Ilu 22
1 Ihe nhọrọ dị ezi mma ka aha ọma bụ karịa ọtụtụ akụ, ịnata amara ihuọma ka mma karịa ọlaọcha na ọlaedo.
A good reputation is a much better choice than plenty of money; respect is better than silver and gold.
2 Ma ogbenye ma ọgaranya bụ otu nʼihu Onyenwe anyị onye kere ha niile.
The rich and the poor have this in common: the Lord created them all.
3 Onye nwere uche na-ahụ nsogbu nke na-abịa nʼihu ma zobe onwe ya, ma onye na-enweghị uche anaghị ele anya, ọ na-adaba nʼime nsogbu ahụ taa ahụhụ so ya.
If you're sensible you see danger coming and get out of the way; but stupid people just keep going and pay for it.
4 Obi umeala bụ egwu Onyenwe anyị, ụgwọ ọ na-akwụ bụ akụnụba, na nsọpụrụ na ndụ ogologo.
The reward you receive for being humble and respecting the Lord is wealth, honor, and life.
5 Ogwu na igbudu dị nʼụzọ onye na-emebi iwu; ma onye kpọrọ ndụ ya ihe na-asọ ya asọ.
Thorns and traps lie in the path of crooked people; those who value their lives will stay away from them.
6 Kuziere nwantakịrị ka ọ họrọ ụzọ ziri ezi, mgbe o tolitere ọ ga-anọgide nʼime ya.
Teach children the right way to live, and when they grow up they'll go on doing so.
7 Dịka ọgaranya si achị ogbenye, otu a kwa ka onye na-ebi ego si bụrụ ohu onye na-ebinye ya ego.
The rich rule the poor, and borrowers are slaves to their lenders.
8 Onye na-agha ikpe na-ezighị ezi dịka mkpụrụ, ga-ewe ajọ ihe dịka ihe ubi, mkpanaka nke ikike iwe ha ga-agbajikwa.
Those who sow injustice will reap disaster, and the angry beatings they inflict on others will be stopped.
9 Onye na-agbasapụ aka enye onyinye ga-abụ onye a gọziri agọzi, nʼihi na ha na ekenyetụ ndị ogbenye nri.
If you're generous, you'll be blessed, for you share your food with those in need.
10 Chụpụ onye na-akwa emo, ise okwu ga-akwụsị, e, ịlụ ọgụ na nlelị ga-akwụsịkwa.
Get rid of the scornful, and you'll get rid of conflict too—no more arguments or insults!
11 Onye na-ahụ ịdị ọcha nke obi nʼanya, onye okwu ya jupụtara nʼamara ga-abụ enyi eze.
Anyone who loves sincerity and a gracious way of speaking will have the king as their friend.
12 Anya Onyenwe anyị na-echebe ihe ọmụma, ma ọ na-emebi atụmatụ niile nke ndị aghụghọ.
The Lord watches over true knowledge, but counteracts the words of liars.
13 Onye umengwụ na-asị, “Ọdụm nọ nʼezi! A ga-egbu m nʼama ọha mmadụ!”
Lazy people make claims like, “There's a lion outside! I might be killed if I go out there!”
14 Ọnụ nwanyị na-akwa iko bụ oke olulu, nwoke nọ nʼokpuru oke iwe Onyenwe anyị na-adaba nʼime ya.
The seductive words of an immoral woman are a dangerous trap—if the Lord's angry with you, then you'll fall right in.
15 Obi ụmụntakịrị jupụtara nʼenweghị uche, ma apịpịa ịdọ aka na ntị ga-achụpụ ya nʼebe dị anya.
Children are naturally foolish; physical correction helps them to see sense.
16 Onye na-achọ uru site nʼimegbu onye na-enweghị ike, maọbụ onye na-enye ọgaranya onyinye ga-ebi nʼoke ụkọ.
If you oppress the poor to make yourself rich, or if you're generous to the rich, you'll end up poor yourself.
17 Lezie anya gee ntị nʼokwu niile nke ndị maara ihe, tinye uche gị nʼihe m na-akụzi.
Pay attention and listen to the words of the wise, and think carefully about my teachings—
18 Ọ dị ụtọ ma idebe ha nʼobi gị, ma ha dịkwa nʼegbugbere ọnụ gị mgbe niile.
for it's good to keep them in mind so you can be ready to share them.
19 Ọ bụ ka ntụkwasị obi gị dị nʼime Onyenwe anyị, ya ka m na-akụziri gị taa, ọbụladị gị onwe gị.
I'm explaining this to you today so you can trust in the Lord—yes, you!
20 Ọ bụ na m edepụtabereghị gị iri ndụmọdụ atọ ndị a, bụ okwu ndụmọdụ na ihe ọmụma?
Haven't I written down for you thirty sayings of advice and wisdom?
21 Ha na-ezi gị ihe bụ ikwesi ntụkwasị obi na ikwu eziokwu. Mgbe ahụ ọ bụrụ na-ezie gị sị gị gaa chọta eziokwu ị ga-eji ezi ọsịsa lọghachi.
They are to make it clear to you what's right and true, so you can give a truthful explanation to those who sent you.
22 Emegbula ogbenye nʼihi na ọ bụ ogbenye. Emegidekwala ya nʼụzọ ikpe.
For you shouldn't steal from the poor just because they're poor; and you shouldn't crush those with limited means in court,
23 Nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị ga-ekwuchitere ha ọnụ ha ma bibiekwa ndị na-emegide ha.
for the Lord will plead their case, and he will take back whatever was stolen from them.
24 Gị na onye na-ewe oke iwe abụla enyi, gị na onye na-ewe iwe ọsịịsọ emekọkwala ihe,
Don't make friends with someone who gets upset easily; don't associate with angry people,
25 ma ọ bụghị ya, i nwere ike ịmụta ndụ ha, si otu a tinye ndụ gị na nsogbu.
in case you learn to be like them and make a mess of your life.
26 Abụla onye otu nʼime ndị na-anara ndị mmadụ akaebe maọbụ kwee nkwa ikwu ụgwọ onye ọzọ ji.
Don't shake hands and guarantee someone's debt,
27 Nʼihi na ọ bụrụ na i nweghị ego ị ga-eji kwụọ ụgwọ ahụ, a ga-anapụ gị ọ bụladị ihe ndina gị.
for if you can't pay, why should your bed be taken away from beneath you?
28 Ehigharịla oke ala e tinyere site na mgbe ochie. Nke ndị nna ochie gị ha hiwere.
Don't move ancient boundary markers that your forefathers put in place.
29 Ị hụrụ mmadụ ahụ nke nwere ǹka nʼịrụ ọrụ ya nke ọma? Ọ ga-eguzo nʼihu ndị eze, ọ gaghị eguzo nʼihu ndị a na-amaghị aha ha.
If you see someone skilled in what they do, they'll work for kings and not for ordinary people.
