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] name [is] rather to be chosen than great riches, [and] loving favour rather than silver and gold.
2 Ma ogbenye ma ọgaranya bụ otu nʼihu Onyenwe anyị onye kere ha niile.
The rich and poor meet together: the LORD [is] the maker of 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.
A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
4 Obi umeala bụ egwu Onyenwe anyị, ụgwọ ọ na-akwụ bụ akụnụba, na nsọpụrụ na ndụ ogologo.
By humility [and] the fear of the LORD [are] riches, and honour, and life.
5 Ogwu na igbudu dị nʼụzọ onye na-emebi iwu; ma onye kpọrọ ndụ ya ihe na-asọ ya asọ.
Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
6 Kuziere nwantakịrị ka ọ họrọ ụzọ ziri ezi, mgbe o tolitere ọ ga-anọgide nʼime ya.
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
7 Dịka ọgaranya si achị ogbenye, otu a kwa ka onye na-ebi ego si bụrụ ohu onye na-ebinye ya ego.
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower [is] servant to the lender.
8 Onye na-agha ikpe na-ezighị ezi dịka mkpụrụ, ga-ewe ajọ ihe dịka ihe ubi, mkpanaka nke ikike iwe ha ga-agbajikwa.
He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
9 Onye na-agbasapụ aka enye onyinye ga-abụ onye a gọziri agọzi, nʼihi na ha na ekenyetụ ndị ogbenye nri.
He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
10 Chụpụ onye na-akwa emo, ise okwu ga-akwụsị, e, ịlụ ọgụ na nlelị ga-akwụsịkwa.
Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
11 Onye na-ahụ ịdị ọcha nke obi nʼanya, onye okwu ya jupụtara nʼamara ga-abụ enyi eze.
He that loveth pureness of heart, [for] the grace of his lips the king [shall be] his friend.
12 Anya Onyenwe anyị na-echebe ihe ọmụma, ma ọ na-emebi atụmatụ niile nke ndị aghụghọ.
The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
13 Onye umengwụ na-asị, “Ọdụm nọ nʼezi! A ga-egbu m nʼama ọha mmadụ!”
The slothful [man] saith, [There is] a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
14 Ọnụ nwanyị na-akwa iko bụ oke olulu, nwoke nọ nʼokpuru oke iwe Onyenwe anyị na-adaba nʼime ya.
The mouth of strange women [is] a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.
15 Obi ụmụntakịrị jupụtara nʼenweghị uche, ma apịpịa ịdọ aka na ntị ga-achụpụ ya nʼebe dị anya.
Foolishness [is] bound in the heart of a child; [but] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
16 Onye na-achọ uru site nʼimegbu onye na-enweghị ike, maọbụ onye na-enye ọgaranya onyinye ga-ebi nʼoke ụkọ.
He that oppresseth the poor to increase his [riches, and] he that giveth to the rich, [shall] surely [come] to want.
17 Lezie anya gee ntị nʼokwu niile nke ndị maara ihe, tinye uche gị nʼihe m na-akụzi.
Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
18 Ọ dị ụtọ ma idebe ha nʼobi gị, ma ha dịkwa nʼegbugbere ọnụ gị mgbe niile.
For [it is] a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
19 Ọ bụ ka ntụkwasị obi gị dị nʼime Onyenwe anyị, ya ka m na-akụziri gị taa, ọbụladị gị onwe gị.
That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Ọ bụ na m edepụtabereghị gị iri ndụmọdụ atọ ndị a, bụ okwu ndụmọdụ na ihe ọmụma?
Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
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.
That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
22 Emegbula ogbenye nʼihi na ọ bụ ogbenye. Emegidekwala ya nʼụzọ ikpe.
Rob not the poor, because he [is] poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
23 Nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị ga-ekwuchitere ha ọnụ ha ma bibiekwa ndị na-emegide ha.
For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
24 Gị na onye na-ewe oke iwe abụla enyi, gị na onye na-ewe iwe ọsịịsọ emekọkwala ihe,
Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
25 ma ọ bụghị ya, i nwere ike ịmụta ndụ ha, si otu a tinye ndụ gị na nsogbu.
Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
26 Abụla onye otu nʼime ndị na-anara ndị mmadụ akaebe maọbụ kwee nkwa ikwu ụgwọ onye ọzọ ji.
Be not thou [one] of them that strike hands, [or] of them that are sureties for debts.
27 Nʼihi na ọ bụrụ na i nweghị ego ị ga-eji kwụọ ụgwọ ahụ, a ga-anapụ gị ọ bụladị ihe ndina gị.
If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Ehigharịla oke ala e tinyere site na mgbe ochie. Nke ndị nna ochie gị ha hiwere.
Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
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.
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean [men].
