Ilu 2

1 Nwa m, ọ bụrụ na ị nabata okwu ọnụ m niile zobekwa iwu m niile nʼime obi gị,

My son, if you would accept my words, and conceal my commandments within you,

2 tọọ ntị gị nʼala nye amamihe, wepụta obi gị inwe nghọta.

so that your ears may listen to wisdom, then bend your heart in order to know prudence.

3 E, ọ bụrụ na ọ bụ ihe ọmụma ka ị na-akpọku, ọ bụrụkwa na ọ bụ nghọta ka ị na-eweliri olu gị,

For if you would call upon wisdom and bend your heart to prudence,

4 ọ bụrụ na ị na-achọ ya dịka i si achọ ọlaọcha maọbụ akụ nke zoro ezo,

if you will seek her like money, and dig for her as if for treasure,

5 mgbe ahụ, ị ga-aghọtakwa ihe bụ ịtụ egwu Onyenwe anyị chọtakwa ihe ọmụma nke Chineke.

then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and you will discover the knowledge of God.

6 Nʼihi na ọ bụ Onyenwe anyị na-enye amamihe; nʼebe ọ nọ ka nghọta na ihe ọmụma na-esi abịa.

For the Lord bestows wisdom, and out of his mouth, prudence and knowledge.

7 Ọ na-edebere ndị ụzọ ha ziri ezi nzube ọganihu, ọ bụ ọta nye ndị na-eje ije nʼizuoke.

He will preserve the salvation of the righteous, and he will protect those who walk in simplicity:

8 Ọ na-echebekwa ụzọ nke ndị na-eme ezi ihe na-agbaso, na-elekọtakwa ụzọ nke ndị hụrụ ya nʼanya na-agbaso.

serving the paths of justice, and guarding the ways of sanctity.

9 Mgbe ahụ ka ị ga-aghọta ihe ziri ezi na ihe dị mma na ezi ụzọ niile.

Then you shall understand justice and judgment, and equity, and every good path.

10 Nʼihi na amamihe ga-enwe ọnọdụ nʼime obi gị, ihe ọmụma ga-adịkwa mkpụrụobi gị ụtọ.

If wisdom is to enter into your heart, and if knowledge is to become pleasing to your soul,

11 Izuzu zuruoke ga-echebe gị, nghọta ga na-eche gị nche.

then counsel must guard you, and prudence must serve you,

12 Amamihe ga-azọpụta gị site nʼụzọ ndị mmehie, sitekwa na mmadụ ndị okwu ha jọrọ njọ,

so that you may be rescued from the evil way, and from the man who speaks perversities,

13 ndị hapụrụ ụzọ niile ziri ezi nke Chineke na-agbaso ụzọ niile nke ọchịchịrị,

from those who leave the straight path to walk in dark ways,

14 ndị na-aṅụrị ọṅụ nʼihe ọjọọ, nʼihi na mmehie ha na-atọ ha ụtọ.

who rejoice when they have done evil, and who exult in the most wicked things.

15 Ihe ọbụla ha na-eme gbagọrọ agbagọ, jọọkwa njọ.

Their ways are perverse, and their steps are infamous.

16 Ọ bụ naanị amamihe ga-anapụta gị nʼaka nwanyị akwụna, na nwanyị na-abụghị nwunye gị nke na-ekwu okwu nrafu.

So may you be rescued from the foreign woman, and from the outsider, who softens her speech,

17 Onye na-ahapụ di ọ lụrụ nʼagbọghọ, nke chefuru ọgbụgba ndụ ọ gbara nʼihu Chineke.

and who leaves behind the Guide of her youth,

18 Ụlọ nwanyị dị otu a dị nʼokporoụzọ nke na-eduba nʼọnwụ na nʼọkụ ala mmụọ. (questioned)

and who has forgotten the covenant of her God. For her household inclines toward death, and her paths toward Hell. (questioned)

19 Ndị ikom niile banyere nʼụlọ ha na-ala nʼiyi. Ha adịghị alọtakwa nʼokporoụzọ nke na-eduba na ndụ.

All those who enter to her will not return again, nor will they take hold of the paths of life.

20 Nʼihi nke a, ị ga-aga ije nʼụzọ ndị ezi omume, debekwa ụkwụ gị nʼokporoụzọ niile nke ndị ezi omume,

So may you walk in the good way, and keep to the difficult paths of the just.

21 nʼihi na ọ bụ naanị ndị ziri ezi ga-ebi nʼala ahụ, ndị na-enweghị ịta ụta ga-afọdụkwa nʼime ya.

For those who are upright shall live upon the earth, and the simple shall continue upon it.

22 Ma ndị na-emebi iwu ka a ga-ebipụ site nʼala ahụ, ọ bụkwa ndị na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi ka a ga-ewezuga na ya.

Yet truly, the impious shall perish from the earth, and those who act unjustly shall be taken away from it.