Ilu 2
1 Nwa m, ọ bụrụ na ị nabata okwu ọnụ m niile zobekwa iwu m niile nʼime obi gị,
My son, listen to what I say, and [consider my instructions to be as valuable as] [MET] a treasure.
2 tọọ ntị gị nʼala nye amamihe, wepụta obi gị inwe nghọta.
Pay attention to wisdom and try hard to understand it.
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,
Call out [to God] to get insight; plead with him to help you to understand more [of what he wants you to know].
4 ọ bụrụ na ị na-achọ ya dịka i si achọ ọlaọcha maọbụ akụ nke zoro ezo,
Search [eagerly] for wisdom, like you would search for silver, like you would search for a treasure that someone has hidden.
5 mgbe ahụ, ị ga-aghọtakwa ihe bụ ịtụ egwu Onyenwe anyị chọtakwa ihe ọmụma nke Chineke.
If you do that, you will understand how to revere Yahweh, and you will succeed in knowing God.
6 Nʼihi na ọ bụ Onyenwe anyị na-enye amamihe; nʼebe ọ nọ ka nghọta na ihe ọmụma na-esi abịa.
Yahweh is the one who gives us wisdom. He is the one who tells us things that we need to know and understand.
7 Ọ na-edebere ndị ụzọ ha ziri ezi nzube ọganihu, ọ bụ ọta nye ndị na-eje ije nʼizuoke.
He gives good advice to those who conduct their lives as they should. He protects [MET] those who do what is right.
8 Ọ na-echebekwa ụzọ nke ndị na-eme ezi ihe na-agbaso, na-elekọtakwa ụzọ nke ndị hụrụ ya nʼanya na-agbaso.
He guards those who act justly/fairly [toward others], and he watches over those who are faithful/loyal [to him].
9 Mgbe ahụ ka ị ga-aghọta ihe ziri ezi na ihe dị mma na ezi ụzọ niile.
[If you ask God for wisdom], you will understand what is right and just [DOU] [to do], and [you will know] the right way to conduct your life,
10 Nʼihi na amamihe ga-enwe ọnọdụ nʼime obi gị, ihe ọmụma ga-adịkwa mkpụrụobi gị ụtọ.
because you will be wise in your inner being; and knowing [what God wants you to know] will cause you to be joyful.
11 Izuzu zuruoke ga-echebe gị, nghọta ga na-eche gị nche.
If you know [PRS] how to choose what is right to do and if you understand [what God wants] you to do, God will protect you and guard you and keep you safe.
12 Amamihe ga-azọpụta gị site nʼụzọ ndị mmehie, sitekwa na mmadụ ndị okwu ha jọrọ njọ,
If you are wise [PRS], you will not do what evil people do, and you will not [believe what] deceitful people say.
13 ndị hapụrụ ụzọ niile ziri ezi nke Chineke na-agbaso ụzọ niile nke ọchịchịrị,
Deceitful people have stopped acting fairly/justly [toward others] and (walk on dark and evil paths/do what evil people do) [MET].
14 ndị na-aṅụrị ọṅụ nʼihe ọjọọ, nʼihi na mmehie ha na-atọ ha ụtọ.
They enjoy doing what is wrong; they like to do what is evil and to deceive [people].
15 Ihe ọbụla ha na-eme gbagọrọ agbagọ, jọọkwa njọ.
They (walk on crooked paths/always deceive others) and are always dishonest.
16 Ọ bụ naanị amamihe ga-anapụta gị nʼaka nwanyị akwụna, na nwanyị na-abụghị nwunye gị nke na-ekwu okwu nrafu.
If you are wise [PRS], you will [also] be saved from (immoral women/prostitutes); you will not pay attention when adulterous women try to (seduce/entice you by what they say.)
17 Onye na-ahapụ di ọ lụrụ nʼagbọghọ, nke chefuru ọgbụgba ndụ ọ gbara nʼihu Chineke.
Those women have left the husbands whom they married when they were young; they have disregarded the solemn promise they made to God [not to commit adultery].
18 Ụlọ nwanyị dị otu a dị nʼokporoụzọ nke na-eduba nʼọnwụ na nʼọkụ ala mmụọ. (questioned)
If you go into houses of women who are like that, you will die [when you are still young]; the road [to their houses] leads to hell. (questioned)
19 Ndị ikom niile banyere nʼụlọ ha na-ala nʼiyi. Ha adịghị alọtakwa nʼokporoụzọ nke na-eduba na ndụ.
No man who (visits/sleeps with) a woman like that will again [live harmoniously with his family]. He will never have a [happy] life again.
20 Nʼihi nke a, ị ga-aga ije nʼụzọ ndị ezi omume, debekwa ụkwụ gị nʼokporoụzọ niile nke ndị ezi omume,
If [you are wise], you should behave like good men behave. You should (stay on the paths that righteous [people] walk on/do what godly people do) [MET],
21 nʼihi na ọ bụ naanị ndị ziri ezi ga-ebi nʼala ahụ, ndị na-enweghị ịta ụta ga-afọdụkwa nʼime ya.
because only godly people will live in this land [and receive God’s blessings]; [only] those who have not done wrong will stay here [for a long time].
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.
Wicked [people] will be expelled from this land, and [people] who are not trustworthy will be thrown {God will throw them} out of it.
