Ilu 1
1 Ndị a bụ ilu Solomọn nwa Devid, eze Izrel.
The parables of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel,
2 Ọ bụ maka amamihe na ntụziaka, maka ịghọta okwu niile kwesiri ịghọta nke ọma,
in order to know wisdom and discipline,
3 nʼihi inweta ntụziaka nʼinwe uche, ime ezi omume na ikpe ziri ezi nke aghụghọ na-adịghị.
to understand words of prudence, and to accept the instruction of doctrine, justice and judgment, and equity,
4 Nʼihi ime ka ndị na-enweghị uche nwee ezi uche, ka ndị na-eto eto nweta ihe ọmụma na izuzu ọma.
so as to give discernment to little ones, knowledge and understanding to adolescents.
5 Ka onye maara ihe gee ntị, tụkwasịkwa ihe nʼihe ọ maara, ka ndị nwere nghọta nwetakwa ezi ndụmọdụ.
By listening, the wise shall become wiser and the intelligent shall possess governments.
6 Ka ha ghọta ilu niile na okwu niile na-esi nʼọnụ ndị maara ihe.
He shall turn his soul to a parable and to its interpretation, to the words of the wise and their enigmas.
7 Ịtụ egwu Onyenwe anyị bụ mmalite ihe ọmụma. Ọ bụkwa naanị ndị nzuzu bụ ndị na-adịghị anabata amamihe na ịdọ aka na ntị.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The foolish despise wisdom as well as doctrine.
8 Nwa m, na-aṅa ntị na ntụziaka nke nna gị ahapụkwala ndụmọdụ nne gị.
Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother,
9 Nʼihi na okpu amara ka ha ga-abụrụ isi gị, bụrụkwa ihe ịnya nʼolu nye gị.
so that grace may be added to your head and a collar to your neck.
10 Nwa m, ọ bụrụ na ndị mmehie ara gị ụra, ekwenyerela ha, Ekwela!
My son, if sinners should entice you, do not consent to them.
11 Ọ bụrụ na ha asị gị, “Bịa soro anyị; ka anyị zoo onwe anyị, tigbuo onye ọbụla anyị hụrụ, bụ onye na-emeghị ihe ọjọọ ọbụla.
If they should say: “Come with us. We will lie in wait for blood. We will lay traps against the innocent, without cause.
Let us swallow him alive, like Hell, and whole, like one descending into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 Anyị ga-enwetakwa ọtụtụ ihe dị oke ọnụahịa, nke anyị ga-akwaju nʼụlọ anyị.
We will discover every precious substance. We will fill our houses with spoils.
14 Soro anyị fee nza gị ka anyị nwaa ike anyị, ihe ọbụla kwa anyị nwetara, anyị na gị ga-ekekọta ya ọnụ.”
Cast your lot with us. One purse will be for us all.”
15 Nwa m, ejela ije nʼụzọ ndị dị otu a, a zọọkwala ụkwụ nʼokporoụzọ ha;
My son, do not walk with them. Preclude your feet from their paths.
16 nʼihi na ụkwụ ha na-agba ọsọ ime ihe ọjọọ, na-emekwa ngwangwa iwufu ọbara.
For their feet rush to evil, and they hurry to shed blood.
17 Ọ bụ ihe abaghị uru ịgbasa ụgbụ, nʼebe nnụnụ ọbụla na-ahụ ya anya.
But a net is thrown in vain before the eyes of those who have wings.
18 Ma ndị a na-esi ọnya nke na-ama ha. Ha onwe ha ka ọnya ahụ ga-ejide.
Likewise, they lie in ambush against their own blood, and they undertake deceits against their own souls.
19 Otu a ka ọ na-adịkwara ndị ọ na-agụsị agụụ ike inweta akụnụba nʼụzọ na-ezighị ezi. Nʼihi na ịgbaso ụzọ dị otu a na-ewetara ndị na-eso ya ọnwụ.
