Ilu 23
1 Mgbe gị na onye na-achị achị nọdụrụ irikọ nri, lezie ihe dị nʼihu gị anya,
If thou sit to sup at the table of a prince, consider attentively the things set before thee:
2 tụkwasị mma nʼakpịrị gị, ma ọ bụrụ na ị bụ onye iri oke nri na-atọ ụtọ.
and apply thine hand, knowing that it behoves thee to prepare such [meats]: but if thou art very insatiable,
3 Achọsila nri ụtọ ya ike, nʼihi na nri ahụ bụ nri aghụghọ.
desire not his provisions; for these belong to a false life.
4 Adọgbula onwe gị nʼọrụ maka ịbụ ọgaranya, atụkwasịla obi na nghọta gị.
If thou art poor, measure not thyself with a rich man; but refrain thyself in thy wisdom.
5 Nʼihi na akụ nwere ike ifu nʼotu ntabi anya dịka a ga-asị na ha nwere nku dịka nnụnụ ugo.
If thou shouldest fix thine eye upon him, he will disappear; for wings like an eagle's are prepared for him, and he returns to the house of his master.
6 Erila nri onye aka ntagide na-enye gị. Nri ụtọ ya agụkwala gị agụ.
Sup not with an envious man, neither desire thou his meats:
7 Nʼihi na ọ bụ ụdị mmadụ ahụ na-eche ọnụahịa ihe ọ na-emefuru gị. Ọ na-asị gị, “Rie ihe, ṅụọkwa ihe ọṅụṅụ,” ma obi ya adịghị nʼebe ị nọ.
so he eats and drinks as if any one should swallow a hair, and do not bring him in to thyself, nor eat thy morsel with him:
8 Ị ga-agbọkwa nke ntakịrị ahụ i riri mgbe ahụ, okwu ọma ahụ niile i kwuru banyere ya ga-abụ ihe efu.
for he will vomit it up, and spoil thy fair words.
9 Atụfula ume gị ịgwa onye nzuzu okwu, nʼihi na ọ ga-eleda okwu i sitere nʼezi uche kwuo anya.
Say nothing in the ears of a fool, lest at any time he sneer at thy wise words.
10 Anarala nwa na-enweghị nne na nna ala ya site nʼihigharị oke ala e gwunyere site nʼoge gara aga,
Remove not the ancient landmarks; and enter not upon the possession of the fatherless:
11 nʼihi na onye mgbapụta ha dị ike; ya onwe ya ga-ekwuchitere ha ọnụ ha.
for the Lord is their redeemer; he is mighty, and will plead their cause with thee.
12 Tinye uche gị nʼịdọ aka na ntị; gekwaa ntị nụrụ okwu ihe ọmụma niile.
Apply thine heart to instruction, and prepare thine ears for words of discretion.
13 Ahapụla ịdọ ụmụ gị aka na ntị. Ha agaghị anwụ nʼihi na ị tiri ha ihe.
Refrain not from chastening a child; for if thou beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
For thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from death. (Sheol h7585)
15 Nwa m, aga m aṅụrị ọṅụ nke ukwuu ma ọ bụrụ na ị ghọọ onye maara ihe.
Son, if thy heart be wise, thou shalt also gladden my heart;
16 Mkpụrụobi m ga-aṅụrị ọṅụ mgbe egbugbere ọnụ gị abụọ kwuru ihe ziri ezi.
and thy lips shall converse with my lips, if they be right.
17 Ekwela ka obi gị kwosa ndị mmehie ekworo, kama nọgide nʼịnụ ọkụ nʼobi nʼịtụ egwu Onyenwe anyị mgbe niile,
Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day.
18 nʼihi na i nwere ọtụtụ ihe ọma nʼihu gị. Olileanya dị ukwuu dịrị gị.
For if thou shouldest keep these things, thou shalt have posterity; and thine hope shall not be removed.
19 Nwa m, nwee uche, gbasookwa ụzọ Chineke.
Hear, [my] son, and be wise, and rightly direct the thoughts of thine heart.
