Ilu 17
1 Ọ ka mma ịta iberibe achịcha kpọrọ nkụ ma ịnọ nʼudo adị ya, karịa nʼụlọ jupụtara nʼoke oriri na ịlụ ọgụ.
Better [is] a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.
2 Ohu nwere uche ga-achị nwa nna ya ukwu na-eweta ihere ma ketakwa oke nʼihe nketa dịka otu nʼime ndị ezinaụlọ ahụ.
A wise servant ruleth over a son causing shame, And in the midst of brethren He apportioneth an inheritance.
3 Ite eji anụcha ihe dịrị ọlaọcha, oke ọkụ dịkwara ọlaedo ma Onyenwe anyị na-anwale obi.
A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts [is] Jehovah.
4 Ajọ mmadụ na-aṅa ntị nʼegbugbere ọnụ na-eduhie, onye ụgha na-aṅakwa ntị nye ire na-ekwu okwu ịla nʼiyi.
An evil doer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Onye ọbụla na-akwa ogbenye emo ọ bụ Chineke kere ha ka ọ na-elelị anya. Ndị niile na-aṅụrị ọṅụ nʼihi ihe ike dakwasịrị ha aghaghị ịta ahụhụ.
Whoso is mocking at the poor Hath reproached his Maker, Whoso is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.
6 Ụmụ ụmụ bụ okpueze ndị okenye. Nne na nna bụ ịnya isi nke ụmụ ha.
Sons' sons [are] the crown of old men, And the glory of sons [are] their fathers.
7 Egbugbere ọnụ na-ekwu okwu dị mma abụghị nke onye nzuzu, otu a kwa, egbugbere ọnụ na-agha ụgha ekwesighị ịbụ nke onye na-achị achị.
Not comely for a fool is a lip of excellency, Much less for a noble a lip of falsehood.
8 Nʼanya onye na-enye ngarị ọ na-ahụta ya dịka ọgwụ ịrata mmadụ, ha na-eche nʼebe ọbụla ha chere ihu ihe ga-aga nke ọma.
A stone of grace [is] the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
9 Onye ọbụla na-akwado ịhụnanya na-ekpuchi njehie, ma onye na-ekwu ihe mere mgbe na mgbe na-ekewa ezi enyi.
Whoso is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoso is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.
10 Ịba mba ntakịrị a baara onye nwere nghọta bara uru karịa narị ụtarị nke a pịara onye nzuzu.
Rebuke cometh down on the intelligent More than a hundred stripes on a fool.
11 Onye ọjọọ na-ebi naanị ndụ nnupu isi megide Chineke. Ọ bụkwa onyeozi nke ọnwụ ka a ga-eziga imegide ya.
An evil man seeketh only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.
12 Ọ ka mma izute nne Bịa a napụrụ ụmụ ya karịa izute onye nzuzu uche ya gbagọrọ agbagọ.
The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And — not a fool in his folly.
13 Ọ bụrụ na i jiri ihe ọjọọ kwụọ ụgwọ ihe ọma, ọbụbụ ọnụ dịrị ezinaụlọ gị.
Whoso is returning evil for good, Evil moveth not from his house.
14 Esemokwu malite ọ na-esi ike imedo ya, nʼihi ya ekwela ka ọ malite.
The beginning of contention [is] a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.
15 Onye na-asị onye ikpe maara na ikpe amaghị ya na-amakwa onye aka ya dị ọcha ikpe, Onyenwe anyị na-akpọ omume abụọ a asị.
Whoso is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these [are] an abomination to Jehovah.
16 Uru gịnị ka ego bara nʼaka onye nzuzu; ebe ọ bụ na o nweghị ike ịchọ amamihe.
Why [is] this — a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart there is none?
17 Ezi enyi na-egosi ịhụnanya ya nʼoge ọbụla. Otu a kwa, nwanne na-aba uru nʼoge mkpa.
At all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.
18 Ọ bụ uche ezughị oke ịnara ụgwọ onye ọzọ ji, si otu a ghọọ onye ji ụgwọ.
A man lacking heart is striking hands, A surety he becometh before his friend.
19 Onye na-ahụ esemokwu nʼanya hụrụ mmehie nʼanya. Onye na-ewuli ọnụ ụzọ ama ya elu na-akpọ ntipịa oku.
Whoso is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoso is making high his entrance is seeking destruction.
20 Ọ dịghị aga nʼihu bụ onye obi ya gbagọrọ agbagọ. Onye nwere ire nrafu ga-adanye na nsogbu.
The perverse of heart findeth not good, And the turned in his tongue falleth into evil.
21 Ọ bụ naanị iru ụjụ na obi ọjọọ dịịrị nna nke nwa ya na-eme ihe nzuzu.
Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.
22 Obi nke na-aṅụrị ọṅụ na-eme ka ahụ sie ike, ma mmụọ na-eru ụjụ oge niile na-akpata ọrịa.
A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.
23 Onye ajọ omume na-anara ihe ngarị na nzuzo ka ọ sụgharịa ikpe ziri ezi isi.
A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment.
24 Onye nwere nghọta na-eche uche amamihe nʼihe ọ na-eme, ma anya onye nzuzu na-elegharị ruo na nsọtụ nke ụwa.
The face of the intelligent [is] to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool — at the end of the earth.
25 Nwa dị nzuzu na-ewetara nna ya mwute, bụrụkwa nne mụrụ ya ihe ilu.
A provocation to his father [is] a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.
26 Ọ bụrụ na ịra onye ezi omume nra adịghị mma, nʼezie, ịpịa ndị ọrụ ihe nʼihi ezi ọrụ ha ezighị ezi.
Also, to fine the righteous is not good, To smite nobles for uprightness.
27 Nwoke ahụ na-adịghị ekwu ọtụtụ okwu bụ onye maara ihe, onye mmụọ ya dịkwa jụụ bụ onye nwere nghọta.
One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper [is] a man of understanding.
28 A ga-agụ onye nzuzu nʼonye maara ihe ma ọ bụrụ na ha gba nkịtị, gụọkwa ha na ndị nwere nghọta ma ọ bụrụ na ha e jide ire ha.
Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips intelligent!
