Proverbs 23
1 When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is set before you,
Mgbe gị na onye na-achị achị nọdụrụ irikọ nri, lezie ihe dị nʼihu gị anya,
2 and put a knife to your throat if you possess a great appetite.
tụkwasị mma nʼakpịrị gị, ma ọ bụrụ na ị bụ onye iri oke nri na-atọ ụtọ.
3 Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
Achọsila nri ụtọ ya ike, nʼihi na nri ahụ bụ nri aghụghọ.
4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.
Adọgbula onwe gị nʼọrụ maka ịbụ ọgaranya, atụkwasịla obi na nghọta gị.
5 When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.
Nʼihi na akụ nwere ike ifu nʼotu ntabi anya dịka a ga-asị na ha nwere nku dịka nnụnụ ugo.
6 Do not eat the bread of a stingy man, and do not crave his delicacies;
Erila nri onye aka ntagide na-enye gị. Nri ụtọ ya agụkwala gị agụ.
7 for he is keeping track, inwardly counting the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
Nʼihi na ọ bụ ụdị mmadụ ahụ na-eche ọnụahịa ihe ọ na-emefuru gị. Ọ na-asị gị, “Rie ihe, ṅụọkwa ihe ọṅụṅụ,” ma obi ya adịghị nʼebe ị nọ.
8 You will vomit up what little you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
Ị ga-agbọkwa nke ntakịrị ahụ i riri mgbe ahụ, okwu ọma ahụ niile i kwuru banyere ya ga-abụ ihe efu.
9 Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Atụfula ume gị ịgwa onye nzuzu okwu, nʼihi na ọ ga-eleda okwu i sitere nʼezi uche kwuo anya.
10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
Anarala nwa na-enweghị nne na nna ala ya site nʼihigharị oke ala e gwunyere site nʼoge gara aga,
11 for their Redeemer is strong; He will take up their case against you.
nʼihi na onye mgbapụta ha dị ike; ya onwe ya ga-ekwuchitere ha ọnụ ha.
12 Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
Tinye uche gị nʼịdọ aka na ntị; gekwaa ntị nụrụ okwu ihe ọmụma niile.
13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; although you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
Ahapụla ịdọ ụmụ gị aka na ntị. Ha agaghị anwụ nʼihi na ị tiri ha ihe.
Jiri mkpara tie ya ihe ma zọpụta ndụ ya site nʼọnwụ. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart will indeed rejoice.
Nwa m, aga m aṅụrị ọṅụ nke ukwuu ma ọ bụrụ na ị ghọọ onye maara ihe.
16 My inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
Mkpụrụobi m ga-aṅụrị ọṅụ mgbe egbugbere ọnụ gị abụọ kwuru ihe ziri ezi.
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always continue in the fear of the LORD.
Ekwela ka obi gị kwosa ndị mmehie ekworo, kama nọgide nʼịnụ ọkụ nʼobi nʼịtụ egwu Onyenwe anyị mgbe niile,
18 For surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
nʼihi na i nwere ọtụtụ ihe ọma nʼihu gị. Olileanya dị ukwuu dịrị gị.
19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart on the right course.
Nwa m, nwee uche, gbasookwa ụzọ Chineke.
20 Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat.
Anọla nʼetiti ndị na-aṅụbiga mmanya oke, na ndị iri oke oriri na-atọ ụtọ,
21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.
nʼihi na ihe niile ga-akọ ha. Ọ bụkwa nkịrịnka akwa ka onye oke ụra na-eyi nʼahụ.
22 Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
Ṅaa ntị nʼịdọ aka na ntị nna gị, akpọkwala ịdọ aka na ntị nne gị bụ agadi nwanyị asị.
23 Invest in truth and never sell it— in wisdom and instruction and understanding.
Zụta eziokwu, erekwala ya, zụtakwa amamihe, ntụziaka, na nghọta.
24 The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice, and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him.
Nna onye ezi omume ga-aṅụrị ọṅụ. Ọ bụkwa ihe oke ọṅụ inweta nwa maara ihe.
25 May your father and mother be glad, and may she who gave you birth rejoice!
Ka nne na nna gị nwee obi ụtọ. Ka onye mụrụ gị ṅụrịa.
26 My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes delight in my ways.
Nwa m, nye m obi gị ka ụzọ m niile nyekwa anya gị ọṅụ.
27 For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well.
Nʼihi na onye akwụna bụ olulu miri emi, nwanyị nwe di na-akwa iko bụ olulu mmiri dị warawara.
28 Like a robber she lies in wait and multiplies the faithless among men.
Dịka onye ohi ka ọ na-echere na-emekwa ka ndị na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi baa ụba nʼetiti ụmụ nwoke.
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes?
Onye ka obi ya jupụtara nʼahụhụ? Onye nọ na iru ụjụ? Olee onye nwere esemokwu? Onye nwere ọtụtụ ihe mkpesa? Onye nwere mmerụ ahụ nke na-abaghị uru? Onye nwere anya nke na-acha ọbara ọbara?
30 Those who linger over wine, who go to taste mixed drinks.
Ọ bụ ndị na-anọ ogologo oge na-aṅụ mmanya, onye na-aga ịchọpụta mmanya agwara agwa.
31 Do not gaze at wine while it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
Elekwasịla mmanya anya mgbe ọ na-acha ọbara ọbara, mgbe ọ na-ezipụta ọdịdị ya nʼiko mgbe ọ na-asụgharị nke ọma nʼime iko.
32 In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.
Nʼikpeazụ, ọ na-ata dịka agwọ na-atụkwa dịka ajụala.
33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will utter perversities.
Anya gị abụọ ga-ahụ ihe ị na-amaghị isi ya na ọdụ ya, obi gị ga-atụlekwa ihe ndị na-agbagwoju anya.
34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas or lying on the top of a mast:
Ị ga-adị ka onye na-edina nʼetiti oke osimiri, nke na-edinakwa nʼelu ụdọ nʼejide ụgbọ.
35 “They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?”
Ị ga-asị, “Ha tiri m ihe, ma emerụghị m ahụ. Ha pịara m ihe, ma amaghị m. Olee mgbe m ga-eteta, ka m pụọ ga chọọ mmanya ọzọ?”
