Proverbs 24

24 ¹No dey jealous bad people, and no let your mind dey wan follow dem stay, ²because dem heart dey plan wickedness, and dem mouth dey talk about wahala.

³Na with wisdom dem dey build house, and na with understanding dem dey make am stand strong; ⁴and na with knowledge dem dey fill di rooms inside am with all fine and sweet riches.

⁵Person wey get wisdom dey full of power, and person wey get knowledge dey add strength give imsef, ⁶because na with wise direction you fit fight your war, and victory dey come through plenty people wey dey advise.

⁷Wisdom high pass foolish person; for di gate, e no get anything to talk. ⁸Anybody wey dey plan to do evil, dem go call am person wey dey scheme bad-bad. ⁹Foolish person plan na sin, and person wey dey mock, people no fit stand am at all.

¹⁰If you fall for time of wahala, your strength na small small. ¹¹Rescue dem wey dem dey carry go kill, and hold back dem wey dey stagger dey go to slaughter. ¹²If you talk say, “See, we no know dis one,” abi di One wey dey weigh heart no dey see am? Abi di One wey dey watch over your soul no know am? And e no go pay every person according to wetin e do?

¹³My pikin, chop honey, because e good, and di honeycomb wey dey drip sweet for your mouth. ¹⁴Sabi say wisdom be exactly like dis to your soul; if you find am, future dey, and your hope no go cut off.

¹⁵No lie in wait, you wicked man, against di home of di correct-and-holy person; no destroy di place wey e dey rest, ¹⁶because even though di correct-and-holy person fall seven times, e go rise again, but di wicked go stumble inside disaster.

¹⁷No rejoice when your enemy fall, and no let your heart dey glad when e stumble, ¹⁸so dat our Papa no go see am and vex, and turn im anger comot from am.

¹⁹No worry yoursef because of people wey dey do evil, and no dey jealous di wicked, ²⁰because di evil man no get future; di lamp of di wicked go quench.

²¹My pikin, fear our Papa and di king, and no join with dem wey dey rebel against dem, ²²because dem disaster go rise sharp-sharp, and who sabi di ruin wey di two of dem fit bring?

Judgement Wey No Dey Take Sides

²³Dis ones too na di talk of wise people: To dey take sides for judgement no good. ²⁴Anybody wey talk to di guilty person say, “You no do anything,” people go curse am and nations go condemn am, ²⁵but e go better for dem wey dey judge di guilty, and rich blessing go come on top dem. ²⁶Honest answer dey be like kiss for lip. ²⁷Prepare your work outside, make your farm ready, and after dat build your house. ²⁸No be witness against your neighbour anyhow without reason; you wan use your mouth deceive person? ²⁹No talk say, “I go do am wetin e do me; I go pay di man back for wetin e don do.” ³⁰I pass by di farm of lazy man, by di vineyard of person wey no get sense, ³¹and see am, thorns don grow full everywhere; weeds don cover di ground, and di stone wall don break down. ³²Den I look and put am for my heart; I see and I collect lesson. ³³Small sleep, small doze, small fold of hand to rest, ³⁴and poverty go come on you like thief, and lack like man wey carry weapon.