Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye children, the correction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Ụmụ m ndị ikom, geenụ ntị na ndụmọdụ nke nna unu, lezienụ anya ka unu nwee nghọta.
2 For good information do I give you: my teaching must ye not forsake.
Ṅaanụ ntị, nwee uche, nʼihi na ọ bụ ezi ozizi ka m na-ezi unu; ya mere, unu ahapụkwala iwu m.
3 For I was a son unto my father, a tender and an only child before my mother.
Mgbe m bụ nwantakịrị nʼụlọ nna m, mgbe m ka dị ntakịrị, bụrụkwa naanị otu nwa nne m ji,
4 And he instructed me, and said unto me, Let thy heart grasp firmly my words: observe my commandments and live.
ọ ziri m ihe, sịkwa m, “Ka obi gị jidesie okwu m niile ike, debe nʼiwu niile, ị ga-adịkwa ndụ.
5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding: forget not, and depart not from the sayings of my mouth.
Nweta amamihe, nwetakwa nghọta, echezọkwala okwu m, maọbụ site na ya wezuga onwe gị.
6 Forsake her not, and she will watch over thee: love her, and she will keep thee.
Ahapụla amamihe, ọ ga-echebe gị, hụ ya nʼanya, nʼihi na ọ ga-eduzi gị.
7 The beginning of wisdom is, Acquire wisdom: and with all thy acquisition acquire understanding.
Mmalite amamihe bụ nke a, nweta amamihe, ihe ọbụla o ga-efu gị, nweta nghọta.
8 Hold her in high esteem, and she will exalt thee: she will bring thee to honor, when thou embracest her.
Ọ bụrụ na i bulie amamihe elu, o ga-ebulikwa gị elu. Jidesie ya ike, ọ ga-ewetara gị oke nsọpụrụ.
9 She will give to thy head a wreath of grace: a crown of ornament will she deliver to thee.
Ọ ga-eji okpueze okoko osisi chọọ isi gị mma nyekwa gị okpueze mara mma nʼisi gị.”
10 Hear, O my son, and accept my sayings: and they will increase unto thee the years of life.
Nwa m, ṅaa m ntị, meekwa ihe m gwara gị; ị ga-enwekwa ndụ ogologo.
11 In the way of wisdom have I instructed thee: I have led thee in the tracks of uprightness.
M ga-edu gị nʼụzọ nke amamihe, duokwa gị nʼụzọ ziri ezi.
12 When thou walkest, thy step shall not be narrowed; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Ọ bụrụ na i bie ụdị ndụ dị otu a, ihe agaghị akpọ gị nʼụkwụ nʼije gị, ị gaghị asụkwa ngọngọ mgbe ị na-agba ọsọ.
13 Lay fast hold of correction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
Mee ihe niile m gwara gị, echefukwala ha, nʼihi na ọ ga-eduba gị na ndụ zuruoke.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and step not on the way of the bad.
Emela dịka ndị na-emebi iwu. Esokwala ụzọ ha.
15 Avoid it, pass not through by it, turn off from it, and pass away.
Zeere ha, ejekwala nʼụzọ ha; chepu ihu gị nʼụzọ ahụ,
16 For they sleep not, except they have done evil, and their sleep is robbed away, unless they cause some to stumble.
nʼihi na ndị na-emebi iwu adịghị arahụ ụra tutu ha emee arụ nke ụbọchị ahụ. Ha anaghị ezu ike tutu ha emee ka otu onye maa nʼọnya.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness; and the wine of violence do they drink.
Ha na-eri ihe oriri nke mmebi iwu, na-aṅụkwa ihe ọṅụṅụ nke ọgbaaghara.
18 But the path of the righteous is as the early morning light, that shineth more and more brightly until the height of noonday.
Ma ụzọ ndị ezi omume dị ka anyanwụ na-awa nʼisi ụtụtụ, nke na-enwuwakwa dịka ìhè nʼetiti ehihie ụbọchị.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness: they know not against what they stumble.
Ma ụzọ onye na-emebi iwu dị ka itiri nke ọchịchịrị, ha anaghị ama ihe na-eme ka ha sụọ ngọngọ.
20 My son, attend to my words, unto my sayings incline thy ear.
Gee ntị nwa m, nʼihe m na-ekwu. Gee ntị nke ọma.
21 Let them not slip away from thy eyes: guard them in the midst of thy heart.
Doo ihe ndị a nʼuche gị mgbe niile; ka ha bamiekwa nʼime obi gị,
22 For they are life unto every one of those that find them, and to all his body a healing.
nʼihi na ha bụ ndụ nye ndị chọtara ha, bụrụkwa ahụ ike nye mmadụ.
23 Above all that is to be guarded, keep thy heart, for out of it are the issues of life.
Nke ka nke, lezie echiche uche gị niile anya, nʼihi na ha na-emetụta ndụ gị niile.
24 Remove from thee frowardness of mouth; and perverseness of lips put away far from thee.
Ka ụgha ọbụla ghara isi gị nʼọnụ pụta; kpọọ ịgha ụgha niile na okwu rụrụ arụ niile asị.
25 Let thy eyes look right forward, and let thy eyelids see straight out before thee.
Legide anya nʼihu ime ihe bụ eziokwu; atụgharịkwala isi gị ile ihe ọbụla.
26 Balance well the track of thy foot, and let all thy ways be firmly right.
Leruo ije ụkwụ gị anya, doziekwa ụzọ gị niile ka ọ guzozie.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Ewezugala onwe gị site nʼaka nri maọbụ nʼaka ekpe; si nʼihe ọjọọ wezuga ụkwụ gị.
