Ilu 2
1 Nwa m, ọ bụrụ na ị nabata okwu ọnụ m niile zobekwa iwu m niile nʼime obi gị,
Oh, my son, that thou wouldst receive my words, And treasure up my precepts within thee;
2 tọọ ntị gị nʼala nye amamihe, wepụta obi gị inwe nghọta.
That thou wouldst apply thine ear to wisdom, And incline thy heart to understanding!
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 thou wilt call aloud to knowledge, And lift up thy voice to understanding, —
4 ọ bụrụ na ị na-achọ ya dịka i si achọ ọlaọcha maọbụ akụ nke zoro ezo,
If thou wilt seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures,
5 mgbe ahụ, ị ga-aghọtakwa ihe bụ ịtụ egwu Onyenwe anyị chọtakwa ihe ọmụma nke Chineke.
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, And find 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 giveth wisdom; From his mouth proceed knowledge and understanding:
7 Ọ na-edebere ndị ụzọ ha ziri ezi nzube ọganihu, ọ bụ ọta nye ndị na-eje ije nʼizuoke.
He layeth up safety for the righteous; He is a shield to them that walk uprightly:
8 Ọ na-echebekwa ụzọ nke ndị na-eme ezi ihe na-agbaso, na-elekọtakwa ụzọ nke ndị hụrụ ya nʼanya na-agbaso.
He guardeth the paths of equity, And defendeth the way of his servants.
9 Mgbe ahụ ka ị ga-aghọta ihe ziri ezi na ihe dị mma na ezi ụzọ niile.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness and equity And uprightness, yea, every good path.
10 Nʼihi na amamihe ga-enwe ọnọdụ nʼime obi gị, ihe ọmụma ga-adịkwa mkpụrụobi gị ụtọ.
When wisdom entereth into thy heart, And knowledge is pleasant to thy soul,
11 Izuzu zuruoke ga-echebe gị, nghọta ga na-eche gị nche.
Discretion will guard thee, Understanding will preserve thee.
12 Amamihe ga-azọpụta gị site nʼụzọ ndị mmehie, sitekwa na mmadụ ndị okwu ha jọrọ njọ,
It will deliver thee from the way of the wicked, From the men who speak perverse things;
13 ndị hapụrụ ụzọ niile ziri ezi nke Chineke na-agbaso ụzọ niile nke ọchịchịrị,
Who forsake the paths of uprightness, To walk in the ways of darkness;
14 ndị na-aṅụrị ọṅụ nʼihe ọjọọ, nʼihi na mmehie ha na-atọ ha ụtọ.
Who rejoice in doing evil, And delight in the perverseness of the wicked;
15 Ihe ọbụla ha na-eme gbagọrọ agbagọ, jọọkwa njọ.
Whose paths are crooked, And who are froward in their ways.
16 Ọ bụ naanị amamihe ga-anapụta gị nʼaka nwanyị akwụna, na nwanyị na-abụghị nwunye gị nke na-ekwu okwu nrafu.
It will deliver thee from the wife of another, From the stranger, who useth smooth words;
17 Onye na-ahapụ di ọ lụrụ nʼagbọghọ, nke chefuru ọgbụgba ndụ ọ gbara nʼihu Chineke.
Who forsaketh the friend of her youth, And forgetteth the covenant of her God.
18 Ụlọ nwanyị dị otu a dị nʼokporoụzọ nke na-eduba nʼọnwụ na nʼọkụ ala mmụọ. (questioned)
For her house sinketh down to Death, And her paths to the shades of the dead:
19 Ndị ikom niile banyere nʼụlọ ha na-ala nʼiyi. Ha adịghị alọtakwa nʼokporoụzọ nke na-eduba na ndụ.
None that go to her return again; They will not attain 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,
Therefore walk thou in the way of good men, And keep the paths of the righteous:
21 nʼihi na ọ bụ naanị ndị ziri ezi ga-ebi nʼala ahụ, ndị na-enweghị ịta ụta ga-afọdụkwa nʼime ya.
For the upright shall dwell in the land, And the righteous shall remain in 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.
But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, And transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
