Proverbs 3

3 ¹My pikin, no forget wetin I dey teach you, but make your heart hold my commandments tight, ²because dem go add long life and years of living and peace give you. ³No make Covenant love and faithfulness comot from you; tie dem for your neck, write dem for di tablet of your heart. ⁴So you go find favour and good name for front of our Papa and for front of people.

⁵Put your trust for our Papa with all your heart, and no lean on your own understanding. ⁶For all your ways sabi am, and e go make your paths straight.

⁷No dey wise for your own eyes; fear our Papa, and turn comot from evil. ⁸Dis one go bring healing come your body and freshness give your bones.

⁹Honour our Papa with your wealth and with di firstfruits of everything wey you harvest, ^a a v9 Firstfruits na di first and best part of di harvest, wey dem dey give our Papa before dem use any of am. ¹⁰then your barns go full with plenty, and your wine-pot go overflow with new wine.

¹¹My pikin, no despise di discipline of our Papa or tire for im correction, ¹²because our Papa dey discipline di one wey im heart love, just as papa dey discipline di pikin wey e dey take joy for.

¹³Blessed na di one wey find wisdom, and di one wey gain understanding, ¹⁴because wetin you gain from am better pass wetin you gain from silver, and im profit better pass gold. ¹⁵She dey more precious pass jewels, and nothing wey you want fit match am. ¹⁶Long life dey for im right hand; for im left hand na riches and honour. ¹⁷Im ways dey sweet, and all im paths na peace. ¹⁸She na tree of life to dem wey hold am; dem wey hold am tight, dem dey call dem blessed.

¹⁹Our Papa take wisdom lay di foundation of di earth; with understanding e set di heavens for dia place; ²⁰with im knowledge di deep waters burst open, and di clouds dey drop dew.

²¹My pikin, no let dis ones comot for your eye; hold sound wisdom and good sense, ²²and dem go be life for your soul and fine ornament for your neck. ²³Then you go waka for your way with safety, and your foot no go stumble. ²⁴If you lie down, fear no go catch you; when you lie down, your sleep go sweet. ²⁵No fear sudden terror, or di destruction of di wicked when e come, ²⁶because our Papa go be your confidence and e go keep your foot from being caught.

²⁷No hold back good from dem wey deserve am, when e dey your power to do am. ²⁸No tell your neighbour, “Go, come back, and tomorrow I go give you”—when you get am for hand. ²⁹No plan evil against your neighbour, wey dey live near you with trust for you. ³⁰No quarrel with anybody for no reason, when e no do you any bad.

³¹No envy violent man, and no choose any of im ways, ³²because di crooked person na abomination for our Papa, but e dey take di upright ones into im confidence. ³³Di curse of our Papa dey for di house of di wicked, but e dey bless di home of di correct-and-holy people. ³⁴Toward di people wey dey mock, e dey scorn dem, but to di humble ones e dey give grace. ³⁵Di wise ones go inherit honour, but foolish people go get only disgrace.