Ilu 18
1 Onye ihe mmadụ na-adịghị amasị na-agbaso naanị ọchịchọ nke ya onwe ya, na-alụsokwa ezi nzube niile ọzọ ọgụ.
A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.
2 Nghọta adịghị atọ onye nzuzu ụtọ. Naanị ihe ọ maara bụ ikwu uche ya.
A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion.
3 Mgbe onye ajọ omume na-abata, ka nleda anya na-abata, otu a kwa nkọcha na-eweta ihere.
When wickedness comes, contempt also comes, and with shame comes disgrace.
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 like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like 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.
To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.
6 Egbugbere ọnụ ndị nzuzu na-ebutere ha esemokwu, ọnụ ha na-ebutere ha ihe otiti.
A fool’s lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings.
7 Ọnụ onye nzuzu na-etinye ya na nsogbu, egbugbere ọnụ ya bụ ọnya nye mkpụrụobi ya.
A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are a snare to 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 gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person’s innermost parts.
9 Onye dị umengwụ nʼọrụ ya bụ nwanne nke onye mbibi.
One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.
10 Aha Onyenwe anyị bụ ụlọ elu e wusiri ike, ndị ezi omume na-agbaba nʼime ya izere ndụ.
Yahweh’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.
11 Akụ ndị ọgaranya bụrụ ha obodo e wusiri ike, ọ bụkwa mgbidi dị elu nke a na-apụghị ịmafe nʼechiche ha.
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.
12 Tupu mmadụ adaa obi ya na-ejupụta na nganga, ma inwe obi umeala na-eweta nsọpụrụ.
Before destruction the heart of man is proud, but before honor is humility.
13 Inye ọsịsa okwu tupu mmadụ ege ntị bụ enweghị uche na ihe ihere.
He who answers before he hears, that is folly and shame to him.
14 Ọ bụ mmụọ mmadụ na-akwado ya nʼoge nrịa nrịa, ma mmụọ e tipịara etipịa, onye pụrụ ibuli ya?
A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?
15 Obi onye nwere nghọta na-enweta ihe ọmụma, nʼihi na ntị onye maara ihe na-achọpụta ya.
The heart of the discerning gets knowledge. The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 Onyinye mmadụ na-akwara ya ụzọ sara mbara, ọ na-edubakwa ya nʼihu ndị dị elu.
A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.
17 Nʼikpe onye buru ụzọ kwuo ihe na-ese na-adị ka onye ikpe gaara, tutu ruo mgbe mmadụ bịara bido ịjụ ya ajụjụ.
He who pleads his cause first seems right— until another comes and questions him.
18 Ife nza na-akwụsị esemokwu na ndọrọndọrọ dị nʼetiti mmadụ abụọ ndị olu ha na-ala elu.
The lot settles disputes, and keeps strong ones apart.
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 offended is more difficult than a fortified city. Disputes are like the bars 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.
A man’s stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth. With the harvest 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; those who love it will eat its fruit.
22 Nwoke ahụ chọtara nwunye chọtara ezi ihe. Ọ na-anatakwa ihuọma site nʼaka Onyenwe anyị.
Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of Yahweh.
23 Onye ogbenye na-arịọ arịrịọ maka ebere; ma ọgaranya na-asa okwu ike ike.
The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer 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.
A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
