Ilu 18
1 Onye ihe mmadụ na-adịghị amasị na-agbaso naanị ọchịchọ nke ya onwe ya, na-alụsokwa ezi nzube niile ọzọ ọgụ.
Selfish people only please themselves, they attack anything that makes good sense.
2 Nghọta adịghị atọ onye nzuzu ụtọ. Naanị ihe ọ maara bụ ikwu uche ya.
Stupid people have no interest in trying to understand, they only want to express their opinions.
3 Mgbe onye ajọ omume na-abata, ka nleda anya na-abata, otu a kwa nkọcha na-eweta ihere.
With wickedness comes contempt; with dishonor comes disgrace.
4 Okwu ọnụ niile bụ mmiri dị omimi, ma amamihe dị ka mmiri iyi na-asọ asọ.
People's words can be profound like deep waters, a gushing stream that is the source of wisdom.
5 Ọ dịghị mma ime ka ikpe gara onye mere ihe ọjọọ, si otu a gbochie onye aka ya dị ọcha inweta ikpe ziri ezi.
It's not right to show favoritism to the guilty and rob the innocent of justice.
6 Egbugbere ọnụ ndị nzuzu na-ebutere ha esemokwu, ọnụ ha na-ebutere ha ihe otiti.
What stupid people say gets them into fights, as if they're asking for a beating.
7 Ọnụ onye nzuzu na-etinye ya na nsogbu, egbugbere ọnụ ya bụ ọnya nye mkpụrụobi ya.
Stupid people are caught out by what they say; their own words trap them.
8 Okwu niile nke onye na-agba asịrị na-ekwu dịka iberibe nri nʼatọ ezi ụtọ, ha na-agbadakwa nʼime ime ala afọ.
Listening to gossip is like gulping down bites of your favorite food—they go deep down inside you.
9 Onye dị umengwụ nʼọrụ ya bụ nwanne nke onye mbibi.
Laziness and destruction are brothers.
10 Aha Onyenwe anyị bụ ụlọ elu e wusiri ike, ndị ezi omume na-agbaba nʼime ya izere ndụ.
The Lord is a protective tower that good people can run to and be safe.
11 Akụ ndị ọgaranya bụrụ ha obodo e wusiri ike, ọ bụkwa mgbidi dị elu nke a na-apụghị ịmafe nʼechiche ha.
Rich people see their wealth as a fortified town—it's like a high wall in their imagination.
12 Tupu mmadụ adaa obi ya na-ejupụta na nganga, ma inwe obi umeala na-eweta nsọpụrụ.
Pride leads to destruction; humility goes before honor.
13 Inye ọsịsa okwu tupu mmadụ ege ntị bụ enweghị uche na ihe ihere.
Replying before hearing is stupidity and shame.
14 Ọ bụ mmụọ mmadụ na-akwado ya nʼoge nrịa nrịa, ma mmụọ e tipịara etipịa, onye pụrụ ibuli ya?
With a brave spirit you can put up with sickness, but if it's crushed, you can't bear it.
15 Obi onye nwere nghọta na-enweta ihe ọmụma, nʼihi na ntị onye maara ihe na-achọpụta ya.
An intelligent mind acquires knowledge; the wise are ready to hear knowledge.
16 Onyinye mmadụ na-akwara ya ụzọ sara mbara, ọ na-edubakwa ya nʼihu ndị dị elu.
A gift opens doors for you, and gets you into the presence of important people.
17 Nʼikpe onye buru ụzọ kwuo ihe na-ese na-adị ka onye ikpe gaara, tutu ruo mgbe mmadụ bịara bido ịjụ ya ajụjụ.
The first person to plead a case sounds right until someone comes to cross-examine them.
18 Ife nza na-akwụsị esemokwu na ndọrọndọrọ dị nʼetiti mmadụ abụọ ndị olu ha na-ala elu.
Casting lots can end disputes and decide between powerful people.
19 Ọ dị mfe ịlụgbụ obodo karịa ime ka obi nwanne e mehiere tụgharịa. Iwe ya na-adị ike dịka ọnụ ụzọ e jiri igodo tụchie.
A brother you've offended is harder to win back than a fortified town. Arguments keep people apart like bars on the doors of a fortress.
20 Site na mkpụrụ nke okwu ọnụ mmadụ mịpụtara ka afọ ga-eji ju ya. Sitekwa nʼihe owuwe ubi nke egbugbere ọnụ ha ka ha ga-eji rijuo afọ.
Make sure you're satisfied with what you say—you have to live with your words.
21 Ike ọnwụ na ndụ dị ire nʼaka. Ndị hụrụ ya nʼanya ga-eri mkpụrụ ya.
What you say has the power to bring life or to kill; those who love talking will have to deal with the consequences.
22 Nwoke ahụ chọtara nwunye chọtara ezi ihe. Ọ na-anatakwa ihuọma site nʼaka Onyenwe anyị.
If you find a wife, that's great, and you'll be blessed by the Lord.
23 Onye ogbenye na-arịọ arịrịọ maka ebere; ma ọgaranya na-asa okwu ike ike.
The poor beg for mercy, but the rich reply harshly.
24 Onye nwere ọtụtụ ndị enyi ndị na-ekwesighị ga-abịa nʼịla nʼiyi mgbe na-adịghị anya, ma ọ dị enyi nke na-arapara nso karịa nwanne.
Some friends give up on you, but there's a friend who stays closer to you than a brother.
