< Ilu 20 >
1 Mmanya bụ onye na-akwa emo. Onye mkpọtụ ka ihe ọṅụṅụ na-aba nʼanya bụ. Onye ọbụla kwere ka ha duhie ya bụ onye nzuzu.
Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a brawler; whoever is led astray by drink is not wise.
2 Ọnụma eze na-emenye oke ụjọ nʼahụ dịka mbigbọ nke ọdụm; ndị na-akpasu ya iwe ga-atụfu ndụ ha.
The fear of a king is like the fear of a young lion that is roaring; the one who makes him angry forfeits his life.
3 Ọ bụ ihe nsọpụrụ nye onye na-ezere okwu na ụka, ma onye nzuzu ọbụla na-eme ngwa ise okwu.
It is an honor for anyone to avoid conflict, but every fool jumps into an argument.
4 Onye umengwụ adịghị arụ ọrụ ubi nʼoge ya. Nʼoge owuwe ihe ubi ọ pụghị ịchọta ihe oriri.
The lazy person does not plow in autumn; he seeks a crop at harvest time but will have nothing.
5 Nzube niile nke dị mmadụ nʼobi bụ mmiri dị omimi, ma onye nwere nghọta na-adọpụta ha.
The purpose in a human heart is like deep water, but someone with understanding will draw it out.
6 Ọtụtụ mmadụ na-asị na ha nwere ịhụnanya na-adịghị agharịpụ, ma onye kwesiri ntụkwasị obi, onye pụrụ ịchọta ya?
Many a person proclaims he is loyal, but who can find one who is faithful?
7 Onye ezi omume nke na-ejegharị nʼizuoke, ndị ihe na-agara nke ọma ka ụmụ ga-anọchi ya ga-abụ.
The righteous person walks in his integrity, and his sons who follow after him will be blessed.
8 Mgbe eze na-anọkwasị nʼocheeze ya ikpe ikpe, ọ na-eji anya ya abụọ afụchapụ ihe ọjọọ niile.
A king who sits on the throne performing the duties of a judge is winnowing with his eyes all the evil that is before him.
9 Onye pụrụ ị sị, “Emeela m ka obi m dị ọcha; Abụ m onye dị ọcha, mmehie adịghịkwa nʼime m?”
Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”?
10 Ihe ọtụtụ aghụghọ na ihe ọtụtụ nghọgbu, ha niile bụ ihe arụ nʼihu Onyenwe anyị.
Differing weights and unequal measures— Yahweh hates them both.
11 Ọbụladị ụmụntakịrị ka a na-amata site nʼomume ha niile, nke a ọ pụtara nʼomume ha dị ọcha nʼezie a, bụrụkwa ihe ziri ezi?
Even a youth is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
12 Ntị nke na-anụ ihe na anya nke na-ahụ ụzọ, ọ bụ Onyenwe anyị mere ha abụọ.
Ears that hear and eyes that see— Yahweh made them both.
13 Ahụla ịrahụ ụra nʼanya, ka ị ghara ịghọ onye ụkpa. Bilie, mụrụ anya, rụsie ọrụ ike, ka i nweekwa ihe oriri.
Do not love sleep or you will come to poverty; open your eyes and you will have plenty to eat.
14 “Lee, ihe a jọrọ njọ, ọ baghị uru,” ka onye na-azụ ahịa na-asị, ma mgbe ọ pụrụ ọ na-anya isi nʼihi ihe ọ zụtara.
“Bad! Bad!” says the buyer, but when he goes away he boasts.
15 Ọlaedo dị, na ọtụtụ rubi nʼebe ọ bara ụba, ma egbugbere ọnụ nke na-ekwupụta ihe ọmụma bụ ọla dị oke ọnụahịa.
There is gold and an abundance of costly stones, but lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 Chiri uwe onye ahụ naara onye mba ọzọ nʼaka mbe. Jichiekwa ihe mbe ahụ o nyere nʼihi onye mba ọzọ ọ nara na mbe.
Take a garment of one who has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an immoral woman.
17 Nri e nwetara nʼụzọ aghụghọ na-atọ mmadụ ụtọ. Ma nʼikpeazụ aja ga-eju ya ọnụ.
Bread gained by deceit tastes sweet, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.
18 Buru ụzọ nata ndụmọdụ tupu i mee ihe ọbụla ị chọrọ ime; ebula agha ma i bubeghị ụzọ pịa ọpịpịa.
Plans are established by advice and only with wise guidance should you wage war.
19 Agwala onye na-akpa asịrị ihe nzuzo gị, nʼihi na ọ ga-akụ ya nʼekwe nye ụwa niile.
A gossip reveals secrets and so you should not associate with people who talk too much.
20 Oriọna onye ahụ na-akọcha nne ya na nna ya ka Chineke na-afụnyụ.
If a person curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be snuffed out in the middle of darkness.
21 Ihe nketa nke anatara nʼoke ọsịịsọ, agaghị agọzi ya nʼikpeazụ.
An inheritance gained quickly at the beginning will do less good in the end.
22 A sịkwala, “Aga m akwụghachi gị nʼihi ihe ọjọọ a.” Chere Onyenwe anyị, ọ ga-abọrọ gị ọbọ.
Do not say, “I will pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for Yahweh and he will rescue you.
23 Onyenwe anyị kpọrọ ihe ọtụtụ gbara iche iche asị, ihe ọtụtụ aghụghọ adịghị atọ ya ụtọ.
Yahweh hates unequal weights and dishonest scales are not good.
24 Onyenwe anyị na-eduzi nzọ ụkwụ niile nke mmadụ. Olee otu onye ọbụla ga-esi ghọta ụzọ ha?
A person's steps are directed by Yahweh; how then can he understand his way?
25 Ime ngwangwa doo ihe nsọ, bụ ịma nʼọnya ma mesie tụgharịwa uche banyere imezu nkwa ahụ.
It is a snare for a person to say rashly, “This thing is holy,” and begin to think about what it means only after making his vow.
26 Eze maara ihe na-afụchapụ ndị ajọ omume, ọ na-eji wịịlu ịfụcha mkpụrụ gaa nʼelu ha.
A wise king winnows the wicked and he turns a threshing wheel over them.
27 Akọnuche mmadụ bụ ọkụ Onyenwe anyị ji enyocha mmụọ ya, ọ na-egwupụta ala ala obi ya, igosi anyị ihe anyị bụ.
The spirit of a person is the lamp of Yahweh, searching all his inmost parts.
28 Ịhụnanya na ikwesi ntụkwasị obi na-echebe eze, site nʼịhụnanya ka ocheeze ya na-eguzo chịm.
Covenant faithfulness and trustworthiness preserve the king; his throne is made secure by love.
29 Ugwu a na-akwanyere ụmụ okorobịa bụ nʼihi ịdị ike ha, ma isi awọ bụ nsọpụrụ ndị okenye.
The glory of young men is their strength and the splendor of old people is their gray hair.
30 Ọkpọ na mmerụ ahụ na-ehichapụ ihe ọjọọ, ụtarị na-asachapụ ime ime nke ahụ mmadụ.
Blows that make a wound cleanse away evil and beatings make the innermost parts clean.