Ilu 1
1 Ndị a bụ ilu Solomọn nwa Devid, eze Izrel.
The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
2 Ọ bụ maka amamihe na ntụziaka, maka ịghọta okwu niile kwesiri ịghọta nke ọma,
to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
3 nʼihi inweta ntụziaka nʼinwe uche, ime ezi omume na ikpe ziri ezi nke aghụghọ na-adịghị.
to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 Nʼihi ime ka ndị na-enweghị uche nwee ezi uche, ka ndị na-eto eto nweta ihe ọmụma na izuzu ọma.
to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man—
5 Ka onye maara ihe gee ntị, tụkwasịkwa ihe nʼihe ọ maara, ka ndị nwere nghọta nwetakwa ezi ndụmọdụ.
that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel;
6 Ka ha ghọta ilu niile na okwu niile na-esi nʼọnụ ndị maara ihe.
to understand a proverb and parables, the words and riddles 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.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
8 Nwa m, na-aṅa ntị na ntụziaka nke nna gị ahapụkwala ndụmọdụ nne gị.
My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching;
9 Nʼihi na okpu amara ka ha ga-abụrụ isi gị, bụrụkwa ihe ịnya nʼolu nye gị.
for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.
10 Nwa m, ọ bụrụ na ndị mmehie ara gị ụra, ekwenyerela ha, Ekwela!
My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.
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 say, “Come with us. Let’s lie in wait for blood. Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.
Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 Anyị ga-enwetakwa ọtụtụ ihe dị oke ọnụahịa, nke anyị ga-akwaju nʼụlọ anyị.
We’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with plunder.
14 Soro anyị fee nza gị ka anyị nwaa ike anyị, ihe ọbụla kwa anyị nwetara, anyị na gị ga-ekekọta ya ọnụ.”
You shall cast your lot among us. We’ll all have one purse”—
15 Nwa m, ejela ije nʼụzọ ndị dị otu a, a zọọkwala ụkwụ nʼokporoụzọ ha;
my son, don’t walk on the path with them. Keep your foot from their path,
16 nʼihi na ụkwụ ha na-agba ọsọ ime ihe ọjọọ, na-emekwa ngwangwa iwufu ọbara.
for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.
17 Ọ bụ ihe abaghị uru ịgbasa ụgbụ, nʼebe nnụnụ ọbụla na-ahụ ya anya.
For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;
18 Ma ndị a na-esi ọnya nke na-ama ha. Ha onwe ha ka ọnya ahụ ga-ejide.
but these lay in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.
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.
So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.
20 Amamihe na-eti mkpu nʼezi ka mmadụ nụ. Olu ya na-ada ụda nʼama.
Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public 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 calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
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, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and 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.
Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known 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,
Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
25 ebe ọ bụ na unu akpọla ndụmọdụ m asị, jụkwa ịnabata ịba mba m nye unu,
but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;
26 ụbọchị unu ga-adaba na mmekpa ahụ, aga m achị ọchị. Mgbe ihe egwu bịakwasịrị unu, aga m akwa unu emo.
I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes 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 calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish 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 they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me,
29 Nʼihi na unu mechiri anya unu nʼebe ihe ọmụma dị, unu atụghị egwu Onyenwe anyị.
because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of the LORD.
30 Unu aṅaghị ntị na ndụmọdụ m. Unu lelịrị ịba mba m anya.
They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
31 Ihe niile unu kụrụ ka unu ga-aghọta. Ọ bụkwa ụzọ unu na ndụmọdụ unu ga-eju unu afọ.
Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own 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.
For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy 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 listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”
