< Proverbs 26 >
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour beseemeth not a fool.
Ịhụ onye nzuzu a na-enye nsọpụrụ dịka ịhụ mkpụrụ mmiri ka ọ na-ada nʼoge ọkọchị maọbụ mmiri na-ezo nʼoge owuwe ihe ubi.
2 As the sparrow for flitting about, as the swallow for flying, so a curse undeserved shall not come.
Dịka nnụnụ nta na-efegharị efegharị, maọbụ dịka eleke na-awụgharị otu a ka ọbụbụ ọnụ na-ekwesighị agaghị ere.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools.
Ụtarị dịrị ịnyịnya, ịnyịnya ibu ka a na-ekenye mkpụmkpụ igwe nʼọnụ; otu a kwa ka apịpịa dị nye azụ ndị nzuzu.
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
A zaghachila onye nzuzu dịka enweghị uche ya si dị, ma ọ bụghị ya gị onwe gị ga-adị ka ya.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
Zaa onye nzuzu dịka enweghị uche ya si dị, ma ọ bụghị ya ọ ga-abụ onye maara ihe nʼanya onwe ya.
6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off [his own] feet, [and] drinketh damage.
Iziga ozi site nʼaka onye nzuzu dịka mmadụ ibipụ ụkwụ ya maọbụ ịṅụ ihe ike dịka mmiri.
7 The legs of the lame hang loose; so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
Dịka onye ngwụrọ si eji ụkwụ ya eje ije, otu a ka ilu si esite nʼọnụ onye nzuzu apụta.
8 As a bag of gems in a stoneheap, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.
Ọ baghị uru inye onye nzuzu nsọpụrụ, nʼihi na ọ gaghị anọgide. Ọ dị ka ịwụ ọkụkọ mmiri nʼazụ.
9 [As] a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
Dịka ogwu manyere nʼaka onye na-aṅụbiga mmanya oke otu a ka ilu dị nʼọnụ onye nzuzu.
10 A master roughly worketh every one: he both hireth the fool and hireth passers-by.
Dịka ọgba ụta si agba ụta ya na-enweghị onye o bụ nʼobi, otu a ka ọ dị bụ onye na-enye onye nzuzu maọbụ onye o bụla na-agafe nʼụzọ ọrụ ka o rụọra ya.
11 As a dog turneth back to its vomit, [so] a fool repeateth his folly.
Dịka nkịta laghachiri ọzọ nʼihe ọ gbọrọ, otu a ka ndị nzuzu dị mgbe ha na-emekwa omume enweghị uche ha.
12 Hast thou seen a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of a fool than of him.
Ị hụrụ onye mara ihe nʼanya nke onwe ya? Olileanya dị nye onye nzuzu karịa ndị dị otu a.
13 The sluggard saith, There is a fierce lion in the way; a lion is in the midst of the streets!
Onye umengwụ na-asị, “Ọdụm nọ nʼokporoụzọ, ọdụm ji oke iwe na-awagharị nọ nʼama niile!”
14 [As] the door turneth upon its hinges, so the sluggard upon his bed.
Dịka ibo ọnụ ụzọ si emegharị nʼihe nkonye ya, otu a ka onye umengwụ si na-atụgharị onwe ya nʼelu ihe ndina ya.
15 The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish: it wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.
Onye umengwụ na-amanye aka nʼefere nri ma oke umengwụ a naghị ekwe ka o weghachi ya tinye nʼọnụ ya.
16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven [men] that answer discreetly.
Nʼuche ya, onye umengwụ na-eche na ọ maara ihe karịa ndị ikom asaa na-eji ezi uche azaghachi okwu.
17 He that passing by vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, is [like] one that taketh a dog by the ears.
Onye na-etinye onwe ya nʼesemokwu na-agbasaghị ya dị ka mmadụ na-apụ nʼokporoụzọ dọkpụrụ nkịta ọbụla ọ hụrụ na ntị.
18 As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
Dịka onye ara na-agba àkụ na-ere ọkụ nke na-eweta ọnwụ,
19 so is a man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am I not in sport?
ka nwoke ahụ bụ nke na-aghọgbu onye agbataobi ya ma sị, “ọ bụ naanị egwuregwu ka m na-egwu.”
20 Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where there is no talebearer, the contention ceaseth.
Ọkụ na-anyụ mgbe nkụ gwụrụ, otu a kwa esemokwu na-akwụsị mgbe a kwụsịrị ikwu ndị ọzọ okwu nʼazụ.
21 [As] coals for hot coals, and wood for fire, so is a contentious man to inflame strife.
Dịka icheku si eme ka nkụ nwuru ọkụ, otu a ka onye na-ese okwu si eme ka ọgụ nwuru ọkụ.
22 The words of a talebearer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Okwu niile nke onye na-agba asịrị na-ekwu dịka iberibe nri nʼatọ ezi ụtọ, ha na-agbadakwa nʼime ime ala afọ.
23 Ardent lips, and a wicked heart, are [as] an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
Dịka ite aja ụrọ nke e ji ọlaọcha na-abaghị uru techie, ka egbugbere ọnụ dị nro nke obi jupụtara nʼihe ọjọọ bụ.
24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, but he layeth up deceit within him:
Ndị iro na-eji egbugbere ọnụ ha gbanwee onwe ha, ma nʼime obi ha ọ bụ naanị aghụghọ dị ya.
25 when his voice is gracious, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
Okwu ọnụ ya nwere ike tọọ ụtọ na ntị ma ekwenyerela ha, nʼihi na ihe arụ asaa jupụtara nʼime obi ha.
26 Though [his] hatred is covered by dissimulation, his wickedness shall be made manifest in the congregation.
Ọ bụ ezie na ọ ga na-eme ka ọ hụrụ gị nʼanya, ma iro ya ga-apụta ihe, mmadụ niile ga-ahụkwa ya.
27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.
Onye na-egwuru ibe ya olulu ga-adaba nʼime ya. Ọzọ, onye na-enuda nkume, ya ka nkume ahụ ga-adagbu.
28 A lying tongue hateth those that are injured by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
Onye ị kpọrọ asị bụ onye ị ga-achọ iwetara ihe mgbu site nʼịgha ụgha. Okwu ọma na-esighị nʼobi mmadụ pụta na-eweta ịla nʼiyi.