Ilu 21
1 Iyi dị iche iche nke jupụtara na mmiri ka obi eze bụ nʼaka Onyenwe anyị, nke ọ na-ahazi nʼụzọ ọbụla dị ya mma.
The Lord directs the king's decisions like a stream of water that he sends whichever way he wants.
2 Ọrụ niile bụ ihe ziri ezi nʼanya onye na-arụ ya, ma Onyenwe anyị bụ onye na-eleba anya nʼechiche obi anyị niile.
People think that whatever they do is fine, but the Lord looks at their motives.
3 Ime ezi omume na ihe ziri ezi ka Onyenwe anyị na-anabata karịa ịchụ aja.
Doing what's right and fair pleases the Lord more than sacrifices.
4 Nganga na mpako na agụụ ihe ọjọọ nke bụ ọrụ ndị ajọ omume, bụ mmehie.
Pride and arrogance are the sins the wicked live by.
5 Echiche niile nke onye na-arụsị ọrụ ike na-eweta uru, dịka echiche onye ome ngwangwa na-enweta naanị ụkọ.
Those who plan ahead and work hard will have plenty, while those who act rashly end up poor.
6 Uru niile enwetara nʼụzọ na-ezighị ezi adịghị adịgide, ha bụ nkuume ifufe na-efesa, ndị na-achọ ya na-achọ ọnwụ.
Money made by lies is like smoke in the wind—a chase that ends in death.
7 Nʼihi na ndị na-emebi iwu anaghị eme ihe ọma, ihe ọjọọ ha na-eme na-alaghachi laa ha nʼiyi.
The destruction caused by the wicked will destroy them, for they refuse to do what's right.
8 Ụzọ onye na-emebi iwu bụ ihe gbagọrọ agbagọ, ma omume onye aka ya dị ọcha ziri ezi.
Guilty people live crooked lives, but the innocent follow straight paths.
9 Ọ ka mma ibi nʼotu akụkụ elu ụlọ karịa ibinyere nwanyị na-ese okwu.
It's better to live in a corner of a housetop than to share a whole house with an argumentative wife.
10 Ihe na-atọ onye ọjọọ ụtọ bụ imerụ ndị ọzọ ahụ; ọ maghị imere mmadụ ibe ya ebere.
Evil people love to do wrong, they don't care what pain they cause anyone.
11 Mgbe a na-ata onye na-akwa emo ahụhụ, onye na-enweghị uche na-enweta amamihe, ma mgbe a na-akụziri onye maara ihe ihe ọ na-enweta ihe ọmụma.
When a mocker is punished, an immature person can learn wisdom. When the wise are educated, they gain knowledge.
12 Onye ezi omume na-amụta ihe site nʼile ụlọ onye ajọ omume anya na-emekwa ka ndị ajọ omume laa nʼiyi.
The God of justice sees what happens in the homes of the wicked, and brings the wicked down in disaster.
13 Onye na-adịghị ege ntị na mkpu onye ogbenye, ya onwe ya ga-akpọkwa mkpu ma agaghị aza ya.
If you refuse to hear the cries of the poor, your cries won't be heard either.
14 Onyinye enyere na nzuzo na-eme ka iwe dajụọ, otu a kwa, ngarị ezonyere nʼime uwe na-eme ka oke ọnụma dajụọ.
A gift given in secret calms down anger, and a hidden bribe soothes furious rage.
15 Onye ezi omume na-aṅụrị ọṅụ mgbe e kpere ikpe ziri ezi, ma bụrụ ihe oke egwu dịrị ndị na-eme ajọ ihe.
When justice is done, the good are happy, but it brings terror to those who do evil.
16 Onye ọbụla si nʼụzọ nghọta wezuga onwe ya ga-eso nʼotu ndị nwụrụ anwụ.
Anyone who wanders away from the path of understanding ends up with the dead.
17 Nwoke hụrụ ibi ndụ nganga nʼanya na-ada ụkpa; ịṅụ mmanya na oke oriri abụghị ụzọ esi akpata akụ.
If you love pleasure you'll become poor; if you love wine and olive oil you won't ever be rich.
18 Onye ajọ omume ga-abụ ihe mgbapụta maka onye ezi omume, onye aghụghọ ga-abụkwa ihe mgbapụta maka onye ndụ ya ziri ezi.
The wicked pay the price and not the good; those who are deceitful and not those who live right.
19 Ọ ka mma ibi nʼọzara karịa ibinyere nwanyị na-atamu ntamu na-esekwa okwu.
It's better to live in a desert than with an argumentative and bad-tempered wife.
20 Onye maara ihe na-edebe ezi ihe oriri na mmanụ oliv nʼụlọ ya, ma onye nzuzu na-eloda ihe niile nʼọnụ ya.
The wise hold on to their wealth and olive oil, but stupid people use up everything they have.
21 Onye na-achụso ezi omume na ịhụnanya ga-achọta ndụ, na ugwu na ọganihu.
If you pursue goodness and trustworthy love, you'll find life, prosperity, and honor.
22 Onye maara ihe nwere ike megide obodo ndị dike, kwatuokwa ebe ewusiri ike nke ha tụkwasịrị obi ha.
The wise can overcome a city belonging to strong warriors, and tear down the fortress they trusted to protect them.
23 Onye na-echekwa ire ya na ọnụ ya na-egbochiri onwe ya ọdachi.
If you watch what you say, you can save yourself a lot of trouble.
24 Onye nganga na onye mpako, onye na-akwa emo bụ aha ya. Ọ na-eji oke nganga eme ihe niile.
A proud, conceited, mocker—that's the name of those who act with insolent arrogance.
25 Oke ọchịchọ nke onye umengwụ na-ewetara ya ọnwụ nʼihi na ọ jụrụ ịrụ ọrụ.
Slackers die hungry because they refuse to work.
26 Kwa ụbọchị ka ọ na-achọ inwe karịa, ma onye ezi omume na-enye na-akpaghị oke.
Some people only want more and more all the time, but the good give generously.
27 Chineke kpọrọ aja ndị na-emebi iwu asị, nke ka nke, ma ọ bụrụ na ha na-enye onyinye a site na nzube ọjọọ.
The sacrifices given by the wicked are obnoxious, worse still when they're offered with evil motives.
28 Onyeama ụgha ga-ala nʼiyi, ma onye ọbụla na-ege ya ntị ka a ga-ebibi ruo ebighị ebi.
The lies of a false witness vanish away, but the words of a reliable witness will stand.
29 Ndị ajọ omume na-ebi ndụ atụghị egwu, ma ndị omume ha ziri ezi na-atụgharị uche nʼụzọ ha niile.
The wicked act as bold as brass, but those who live right consider carefully what they're doing.
30 O nweghị amamihe dị, o nweghị nghọta dị, o nwekwaghị atụmatụ ọbụla, nke pụrụ iguzosi ike megide Onyenwe anyị.
Whatever wisdom, understanding, or guidance you may have is nothing before the Lord.
31 E nwere ike jikere ịnyịnya, kwadokwaa maka agha, maọbụ naanị Onyenwe anyị na-enye mmeri.
You can get your horse ready for battle, but the victory is the Lord's.