Thus, the ways of all those who are greedy seize the souls of those who possess.
20 Amamihe na-eti mkpu nʼezi ka mmadụ nụ. Olu ya na-ada ụda nʼama.
Wisdom forewarns far and wide; she bestows her voice in the streets.
21 Ọ bụ nʼisi akụkụ ụzọ nke mkpọtụ dịkarịsịrị ka ọ na-akpọ oku, nʼọnụ ụzọ ama obodo ka ọ na-anọ ekwupụta okwu ọnụ ya niile.
She cries out at the head of crowds; at the entrance of the gates of the city, she offers her words, saying:
22 “Unu ndị na-enweghị uche ruo ole mgbe ka unu ga-anọgide bụrụ ndị ga-ahụ enweghị uche nʼanya? Ruo ole mgbe ka ndị na-akwa emo ga-anọgide na mmasị ịkwa emo? Ruo ole mgbe ka ndị nzuzu ga-anọgide na-akpọ ihe ọmụma asị?
“Little ones, how long will you choose to be childish, and how long will the foolish desire what is harmful to themselves, and how long will the imprudent hate knowledge?
23 Ọ bụrụ na unu gere ntị na mba m na-abara unu, aga m awụpụ echiche niile nke obi m nye unu, aga m emekwa ka unu mara okwu m.
Be converted by my correction. Lo, I will offer my spirit to you, and I will reveal my words to you.
24 Ma ebe ọ bụ na unu egeghị ntị mgbe m kpọrọ oku, setịpụkwa aka m nye unu ma ọ dịghị onye ṅara ntị,
For I called, and you refused. I extended my hand, and there was no one who watched.
25 ebe ọ bụ na unu akpọla ndụmọdụ m asị, jụkwa ịnabata ịba mba m nye unu,
You have despised all my counsels, and you have neglected my rebukes.
26 ụbọchị unu ga-adaba na mmekpa ahụ, aga m achị ọchị. Mgbe ihe egwu bịakwasịrị unu, aga m akwa unu emo.
Similarly, I will ridicule you at your demise, and I will mock you, when that which you feared shall overcome you.
27 Mgbe oke ihe egwu ga-abịakwasị unu dịka ikuku dị ike, mgbe nhụju anya ga-erubiga nʼelu unu dịka oke ifufe, mgbe ịta ahụhụ na nsogbu ga-agbagwoju unu anya.
When sudden calamity rushes upon you, and your demise advances like a tempest, when tribulation and anguish overcome you,
28 “Agaghị m ege ntị nʼakwa unu, ọ bụ ezie na unu ga na-akpọ m. Unu ga-achọkwa m ma unu agaghị achọta m.
then they will call to me, and I will not heed, they will arise in the morning, and not find me.
29 Nʼihi na unu mechiri anya unu nʼebe ihe ọmụma dị, unu atụghị egwu Onyenwe anyị.
For they held hatred for discipline, and they would not accept the fear of the Lord;
30 Unu aṅaghị ntị na ndụmọdụ m. Unu lelịrị ịba mba m anya.
they would not consent to my counsel, but they detracted from all of my corrections.
31 Ihe niile unu kụrụ ka unu ga-aghọta. Ọ bụkwa ụzọ unu na ndụmọdụ unu ga-eju unu afọ.
Therefore, they shall eat the fruit of their way, and they shall have their fill of their own counsels.
32 Nʼihi na ejezighị ije nke ndị na-enweghị uche na-egbu ha, ọ bụkwa ọnọdụ afọ ojuju ndị nzuzu ga-alakwa ha nʼiyi.
The loathing of the little ones shall destroy them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall perish them.
33 Ma onye na-ege ntị nʼokwu m ga-ebi obi ntụkwasị obi. Ọ ga-anọ jụụ na-enweghị ihe ọbụla ga-atụ ya egwu.”
But whoever will listen to me shall rest without terror, and shall have full enjoyment of abundance, without fear of evils.”
