Ilu 1
1 Ndị a bụ ilu Solomọn nwa Devid, eze Izrel.
The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel.
2 Ọ bụ maka amamihe na ntụziaka, maka ịghọta okwu niile kwesiri ịghọta nke ọma,
They are for achieving wisdom and instruction, and to recognize sayings that bring insight.
3 nʼihi inweta ntụziaka nʼinwe uche, ime ezi omume na ikpe ziri ezi nke aghụghọ na-adịghị.
They provide education in what makes sense, living right, judging correctly, and acting fairly.
4 Nʼihi ime ka ndị na-enweghị uche nwee ezi uche, ka ndị na-eto eto nweta ihe ọmụma na izuzu ọma.
They give discernment to the immature, knowledge and discretion to the young.
5 Ka onye maara ihe gee ntị, tụkwasịkwa ihe nʼihe ọ maara, ka ndị nwere nghọta nwetakwa ezi ndụmọdụ.
Wise people will listen and gain in learning, and those who have good judgment will gain skills in guidance,
6 Ka ha ghọta ilu niile na okwu niile na-esi nʼọnụ ndị maara ihe.
understanding the proverbs and puzzles, the sayings and questions of the wise.
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.
Honoring the Lord is where true knowledge begins, but fools treat wisdom and good advice with contempt.
8 Nwa m, na-aṅa ntị na ntụziaka nke nna gị ahapụkwala ndụmọdụ nne gị.
My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
9 Nʼihi na okpu amara ka ha ga-abụrụ isi gị, bụrụkwa ihe ịnya nʼolu nye gị.
They are a wreath of grace to decorate your head; they are pendants for your neck.
10 Nwa m, ọ bụrụ na ndị mmehie ara gị ụra, ekwenyerela ha, Ekwela!
My son, if evil people try to tempt you, don't give into 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.
They may tell you, “Come with us. Let's go and hide, ready to kill someone. Let's ambush someone for fun!
Let's bury them alive; let's put them in the grave while they're still healthy! (Sheol h7585)
13 Anyị ga-enwetakwa ọtụtụ ihe dị oke ọnụahịa, nke anyị ga-akwaju nʼụlọ anyị.
We'll take from them all kinds of valuable things and fill our homes with the stuff we steal!
14 Soro anyị fee nza gị ka anyị nwaa ike anyị, ihe ọbụla kwa anyị nwetara, anyị na gị ga-ekekọta ya ọnụ.”
Come and join us and we'll all share what we get!”
15 Nwa m, ejela ije nʼụzọ ndị dị otu a, a zọọkwala ụkwụ nʼokporoụzọ ha;
My son, don't follow their ways. Don't go in that direction with them.
16 nʼihi na ụkwụ ha na-agba ọsọ ime ihe ọjọọ, na-emekwa ngwangwa iwufu ọbara.
For they rush to do evil; they hurry to commit violence and murder.
17 Ọ bụ ihe abaghị uru ịgbasa ụgbụ, nʼebe nnụnụ ọbụla na-ahụ ya anya.
There's no point in trying to lure birds into a net when they can see it.
18 Ma ndị a na-esi ọnya nke na-ama ha. Ha onwe ha ka ọnya ahụ ga-ejide.
However, these evil people hide ready to kill others, but they themselves are the victims. They're only ambushing themselves!
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.
This is what happens to you if you try to become rich through crime—it kills you!
20 Amamihe na-eti mkpu nʼezi ka mmadụ nụ. Olu ya na-ada ụda nʼama.
Wisdom calls out in the streets; she shouts aloud in the squares.
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 busy corners; she explains her message at the town gates:
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?
“How long will you stupid people love stupidity? How long will scornful people enjoy their mocking? How long will fools 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.
Pay attention to my warnings, and I'll pour out my deepest thoughts to you—I'll explain what I know 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 have called you, but you refused to listen; I reached out my hand to you, but you didn't care.
25 ebe ọ bụ na unu akpọla ndụmọdụ m asị, jụkwa ịnabata ịba mba m nye unu,
You ignored everything I said; you wouldn't accept any of my warnings.
26 ụbọchị unu ga-adaba na mmekpa ahụ, aga m achị ọchị. Mgbe ihe egwu bịakwasịrị unu, aga m akwa unu emo.
So I'll laugh at you when you're in trouble; I'll mock you when you're in a panic.
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 panic rains down on you like a storm, when trouble hits you like a whirlwind, when sorrow and pain come on 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 you'll call out to me for help, but I won't answer; you'll search hard for me, but won't find me.
29 Nʼihi na unu mechiri anya unu nʼebe ihe ọmụma dị, unu atụghị egwu Onyenwe anyị.
Why?—because they hated knowledge, and they didn't choose to respect the Lord.
30 Unu aṅaghị ntị na ndụmọdụ m. Unu lelịrị ịba mba m anya.
They're not willing to accept my advice; they despise all my warnings.
31 Ihe niile unu kụrụ ka unu ga-aghọta. Ọ bụkwa ụzọ unu na ndụmọdụ unu ga-eju unu afọ.
So they'll have to eat the fruit of their own choices, bloated by their own devious schemes.
32 Nʼihi na ejezighị ije nke ndị na-enweghị uche na-egbu ha, ọ bụkwa ọnọdụ afọ ojuju ndị nzuzu ga-alakwa ha nʼiyi.
Stupid people are killed by their rebellion; foolish people are destroyed by their lack of concern.
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 everyone who listens to me will be kept safe, and will live without worrying about problems.”
