Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye sons, the correction of a father, and attend, that ye may know understanding.
Ụmụ m ndị ikom, geenụ ntị na ndụmọdụ nke nna unu, lezienụ anya ka unu nwee nghọta.
2 For, good teaching, have I given you, mine instruction, do not ye forsake.
Ṅaanụ ntị, nwee uche, nʼihi na ọ bụ ezi ozizi ka m na-ezi unu; ya mere, unu ahapụkwala iwu m.
3 For, a son, became I to my father, tender and most precious 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 So he taught me, and said to me—Let thy heart, lay hold of 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 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, Do not forget, neither decline thou from the sayings of my mouth.
Nweta amamihe, nwetakwa nghọta, echezọkwala okwu m, maọbụ site na ya wezuga onwe gị.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will guard 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 principal thing, is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition, acquire thou understanding.
Mmalite amamihe bụ nke a, nweta amamihe, ihe ọbụla o ga-efu gị, nweta nghọta.
8 Exalt her, and she will set thee on high, she will 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 will give for thy head, a wreath of beauty, A crown of adorning, will she bestow upon thee.
Ọ ga-eji okpueze okoko osisi chọọ isi gị mma nyekwa gị okpueze mara mma nʼisi gị.”
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and they will multiply to 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 taught thee, I have guided thee in tracks of uprightness.
M ga-edu gị nʼụzọ nke amamihe, duokwa gị nʼụzọ ziri ezi.
12 When thou walkest, thy step shall not be hemmed in, 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 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 Upon the path of the lawless, do not thou enter, and do not advance in the way of the wicked:
Emela dịka ndị na-emebi iwu. Esokwala ụzọ ha.
15 Avoid it, do not pass thereon—turn from it, and depart.
Zeere ha, ejekwala nʼụzọ ha; chepu ihu gị nʼụzọ ahụ,
16 For they sleep not, unless they can do mischief, —They rob themselves of their sleep, if they cannot cause someone 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 consume bread gotten by lawlessness, and, wine obtained by violence, 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 light of dawn, —going on and brightening, unto meridian 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 lawless, is like 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, to my words, attend, to my sayings, incline thou thine ear;
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 thy heart;
Doo ihe ndị a nʼuche gị mgbe niile; ka ha bamiekwa nʼime obi gị,
22 For, life, they are, to them who find them, —and, to every part of one’s flesh, they bring healing.
nʼihi na ha bụ ndụ nye ndị chọtara ha, bụrụkwa ahụ ike nye mmadụ.
23 Above all that must be guarded, keep thou 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, perverseness of mouth, and, craftiness of 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, right onward, look, —and, thine eyelashes, point straight before thee.
Legide anya nʼihu ime ihe bụ eziokwu; atụgharịkwala isi gị ile ihe ọbụla.
26 Make level the track of thy foot, that, all thy ways, may be directed aright:
Leruo ije ụkwụ gị anya, doziekwa ụzọ gị niile ka ọ guzozie.
27 Decline not, to the right hand or to the left, —Turn away thy foot from wickedness.
Ewezugala onwe gị site nʼaka nri maọbụ nʼaka ekpe; si nʼihe ọjọọ wezuga ụkwụ gị.
