Ilu 24
1 Ekwosola ndị ajọ omume ekworo, ka ihe banyere ha ghara ịtọ gị ụtọ.
[My] son, envy not bad men, nor 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 meditates falsehoods, and their lips speak mischiefs.
3 Ọ bụ amamihe ka e ji ewu ụlọ, ọ bụkwa nghọta ka e ji eme ka o guzosie ike.
A house is built by wisdom, and is set up by understanding.
4 Sitekwa nʼihe ọmụma ka akụ niile ji ejupụta nʼime ya, bụ akụ ndị pụrụ iche ma dịkwa oke ọnụahịa.
By discretion the chambers are filled with all precious and excellent wealth.
5 Onye maara ihe na-emeri site nʼịdị ike, ndị nwere ọmụma ihe na-akpali ike ha.
A wise man is better than a strong man; and a man who has prudence than a large estate.
6 Ejela ọgụ ma ọ bụghị na i nwetara ezi ndụmọdụ, nʼihi na nzọpụta dị nʼige ọtụtụ ndị ndụmọdụ ntị.
War is carried on with generalship, and aid is supplied to the heart of a counsellor.
7 Amamihe dị elu nke ukwuu nye ndị nzuzu, ha gaghị asaghe ọnụ ha nʼọgbakọ ọnụ ụzọ ama.
Wisdom and good understanding are in the gates of the wise: the wise turn not aside from the mouth of the Lord,
8 Onye na-eche echiche ime ihe ọjọọ ka a ga-agụ dịka onye nzube ihe ọjọọ
but deliberate in council. Death befalls uninstructed [men].
9 Nzube niile nke onye na-enweghị uche bụ mmehie, ndị mmadụ na-akpọ onye na-akwa emo asị.
The fools also dies in sins; and uncleanness [attaches] to a pestilent man.
10 Ọ bụrụ na ị pụghị iguzosi ike nʼoge nsogbu, ị bụ nnọọ onye ike ya dị ntakịrị.
He shall be defiled in the evil day, and in the day of affliction, until he be utterly consumed.
11 Napụta ndị a na-eduba nʼọnwụ. Napụtakwa ndị ahụ a mara ikpe ọnwụ nʼụzọ na-ezighị ezi.
Deliver them that are led away to death, and redeem them that are appointed to be slain; spare not [your help].
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?
But if you should say, I know not this man; know that the Lord knows the hearts of all; and he that formed breath for all, he knows all things, who renders 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 honey, for the honeycomb is good, that your throat may be sweetened.
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.
Thus shall you perceive wisdom in your soul: for if you find it, your end shall be good, and hope shall not fail you.
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.
Bring not an ungodly man into the dwelling of the righteous: neither be deceived by the feeding of the belly.
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 righteous man will fall seven times, and rise [again]: but the ungodly shall be without strength in troubles.
17 Aṅụrịla ọṅụ mgbe onye iro gị dabara na nsogbu. Ka obi gharakwa ịtọ gị ụtọ mgbe ọ dara.
If your enemy should fall, rejoice not over him, neither be elated at his overthrow.
18 Nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị pụrụ iwe iwe nʼihi ya megide gị ma kwụsị ịta ya ahụhụ.
For the Lord will see [it], and it will not please him, and he will turn away his wrath from him.
19 Ekwosola onye na-emebi iwu ekworo, maọbụ nwe anya ukwu nʼebe onye ajọ omume nọọ.
Rejoice not in evil-doers, neither be envious of sinners.
20 Nʼihi na onye na-emebi iwu enweghị ọdịnihu; a ga-afụnyụkwa ọkụ onye ajọ omume.
For the evil man shall have no posterity: and the light 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 God and the king; and do not disobey either of them.
22 Nʼihi na ọ bụ na mberede ka ị ga-eso ha daba na nhụju anya. Onye maara ihe ga-abụ ọgwụgwụ ya?
For they will suddenly punish the ungodly, and who can know the vengeance [inflicted] by both?
23 Ndị a bụkwa okwu ọzọ ndị amamihe kwuru, iji gosi na ikpe ikpe na-akwụghị ọtọ adịghị mma.
And this thing I say to you that are wise [for you] to learn: 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 says of the ungodly, He is righteous, shall be cursed by peoples, and hateful among the nations.
25 Ma ọ ga-adịrị ndị ahụ na-abara onye ikpe mara mba na mma, ha ga-anatakwa ezi ngọzị.
But they that reprove [him] shall appear more excellent, and blessing shall come upon them;
26 Ọsịsa ziri ezi bụ ihe na-egosi ikwesi ntụkwasị obi.
and [men] will kiss lips that answer well.
27 Rụchaa ọrụ gị dị nʼezi. Dozie ala ubi gị. Emesịa wuoro onwe gị ụlọ.
Prepare your works for [your] going forth, and prepare yourself for the field; and come after me, and you shall rebuild your 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 false witness against your [fellow] citizen, neither exaggerate with your lips.
29 Asịla, “Aga m emeso ha dịka ha siri meso m. Aga m akwụghachi ha ụgwọ ihe ha mere.”
Say not, As he has treated me, so will I treat him, and I will avenge myself on him for that wherein he has injured me.
30 Esitere m nʼubi otu onye umengwụ gafee, bụ ubi vaịnị nke onye na-enweghị uche,
A foolish man is like a farm, and a senseless man is like a vineyard.
31 hụ na ogwu etochiela ya, ahịhịa etochiekwala ya; mgbidi dị ya gburugburu adaakwala.
If you let him alone, he will altogether remain barren and covered with weeds; and he becomes destitute, and his stone walls are broken down.
32 Elegharịrị m ya anya site na ya mụta otu ihe a:
Afterwards I reflected, I looked that I might receive instruction.
33 Nwa ụra nta, nwa iru ụra nta, nwa ịchịkọba aka nta zuo ike
[The sluggard says, ]I slumber a little, and I sleep a little, and for a little while I fold my arms across [my] breast.
34 ụbịam ga-abịakwasị gị dịka onye ohi, ụkọ abịakwasịkwa gị dịka onye na-apụnara mmadụ ihe.
But if you do this, your poverty will come speedily; and your lack like a swift courier.
