Ilu 24
1 Ekwosola ndị ajọ omume ekworo, ka ihe banyere ha ghara ịtọ gị ụtọ.
Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
2 Nʼihi na-atụmatụ obi ha niile bụ otu ha ga-esi mee ihe ike, egbugbere ọnụ ha na-ekwu naanị maka ọgbaaghara.
For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 Ọ bụ amamihe ka e ji ewu ụlọ, ọ bụkwa nghọta ka e ji eme ka o guzosie ike.
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
4 Sitekwa nʼihe ọmụma ka akụ niile ji ejupụta nʼime ya, bụ akụ ndị pụrụ iche ma dịkwa oke ọnụahịa.
And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 Onye maara ihe na-emeri site nʼịdị ike, ndị nwere ọmụma ihe na-akpali ike ha.
A wise man [is] strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
6 Ejela ọgụ ma ọ bụghị na i nwetara ezi ndụmọdụ, nʼihi na nzọpụta dị nʼige ọtụtụ ndị ndụmọdụ ntị.
For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors [there is] safety.
7 Amamihe dị elu nke ukwuu nye ndị nzuzu, ha gaghị asaghe ọnụ ha nʼọgbakọ ọnụ ụzọ ama.
Wisdom [is] too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8 Onye na-eche echiche ime ihe ọjọọ ka a ga-agụ dịka onye nzube ihe ọjọọ
He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.
9 Nzube niile nke onye na-enweghị uche bụ mmehie, ndị mmadụ na-akpọ onye na-akwa emo asị.
The thought of foolishness [is] sin: and the scorner [is] an abomination to men.
10 Ọ bụrụ na ị pụghị iguzosi ike nʼoge nsogbu, ị bụ nnọọ onye ike ya dị ntakịrị.
[If] thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength [is] small.
11 Napụta ndị a na-eduba nʼọnwụ. Napụtakwa ndị ahụ a mara ikpe ọnwụ nʼụzọ na-ezighị ezi.
If thou forbear to deliver [them that are] drawn unto death, and [those that are] ready to be slain;
12 Ọ bụrụ na ị sị, “Anyị amaghị banyere ihe ndị a,” ọ bụ na onye na-enyocha obi aghọtaghị ya? Ọ bụ na onye na-eche ndụ gị amaghị ya? Ọ bụ na ọ gaghị akwụghachi onye ọbụla ụgwọ dịka akaọrụ ya siri dị?
If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider [it]? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth [not] he know [it]? and shall [not] he render to [every] man according to his works?
13 Nwa m nwoke, rachaa mmanụ aṅụ nʼihi na ọ dị mma. Mmanụ aṅụ nke si nʼugbugbo mmanụ aṅụ na-adị gị ụtọ nʼọnụ.
My son, eat thou honey, because [it is] good; and the honeycomb, [which is] sweet to thy taste:
14 Marakwa na otu a ka amamihe kwesiri isi tọọ obi gị ụtọ. Ọ bụrụ na i chọta ya i nwere olileanya nke ga-adịgide.
So [shall] the knowledge of wisdom [be] unto thy soul: when thou hast found [it], then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.
15 Adịla ka onye na-emebi iwu, onye echiche ya niile bụ imegide ụlọ onye ezi omume. A gakwala ga kwakọrọ ihe dị nʼụlọ ya.
Lay not wait, O wicked [man], against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:
16 Nʼihi na onye ezi omume nwere ike daa ugboro asaa ma o ga-ebilikwa ọzọ. Ma ndị na-emebi iwu na-asọ ngọngọ mgbe nsogbu bịakwasịrị ha.
For a just [man] falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
17 Aṅụrịla ọṅụ mgbe onye iro gị dabara na nsogbu. Ka obi gharakwa ịtọ gị ụtọ mgbe ọ dara.
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
18 Nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị pụrụ iwe iwe nʼihi ya megide gị ma kwụsị ịta ya ahụhụ.
Lest the LORD see [it], and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Ekwosola onye na-emebi iwu ekworo, maọbụ nwe anya ukwu nʼebe onye ajọ omume nọọ.
Fret not thyself because of evil [men], neither be thou envious at the wicked;
20 Nʼihi na onye na-emebi iwu enweghị ọdịnihu; a ga-afụnyụkwa ọkụ onye ajọ omume.
For there shall be no reward to the evil [man; ] the candle of the wicked shall be put out.
21 Nwa m, tụọ egwu Onyenwe anyị na onye bụ eze, esonyerela ndị ozi na-enupu isi megide nna ha ukwu.
My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: [and] meddle not with them that are given to change:
22 Nʼihi na ọ bụ na mberede ka ị ga-eso ha daba na nhụju anya. Onye maara ihe ga-abụ ọgwụgwụ ya?
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
23 Ndị a bụkwa okwu ọzọ ndị amamihe kwuru, iji gosi na ikpe ikpe na-akwụghị ọtọ adịghị mma.
These [things] also [belong] to the wise. [It is] not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 Onye ọbụla nke na-asị onye ikpe mara, “Onye ezi omume ka ị bụ,” ga-anata ọbụbụ ọnụ site nʼọnụ ọtụtụ mmadụ, mba niile ga-eweso ya iwe.
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou [art] righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:
25 Ma ọ ga-adịrị ndị ahụ na-abara onye ikpe mara mba na mma, ha ga-anatakwa ezi ngọzị.
But to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
26 Ọsịsa ziri ezi bụ ihe na-egosi ikwesi ntụkwasị obi.
[Every man] shall kiss [his] lips that giveth a right answer.
27 Rụchaa ọrụ gị dị nʼezi. Dozie ala ubi gị. Emesịa wuoro onwe gị ụlọ.
Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.
28 Agbala ama ụgha megide onye agbataobi gị nʼefu. Ọ bụ egbugbere ọnụ gị abụọ ka ị ga-eji ghọọ aghụghọ?
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive [not] with thy lips.
29 Asịla, “Aga m emeso ha dịka ha siri meso m. Aga m akwụghachi ha ụgwọ ihe ha mere.”
Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.
30 Esitere m nʼubi otu onye umengwụ gafee, bụ ubi vaịnị nke onye na-enweghị uche,
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31 hụ na ogwu etochiela ya, ahịhịa etochiekwala ya; mgbidi dị ya gburugburu adaakwala.
And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, [and] nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 Elegharịrị m ya anya site na ya mụta otu ihe a:
Then I saw, [and] considered [it] well: I looked upon [it, and] received instruction.
33 Nwa ụra nta, nwa iru ụra nta, nwa ịchịkọba aka nta zuo ike
[Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
34 ụbịam ga-abịakwasị gị dịka onye ohi, ụkọ abịakwasịkwa gị dịka onye na-apụnara mmadụ ihe.
So shall thy poverty come [as] one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
