy wen your enemy stagger,
18. or Baba-God go see am, and he no go
    happy—con turn hin vex komot from am.
19. No let evil men dey make your heart cut,
    or jealous wicked pipo.
20. Evil man no get bright future, and wicked
    pesin lamp go off.
21. My son, fear Baba-God and di king, and
    no join pipo wey dey tok about change, and
    wey wan rebel.
22. Dia palava go start sharply, and who
    know di kain punishment wey both di king
    and Baba-God fit carry come?
    More Words Of Wise Man
23. Dis one sef na wise words; e no good
    make pesin dey use partiality judge mata.
24. Any-pesin wey tell wicked pesin sey,
    “You be good pesin,” pipo go curse am and
    nations go hate am.
25. But e go beta for pipo wey condemn
    wicked pipo, and dem go get beta blessings.
26. Correct ansa be like kiss for lips.
27. Arrange your business for outside,
    arrange your land, afta dat build your house.
28. No bad-mouth your neighbour for any
    reason, abi you go use your lips do wayo?
29. No tok sey, “I go do am back wetin he do to me; I go pay dat man back for wetin he do me.”
30. I waka pass lazy man farm, I waka pass di
    grape-farm of pesin wey no-get-sense.
31. Shuku-shuku full everi-where, grass don
    grow full all di ground, and di fence don
    kpafuka.
32. Wen I see am, I reason wetin I
    observe—con learn lesson from wetin I see.
33. Small sleep, small rest, and make pesin
    fold hin hand relax small
34. and before you know, poverty go show
    like tiff, and your bills go meet you like
    armed robber.