Proverbs 4
1 Hear, [my] sons, the instruction 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 I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not my law.
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, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
Mgbe m bụ nwantakịrị nʼụlọ nna m, mgbe m ka dị ntakịrị, bụrụkwa naanị otu nwa nne m ji,
4 And he taught me, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words; keep 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 Get wisdom, get understanding; forget [it] not, neither decline from the words of my mouth:
Nweta amamihe, nwetakwa nghọta, echezọkwala okwu m, maọbụ site na ya wezuga onwe gị.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee; love her, and she shall keep thee.
Ahapụla amamihe, ọ ga-echebe gị, hụ ya nʼanya, nʼihi na ọ ga-eduzi gị.
7 Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: yea, with all thou hast gotten get understanding.
Mmalite amamihe bụ nke a, nweta amamihe, ihe ọbụla o ga-efu gị, nweta nghọta.
8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
Ọ bụrụ na i bulie amamihe elu, o ga-ebulikwa gị elu. Jidesie ya ike, ọ ga-ewetara gị oke nsọpụrụ.
9 She shall give to thine head a chaplet of grace: a crown of beauty shall 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 receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
Nwa m, ṅaa m ntị, meekwa ihe m gwara gị; ị ga-enwekwa ndụ ogologo.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
M ga-edu gị nʼụzọ nke amamihe, duokwa gị nʼụzọ ziri ezi.
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and if 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 Take fast hold of instruction; 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 walk not in the way of evil men.
Emela dịka ndị na-emebi iwu. Esokwala ụzọ ha.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass on.
Zeere ha, ejekwala nʼụzọ ha; chepu ihu gị nʼụzọ ahụ,
16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
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 drink the wine of violence.
Ha na-eri ihe oriri nke mmebi iwu, na-aṅụkwa ihe ọṅụṅụ nke ọgbaaghara.
18 But the path of the righteous is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
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 as darkness: they know not at 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; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Gee ntị nwa m, nʼihe m na-ekwu. Gee ntị nke ọma.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
Doo ihe ndị a nʼuche gị mgbe niile; ka ha bamiekwa nʼime obi gị,
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
nʼihi na ha bụ ndụ nye ndị chọtara ha, bụrụkwa ahụ ike nye mmadụ.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; 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 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Ka ụgha ọbụla ghara isi gị nʼọnụ pụta; kpọọ ịgha ụgha niile na okwu rụrụ arụ niile asị.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Legide anya nʼihu ime ihe bụ eziokwu; atụgharịkwala isi gị ile ihe ọbụla.
26 Make level the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
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.
