Ilu 24
1 Ekwosola ndị ajọ omume ekworo, ka ihe banyere ha ghara ịtọ gị ụtọ.
Be thou not envious of bad men, and do not long 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 meditateth destruction, and of mischief do their lips speak.
3 Ọ bụ amamihe ka e ji ewu ụlọ, ọ bụkwa nghọta ka e ji eme ka o guzosie ike.
Through wisdom is a house built; and through understanding is it firmly established;
4 Sitekwa nʼihe ọmụma ka akụ niile ji ejupụta nʼime ya, bụ akụ ndị pụrụ iche ma dịkwa oke ọnụahịa.
And through knowledge are chambers filled with all manner of precious and pleasant wealth.
5 Onye maara ihe na-emeri site nʼịdị ike, ndị nwere ọmụma ihe na-akpali ike ha.
A wise man is [always] in power; and a man of knowledge fortifieth [his] 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 canst thou conduct thy war; and there is help in a multitude of counsellors.
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: in the gate can he not open his mouth.
8 Onye na-eche echiche ime ihe ọjọọ ka a ga-agụ dịka onye nzube ihe ọjọọ
Him that deviseth to do evil, men call a master of wicked devices.
9 Nzube niile nke onye na-enweghị uche bụ mmehie, ndị mmadụ na-akpọ onye na-akwa emo asị.
The counsel of folly is sin; and an abomination to men is the scorner.
10 Ọ bụrụ na ị pụghị iguzosi ike nʼoge nsogbu, ị bụ nnọọ onye ike ya dị ntakịrị.
If thou despond on the day of distress, thy strength is small.
11 Napụta ndị a na-eduba nʼọnwụ. Napụtakwa ndị ahụ a mara ikpe ọnwụ nʼụzọ na-ezighị ezi.
Deliver those that are taken unto death, and those that are moved away to the slaughter hold back.
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 shouldst say, Behold, we know not this man: lo, he that weigheth hearts will truly regard it, and he that keepeth thy soul will surely know it; and he will give a recompense to man according to his doing.
13 Nwa m nwoke, rachaa mmanụ aṅụ nʼihi na ọ dị mma. Mmanụ aṅụ nke si nʼugbugbo mmanụ aṅụ na-adị gị ụtọ nʼọnụ.
Eat honey, my son, because it is good; and the fine honey, which is sweet to thy palate:
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 obtain the knowledge of wisdom for thy soul: when thou hast found her, then shall there be a [happy] future, and thy hope 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.
Lie not in wait, O wicked man! against the dwelling of the righteous; waste 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 though the righteous were to fall seven times, he will rise up again; but the wicked shall stumble into misfortune.
17 Aṅụrịla ọṅụ mgbe onye iro gị dabara na nsogbu. Ka obi gharakwa ịtọ gị ụtọ mgbe ọ dara.
At the fall of thy enemy do not rejoice; and at his stumbling let not thy heart be glad:
18 Nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị pụrụ iwe iwe nʼihi ya megide gị ma kwụsị ịta ya ahụhụ.
Lest the Lord see it and it be displeasing in his eyes, and he turn away from him his wrath.
19 Ekwosola onye na-emebi iwu ekworo, maọbụ nwe anya ukwu nʼebe onye ajọ omume nọọ.
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious of the wicked;
20 Nʼihi na onye na-emebi iwu enweghị ọdịnihu; a ga-afụnyụkwa ọkụ onye ajọ omume.
For there will be no [happy] future for the bad man: the lamp of the wicked will be quenched.
21 Nwa m, tụọ egwu Onyenwe anyị na onye bụ eze, esonyerela ndị ozi na-enupu isi megide nna ha ukwu.
My son, fear the Lord and the king: with those that are desirous to change do not mingle thyself;
22 Nʼihi na ọ bụ na mberede ka ị ga-eso ha daba na nhụju anya. Onye maara ihe ga-abụ ọgwụgwụ ya?
For suddenly will their calamity arise; and who knoweth the ruin of both of them!
23 Ndị a bụkwa okwu ọzọ ndị amamihe kwuru, iji gosi na ikpe ikpe na-akwụghị ọtọ adịghị mma.
These things also are for the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
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.
Him that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, will the people denounce, him will nations hold accursed;
25 Ma ọ ga-adịrị ndị ahụ na-abara onye ikpe mara mba na mma, ha ga-anatakwa ezi ngọzị.
But to those that punish delight shall be given, and upon them shall come the blessing of the good.
26 Ọsịsa ziri ezi bụ ihe na-egosi ikwesi ntụkwasị obi.
Men will kiss the lips of him that giveth a proper answer.
27 Rụchaa ọrụ gị dị nʼezi. Dozie ala ubi gị. Emesịa wuoro onwe gị ụlọ.
Prepare without thy work, and make it fit in the field for thyself: and afterward build thy house.
28 Agbala ama ụgha megide onye agbataobi gị nʼefu. Ọ bụ egbugbere ọnụ gị abụọ ka ị ga-eji ghọọ aghụghọ?
Be not without cause a witness against thy neighbor; for wouldst thou beguile with thy lips?
29 Asịla, “Aga m emeso ha dịka ha siri meso m. Aga m akwụghachi ha ụgwọ ihe ha mere.”
Say not, As he hath done to me so will I do to him: I will recompense every man according to his doing.
30 Esitere m nʼubi otu onye umengwụ gafee, bụ ubi vaịnị nke onye na-enweghị uche,
By the field of a slothful man I once passed along, and by the vineyard of a man void of sense:
31 hụ na ogwu etochiela ya, ahịhịa etochiekwala ya; mgbidi dị ya gburugburu adaakwala.
And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, nettles had covered its surface, and its stone-wall was broken down.
32 Elegharịrị m ya anya site na ya mụta otu ihe a:
And when I had indeed beheld [this] I took it to my heart: I saw it, and received a warning.
33 Nwa ụra nta, nwa iru ụra nta, nwa ịchịkọba aka nta zuo ike
“A little [more] sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands in lying down;”
34 ụbịam ga-abịakwasị gị dịka onye ohi, ụkọ abịakwasịkwa gị dịka onye na-apụnara mmadụ ihe.
But then will thy poverty come like a rover; and thy wants as a man armed with a shield.
