1 Ja sēdies pie mielasta ar valdnieku,
raugies vērīgi, kas tev priekšā, –
2 labāk nazis tev pie rīkles,
nevis pārlieku liela kāre!
3 Nealksti pēc viņa gardumiem –
viltīga viņa maize!
4 Nenopūlies dēļ bagātības,
ja tu gudrs – neielaidies!
5 Tik acis tai uzmetīsi – tās vairs nav!
Tā atpleš spārnus kā ērglis
un aizlaižas debesīs.
6 Neēd skauģa maizi,
nealksti pēc viņa gardumiem,
7 viņš ir no tiem, kas kumosus skaita.
Ēd un dzer! – viņš tev saka,
bet tas nenāk no sirds,
8 viss, ko apēd, būs tev jāizvemj,
velti tu tērē laipnus vārdus!
9 Ar muļķi runāt – to ne,
tavus prātīgos vārdus šis nonievās!
10 Nepārcel senu robežakmeni,
bāreņu laukos nesper kāju,
11 jo viņu Izpircējs stiprs,
viņu sūdzību viņš cels pret tevi!
12 Mācībai atver sirdi
un atdari ausis zinības vārdiem!
13 Neatrauj zēnam pārmācību,
netaupi rīksti – tad tas nemirs,
14 ar rīksti viņš tev jāper,
lai viņa dzīvību glābtu no šeola!
15 Dēls, ja gudra būs tava sirds,
priecāsies mana sirds, arī manējā! –
16 un es līksmošos,
ja tavas lūpas runās patiesību!
17 Lai tava sirds netiecas pie grēkdariem,
lai bez mitas tā bijā Kungu,
18 jo tad būs nākotne,
tad tava cerība nezudīs!
19 Tu klausies, dēls, un topi gudrs,
un sūti savu sirdi pareizos ceļos,
20 nestāj starp vīna tempējiem un gaļas rīmām,
21 jo tempējs un rīma tiks nabagi,
snauds tos skrandās ietērps!
22 Klausi savu tēvu, kas tevi dzemdinājis,
nenievā māti, kad tā veca!
23 Pērc patiesību un vairs nepārdod
gudrību, mācību un saprašanu!
24 Līksmot līksmosies taisnā tēvs,
kas gudro dzemdinājis, priecāsies par viņu!
25 Lai priecājas tavs tēvs un māte,
lai līksmo tā, kas dzemdēja tevi!
26 Atver man, dēls, savu sirdi
un ievēro, ko tev mācu, –
27 mauka ir dziļa bedre,
un šaura aka ir svešiniece!
28 Patiesi, tā glūn kā uz laupījumu –
vairo viltu cilvēku vidū!
29 Kam ai! un kam vai! – kam ķildas, kam žēlas?
Kam brūces par velti, kam sadugušas acis?
30 Tiem, kas aizsēžas pie vīna,
tiem, kas skrien lūkot pēc jaukta vīna!
31 Neskati vīnu, ka tas sārts,
ka dzalkstī kausā, ka malkojas glāsmi –
32 galā kā čūska tas kož
un kā odze tas dzeļ!
33 Tavas acis skatīs murgus,
tava sirds runās nešķīstības!
34 Tu būsi kā apgūlies jūras selgā,
kā tāds, kas guļ masta galā!
35 – Tie sita mani – man nesāpēja,
tie dauzīja mani – es nemanīju!
Kad modīšos, meklēšu dabūt vēl! –
–6–
1 When you are invited
to eat with a king,
use your best manners.
2 Don't go and stuff yourself!
That would be just the same
as cutting your throat.
3 Don't be greedy for all
of that fancy food!
It may not be so tasty.
–7–
4 Give up trying so hard
to get rich.
5 Your money flies away
before you know it,
just like an eagle
suddenly taking off.
–8–
6 Don't accept an invitation
to eat a selfish person's food,
no matter how good it is.
7 People like that take note
of how much you eat.
They say, “Take all you want!”
But they don't mean it.
8 Each bite will come back up,
and all your kind words
will be wasted.
–9–
9 Don't talk to fools—
they will make fun of you.
–10–
10 Don't move a boundary marker
or take the land
that belongs to orphans.
11 God All-Powerful is there
to defend them against you.
–11–
12 Listen to instruction
and do your best to learn.
–12–
13 Don't fail to correct
your children.
You won't kill them
by being firm,
14 and it may even
save their lives.
–13–
15 My children,
if you show good sense,
I will be happy,
16 and if you are truthful,
I will really be glad.
–14–
17 Don't be jealous of sinners,
but always honor the Lord.
18 Then you will truly have hope
for the future.
–15–
19 Listen to me, my children!
Be wise and have enough sense
to follow the right path.
20 Don't be a heavy drinker
or stuff yourself with food.
21 It will make you feel drowsy,
and you will end up poor
with only rags to wear.
–16–
22 Pay attention to your father,
and don't neglect your mother
when she grows old.
23 Invest in truth and wisdom,
discipline and good sense,
and don't part with them.
24 Make your father truly happy
by living right and showing
sound judgment.
25 Make your parents proud,
especially your mother.
–17–
26 My son, pay close attention,
and gladly follow
my example.
27 Bad women and unfaithful wives
are like a deep pit—
28 they are waiting to attack you
like a gang of robbers
with victim after victim.
–18–
29 Who is always in trouble?
Who argues and fights?
Who has cuts and bruises?
Whose eyes are red?
30 Everyone who stays up late,
having just one more drink.
31 Don't even look
at that colorful stuff
bubbling up in the glass!
It goes down so easily,
32 but later it bites
like a poisonous snake.
33 You will see weird things,
and your mind
will play tricks on you.
34 You will feel tossed about
like someone trying to sleep
on a ship in a storm.
35 You will be bruised all over,
without even remembering
how it all happened.
And you will lie awake asking,
“When will morning come,
so I can drink some more?”
