Ilu 16
1 Mmadụ nwere ike pịa ihe ọ chọrọ ime, ma okwu ikpeazụ ga-esi nʼọnụ Onyenwe anyị.
It is for man to prepare the soul, and for the Lord to govern the tongue.
2 Ụzọ niile nke mmadụ dị ọcha nʼanya ya, ma Onyenwe anyị na-atule ebumnobi niile nke mmadụ.
All the ways of a man are open to his eyes; the Lord is the one who weighs spirits.
3 Were ọrụ gị niile nyefee nʼaka Onyenwe anyị, ọ ga-eme ka ha gaa nʼihu.
Open your works to the Lord, and your intentions will be set in order.
4 Onyenwe anyị na-eme ka ihe niile rụpụta ebumnuche ya, o bụladị ndị mmebi iwu ka e debere maka ụbọchị mbibi.
The Lord has wrought all things because of himself. Likewise the impious is for the evil day.
5 Onyenwe anyị kpọrọ ndị nwere obi dị mpako asị. Mara nke a nke ọma: Ha aghaghị ịta ahụhụ.
All the arrogant are an abomination to the Lord. Even if hand will be joined to hand, he is not innocent. The beginning of a good way is to do justice. And this is more acceptable with God than to immolate sacrifices.
6 Ọ bụ site nʼịhụnanya na eziokwu ka eji ekpuchi mmehie; ọ bụkwa site nʼegwu Onyenwe anyị ka mmadụ ji agbanarị mmehie.
By mercy and truth, iniquity is redeemed. And by the fear of the Lord, one turns away from evil.
7 Mgbe ụzọ mmadụ na-agbaso na-atọ Onyenwe anyị ụtọ, ọ na-eme ka mmadụ ahụ na ndị iro ya dị nʼudo.
When the ways of man will please the Lord, he will convert even his enemies to peace.
8 Ọ dị mma inwe ihe nta nʼezi omume karịa inwe ọtụtụ uru nʼụzọ ikpe na-ezighị ezi.
Better is a little with justice, than many fruits with iniquity.
9 Anyị nwere ike pịa ọpịpịa nʼobi anyị, maọbụ Onyenwe anyị na-edu ije anyị.
The heart of man disposes his way. But it is for Lord to direct his steps.
10 Egbugbere ọnụ eze na-ekwu okwu sitere na-ezi nghọta, ọnụ ya adịghị ekpe ikpe na-ezighị ezi.
Foreknowledge is in the lips of the king. His mouth shall not err in judgment.
11 Ihe ọtụtụ ziri ezi na ihe niile ha nʼotu dịrị Onyenwe anyị, ihe niile e ji atụ ihe dị nʼime akpa bụ ya mere ha.
Weights and scales are judgments of the Lord. And all the stones in the bag are his work.
12 Ndị eze kpọrọ ime ihe na-adịghị mma asị, nʼihi na site nʼezi omume ka ocheeze ji eguzosi ike.
Those who act impiously are abominable to the king. For the throne is made firm by justice.
13 Ndị eze na-enwe mmasị nʼegbugbere ọnụ na-ekwu eziokwu, ha na-agụ onye na-ekwu eziokwu dị ka ezi mmadụ.
Just lips are the will of kings. He who speaks honestly shall be loved.
14 Iwe eze bụ onyeozi nke ọnwụ. Onye maara ihe ga-eme ka ọ dajụọ.
The indignation of a king is a herald of death. And the wise man will appease it.
15 Mgbe ọchị dị nʼihu eze ọ na-ewetara onye hụrụ ya ndụ, ihuọma ya dị ka igwe ojii na-eweta mmiri ozuzo.
In the cheerfulness of the king’s countenance, there is life. And his clemency is like belated rain.
16 Ọ ka mma inwe amamihe na mmụọ ịghọta ihe karịa inwe ọlaọcha na ọlaedo.
Possess wisdom, for it is better than gold. And acquire prudence, for it is more precious than silver.
