< Ilu 18 >

1 Onye ihe mmadụ na-adịghị amasị na-agbaso naanị ọchịchọ nke ya onwe ya, na-alụsokwa ezi nzube niile ọzọ ọgụ.
He who is separated seeks [his own] desire, He interferes with all wisdom.
2 Nghọta adịghị atọ onye nzuzu ụtọ. Naanị ihe ọ maara bụ ikwu uche ya.
A fool does not delight in understanding, But in uncovering his heart.
3 Mgbe onye ajọ omume na-abata, ka nleda anya na-abata, otu a kwa nkọcha na-eweta ihere.
Contempt has also come with the coming of the wicked, And with shame—reproach.
4 Okwu ọnụ niile bụ mmiri dị omimi, ma amamihe dị ka mmiri iyi na-asọ asọ.
The words of a man’s mouth [are] deep waters, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
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.
Favoring of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
6 Egbugbere ọnụ ndị nzuzu na-ebutere ha esemokwu, ọnụ ha na-ebutere ha ihe otiti.
The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth calls for stripes.
7 Ọnụ onye nzuzu na-etinye ya na nsogbu, egbugbere ọnụ ya bụ ọnya nye mkpụrụobi ya.
The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
8 Okwu niile nke onye na-agba asịrị na-ekwu dịka iberibe nri nʼatọ ezi ụtọ, ha na-agbadakwa nʼime ime ala afọ.
The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
9 Onye dị umengwụ nʼọrụ ya bụ nwanne nke onye mbibi.
He also that is remiss in his work, He [is] a brother to a destroyer.
10 Aha Onyenwe anyị bụ ụlọ elu e wusiri ike, ndị ezi omume na-agbaba nʼime ya izere ndụ.
The Name of YHWH [is] a tower of strength, The righteous runs into it, and is set on high.
11 Akụ ndị ọgaranya bụrụ ha obodo e wusiri ike, ọ bụkwa mgbidi dị elu nke a na-apụghị ịmafe nʼechiche ha.
The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
12 Tupu mmadụ adaa obi ya na-ejupụta na nganga, ma inwe obi umeala na-eweta nsọpụrụ.
The heart of man is high before destruction, And humility [is] before honor.
13 Inye ọsịsa okwu tupu mmadụ ege ntị bụ enweghị uche na ihe ihere.
Whoever is answering a matter before he hears, It is folly to him—and shame.
14 Ọ bụ mmụọ mmadụ na-akwado ya nʼoge nrịa nrịa, ma mmụọ e tipịara etipịa, onye pụrụ ibuli ya?
The spirit of a man sustains his sickness, And who bears a struck spirit?
15 Obi onye nwere nghọta na-enweta ihe ọmụma, nʼihi na ntị onye maara ihe na-achọpụta ya.
The heart of the intelligent gets knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 Onyinye mmadụ na-akwara ya ụzọ sara mbara, ọ na-edubakwa ya nʼihu ndị dị elu.
The gift of a man makes room for him, And it leads him before the great.
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 in his own cause [seems] righteous, [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.
18 Ife nza na-akwụsị esemokwu na ndọrọndọrọ dị nʼetiti mmadụ abụọ ndị olu ha na-ala elu.
The lot causes contentions to cease, And it separates between the mighty.
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 transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
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.
From the fruit of a man’s mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied.
21 Ike ọnwụ na ndụ dị ire nʼaka. Ndị hụrụ ya nʼanya ga-eri mkpụrụ ya.
Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
22 Nwoke ahụ chọtara nwunye chọtara ezi ihe. Ọ na-anatakwa ihuọma site nʼaka Onyenwe anyị.
[Whoever] has found a wife has found good, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
23 Onye ogbenye na-arịọ arịrịọ maka ebere; ma ọgaranya na-asa okwu ike ike.
The poor speaks [with] supplications, And the rich answers fierce things.
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.
A man with friends—to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!

< Ilu 18 >