Ilu 2

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

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and lay up my commandments with thee;

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

So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine 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,

Yea, if thou cry after discernment, and lift up thy voice for understanding;

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

If thou seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid 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; out of his mouth [cometh] 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 sound wisdom for the upright, [he is] a shield to them that walk in integrity;

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

That he may guard the paths of judgment, and preserve the way of his saints.

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

Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment, and equity, [yea], every good path.

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

For wisdom shall enter into thine heart, and knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul;

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

Discretion shall watch over thee, understanding shall keep thee:

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

To deliver thee from the way of evil, from the men that speak froward 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 to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of evil;

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

Who are crooked in their ways, and perverse in their paths:

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

To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;

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

Which 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 inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead:

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

None that go unto her return again, neither do they attain unto 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,

That thou mayest walk 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 perfect 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 they that deal treacherously shall be rooted out of it.