17 Ụzọ dị larịị nke onye ziri ezi bụ iwezuga onwe ya pụọ nʼihe ọjọọ, ndị na-echebe ụzọ ha niile na-echebekwa ndụ ha.
The path of the just turns away from evils. He who guards his soul preserves his way.
18 Nganga na-eweta ịla nʼiyi, mpako na-ewetakwa ọdịda.
Arrogance precedes destruction. And the spirit is exalted before a fall.
19 Ọ ka mma ịbụ onye ogbenye nwere obi umeala karịa ịbụ onye nganga, na onye so ndị nganga keta oke nʼihe ha kwatara nʼagha.
It is better to be humbled with the meek, than to divide spoils with the arrogant.
20 Onye ọbụla na-aṅa ntị na ndụmọdụ ka ihe na-agara nke ọma, onye a gọziri agọzi bụ onye ahụ nke na-atụkwasị Onyenwe anyị obi.
The learned in word shall find good things. And whoever hopes in the Lord is blessed.
21 A na-amata onye nwere uche site nʼụdị nghọta o nwere. Okwu dị ụtọ na-eme ka mmadụ mụta ihe nke ọma.
Whoever is wise in heart shall be called prudent. And whoever is sweet in eloquence shall attain to what is greater.
22 Inwe uche bụ isi iyi ndụ nye ndị niile nwere ya, ma enweghị uche na-ewetara ndị nzuzu ntaramahụhụ.
Learning is a fountain of life to one who possesses it. The doctrine of the foolish is senseless.
23 Obi onye maara ihe na-eme ka e tinye uche nʼokwu ọnụ ya, egbugbere ọnụ ha na-emekwa ka mmụta gaa nʼihu.
The heart of the wise shall instruct his mouth and add grace to his lips.
24 Okwu dị nro na-atọ ụtọ ka mmanụ aṅụ, ọ na-atọ mkpụrụobi ụtọ, na-enyekwa ọkpụkpụ ahụ ike.
Careful words are a honeycomb: sweet to the soul and healthful to the bones.
25 Ọ dị ụzọ nke ziri ezi nʼanya mmadụ, ma nʼikpeazụ ọ na-eduba nʼọnwụ.
There is a way which seems right to a man, and its end result leads to death.
26 Agụụ ihe oriri nke onye ọrụ na-arụpụtara ya ọrụ; agụụ na-akpali mmụọ ya ịga nʼihu.
The soul of the laborer labors for himself, because his mouth has driven him to it.
27 Ndị ọjọọ na-atụpụta echiche ọjọọ, egbugbere ọnụ ha dị ka ọkụ nke na-ekpochapụ ahụ.
The impious man digs up evil, and in his lips is a burning fire.
28 Onye na-emebi iwu na-agbasa ise okwu; ha na-akpali nsogbu, na-ekewa enyi na enyi.
A perverse man stirs up lawsuits. And one who is verbose divides leaders.
29 Ndị ọjọọ na-arafu ndị agbataobi ha, na-edubakwa ha nʼụzọ ga-ewetara ha mbibi.
A man of iniquity entices his friend, and he leads him along a way that is not good.
30 Onye ji ikuanya ya ekwu okwu na-atụ atụmatụ ọjọọ, onye na-atabi egbugbere ọnụ ya abụọ ekpebiela ime mmehie.
Whoever, with astonished eyes, thinks up depravities, biting his lips, accomplishes evil.
31 Isi awọ bụ okpueze nke mara mma, a na-enweta ya nʼụzọ ezi omume.
Old age is a crown of dignity, when it is found in the ways of justice.
32 Onye na-adịghị ewe iwe ọsịịsọ karịrị onye a maara aha ya. Onye nwere ogologo ntachiobi karịrị onye na-adọta obodo nʼagha.
A patient man is better than a strong one. And whoever rules his soul is better than one who assaults cities.
33 A na-efe nza, nʼihi ịchọpụta uche Onyenwe anyị, maọbụ Chineke nʼonwe ya na-ekpebi ihe a ga-efeta na nza ahụ.
Lots are cast into the lap, but they are tempered by the Lord.