20 Anọla nʼetiti ndị na-aṅụbiga mmanya oke, na ndị iri oke oriri na-atọ ụtọ,
Be not a wine-bibber, neither continue long at feasts, and purchases of flesh:
21 nʼihi na ihe niile ga-akọ ha. Ọ bụkwa nkịrịnka akwa ka onye oke ụra na-eyi nʼahụ.
for every drunkard and whoremonger shall be poor; and every sluggard shall clothe himself with tatters and ragged garments.
22 Ṅaa ntị nʼịdọ aka na ntị nna gị, akpọkwala ịdọ aka na ntị nne gị bụ agadi nwanyị asị.
Hearken, [my] son, to thy father which begot thee, and despise not [thy mother] because she is grown old.
23 Zụta eziokwu, erekwala ya, zụtakwa amamihe, ntụziaka, na nghọta.
24 Nna onye ezi omume ga-aṅụrị ọṅụ. Ọ bụkwa ihe oke ọṅụ inweta nwa maara ihe.
A righteous father brings up [his children] well; and his soul rejoices over a wise son.
25 Ka nne na nna gị nwee obi ụtọ. Ka onye mụrụ gị ṅụrịa.
Let thy father and thy mother rejoice over thee, and let her that bore thee be glad.
26 Nwa m, nye m obi gị ka ụzọ m niile nyekwa anya gị ọṅụ.
[My] son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
27 Nʼihi na onye akwụna bụ olulu miri emi, nwanyị nwe di na-akwa iko bụ olulu mmiri dị warawara.
For a strange house is a vessel full of holes; and a strange well is narrow.
28 Dịka onye ohi ka ọ na-echere na-emekwa ka ndị na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi baa ụba nʼetiti ụmụ nwoke.
For such a one shall perish suddenly; and every transgressor shall be cut off.
29 Onye ka obi ya jupụtara nʼahụhụ? Onye nọ na iru ụjụ? Olee onye nwere esemokwu? Onye nwere ọtụtụ ihe mkpesa? Onye nwere mmerụ ahụ nke na-abaghị uru? Onye nwere anya nke na-acha ọbara ọbara?
Who [has] woe? who trouble? who [has] quarrels? and who vexations and disputes? who [has] bruises without a cause? whose eyes are livid?
30 Ọ bụ ndị na-anọ ogologo oge na-aṅụ mmanya, onye na-aga ịchọpụta mmanya agwara agwa.
Are not those of them that stay long at wine? [are] not [those] of them that haunt [the places] where banquets are? Be not drunk with wine; but converse with just men, and converse [with them] openly.
31 Elekwasịla mmanya anya mgbe ọ na-acha ọbara ọbara, mgbe ọ na-ezipụta ọdịdị ya nʼiko mgbe ọ na-asụgharị nke ọma nʼime iko.
For if thou shouldest set thine eyes on bowls and cups, thou shalt afterwards go more naked than a pestle.
32 Nʼikpeazụ, ọ na-ata dịka agwọ na-atụkwa dịka ajụala.
But at last [such a one] stretches himself out as one smitten by a serpent, and venom is diffused through him as by a horned serpent.
33 Anya gị abụọ ga-ahụ ihe ị na-amaghị isi ya na ọdụ ya, obi gị ga-atụlekwa ihe ndị na-agbagwoju anya.
Whenever thine eyes shall behold a strange woman, then thy mouth shall speak perverse things.
34 Ị ga-adị ka onye na-edina nʼetiti oke osimiri, nke na-edinakwa nʼelu ụdọ nʼejide ụgbọ.
And thou shalt lie as in the midst of the sea, and as a pilot in a great storm.
35 Ị ga-asị, “Ha tiri m ihe, ma emerụghị m ahụ. Ha pịara m ihe, ma amaghị m. Olee mgbe m ga-eteta, ka m pụọ ga chọọ mmanya ọzọ?”
And thou shalt say, They smote me, and I was not pained; and they mocked me, and I knew it not: when will it be morning, that I may go and seek those with whom I may go in company?
