Hear Me, My Pikin Dem
One papa dey pass down wetin im own papa tell am, and the chapter keep that chain for eye. Im pictures na about direction: road wey dey bright more and more until daylight, against road wey dark so tey you no fit see wetin make you fall. Guard your heart, and look straight for front.
4 1Hear, my pikin dem, di teaching wey una papa dey give; open una ear well, make una gain understanding. 2Na correct teaching I dey give una, so no throway my instruction. 3For me too na pikin I be for my papa hand, soft-heart pikin, di only-one wey my mama love well well. 4Im teach me, im talk say, “Make your heart hold my words tight; keep my commands, and you go live. 5Get wisdom, get understanding; no forget, and no turn comot from di words wey my mouth talk. 6No leave am, and she go protect you; love am, and she go dey watch over you. 7Di beginning of wisdom na dis: get wisdom; and wit everytin wey you get, get understanding. 8Hold am dear, and she go lift you high; hug am tight, and she go bring honour give you. 9She go put crown of grace for your head; she go give you crown of glory.”
10Hear, my pikin, and receive my words, and di years of your life go plenty. 11I don teach you di way of wisdom; I don lead you follow straight road. 12Wen you dey waka, notin go hold your leg; and wen you dey run, you no go stumble. 13Hold di instruction tight, no let am go; guard am, because na she be your life.
14No put your leg for di road of di wicked people, and no waka for di way of dem wey dey do evil. 15Dodge am, no waka for am; turn comot from am and just pass go. 16Because dem no fit sleep unless dem do bad tin; sleep dey run from dem unless dem make somebody fall. 17Dem dey chop di bread of wickedness and drink di wine of violence.
18But di road of di correct-and-holy people be like di light wey dey break for morning, wey dey shine brighter and brighter until day break well well. 19Di way of di wicked people be like deep darkness; dem no even know wetin dey make dem stumble.
20My pikin, open your ear well to my words; bend your ear come near to wetin I dey talk. 21No make dem comot from your eye; keep dem deep inside your heart. 22Because dem be life to anybody wey find dem, and healing to di whole body.
23Pass everytin, guard your heart, because everytin wey you dey do dey flow comot from am. 24Comot crooked talk from your mouth, and keep lips wey dey lie far from you. 25Make your eye look straight for front; fix your eye direct for wetin dey your front. 26Tink well well about di road wey your leg go follow, and all your way go stand strong. 27No turn go right or left; keep your leg far from evil.
