Ilu 25
1 Ndị a bụkwa ilu Solomọn, nke ndị ozi Hezekaya eze ndị Juda dekọtara nʼakwụkwọ.
These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
2 Ọ bụ nsọpụrụ Chineke izobe okwu, ma nsọpụrụ ndị eze bụ ịchọpụta ala okwu.
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
3 Dịka ịdị elu nke eluigwe, dịka ịdị omimi nke ala, otu a ka obi ndị eze bụ ihe a na-apụghị ịchọpụta.
As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 Wepụ ihe ahụ niile na-ekpuchi mma ọlaọcha, onye ọkpụ ụzụ ọla ga-arụpụta efere;
Take away the dross from the silver, And there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner:
5 wezugakwa ndịisi nʼeme ajọ ihe nʼihu eze, ocheeze ya ga-eguzosikwa ike site nʼezi omume.
Take away the wicked [from] before the king, And his throne shall be established in righteousness.
6 Egosipụtala onwe gị nʼihu eze, ewerela ọnọdụ nʼetiti ndị oke mmadụ,
Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king, And stand not in the place of great men:
7 ọ ga-aka mma ma ọ bụrụ na ọ si gị, “Rigota nʼebe a,” karịa na o wedara gị ala nʼihu ndị oke mmadụ. Ihe iji anya gị abụọ hụ
For better is it that it be said unto thee, Come up hither, Than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom thine eyes have seen.
8 e mekwala ngwangwa ịga nʼụlọikpe, nʼihi na ọ bụ gịnị ka ị ga-eme nʼikpeazụ ma ọ bụrụ nʼonye agbataobi gị etinye gị nʼọnọdụ ihere?
Go not forth hastily to strive, Lest [thou know not] what to do in the end thereof, When thy neighbor hath put thee to shame.
9 Ọ bụrụ na gị na onye ọzọ enwee esemokwu, dozienụ ya nʼonwe unu, emekwala ka ndị ọzọ mata okwu nzuzo gị na onye ọzọ kwuru,
Debate thy cause with thy neighbor [himself], And disclose not the secret of another;
10 ma ọ bụghị ya, onye nụrụ ya nwere ike menye gị ihere, agwa ọjọọ gị agaghị enwekwa ọgwụgwụ.
Lest he that heareth it revile thee, And thine infamy turn not away.
11 Ndụmọdụ e nyere nʼoge kwesiri ekwesi dị ka mkpụrụ osisi apụl ọlaedo e tinyere nʼefere ọlaọcha.
A word fitly spoken Is [like] apples of gold in network of silver.
12 Dịka ọlantị ọlaedo maọbụ ihe ịchọ mma nke ọlaedo mara mma ka mba onye maara ihe bụ na ntị onye na-anụ ya.
[As] an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, [So is] a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
13 Onyeozi kwesiri ntụkwasị obi na-eweta ntute na ndụ, dịka mmiri oyi si eme ka ahụ dị jụụ nʼoge okpomọkụ owuwe ihe ubi.
As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, [So is] a faithful messenger to them that send him; For he refresheth the soul of his masters.
14 Onye ahụ na-adịghị emezu nkwa o kwere dịka igwe ojii nke na-adịghị ezo mmiri.
[As] clouds and wind without rain, [So is] he that boasteth himself of his gifts falsely.
15 Nwee ndidi, nʼikpeazụ ị ga-enwe mmeri, nʼihi na ire dị nro na-agbaji ọkpụkpụ.
By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
16 Mmanụ aṅụ ọ na-atọ gị ụtọ? Arachala ya karịa, ka ọ ghara iwetara gị ọrịa.
Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
17 Ejela ileta onye agbataobi gị mgbe mgbe, ka ị ghara ire ugwu gị.
Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbor’s house, Lest he be weary of thee, and hate thee.
18 Onye na-agbagịde onye agbataobi ya ama ụgha, dịka mkpọrọ osisi maọbụ mma agha, maọbụ àkụ a pịziri apịzi.
A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor Is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 Ịtụkwasị onye aghụghọ obi nʼoge nsogbu dị ka iji eze na-eme ndakapụ ata ihe, maọbụ iji ụkwụ jiri eji agba ọsọ.
Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is [like] a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
20 Dịka onye e yipụrụ uwe nʼụbọchị oyi ụgụrụ, maọbụ iwere nnu tee nʼelu ọnya, otu a ka onye na-abụrụ onye iwe na-ewe abụ dị.
[As] one that taketh off a garment in cold weather, [and as] vinegar upon soda, So is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.
21 Ọ bụrụ na agụụ na-agụ onye iro gị, nye ya nri ka o rie, ọ bụrụkwa na akpịrị na-akpọ ya nkụ, nye ya mmiri ka ọ ṅụọ.
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
22 Mgbe ị na-eme nke a, ị na-agụkwasị icheku ọkụ na-ere ere nʼisi ya, Onyenwe anyị ga-akwụghachikwa gị.
For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head, And Jehovah will reward thee.
23 Dịka ifufe si nʼugwu si eweta mmiri ozuzo, otu a ka ikwu mmadụ okwu azụ si eweta iwe.
The north wind bringeth forth rain; So doth a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
24 Ọ ka mma ibi nʼotu akụkụ elu ụlọ karịa ibinyere nwanyị na-ese okwu.
It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, Than with a contentious woman in a wide house.
25 Oziọma e sitere na mba dị anya nata dị ka mmiri jụrụ oyi nye onye akpịrị na-akpọ nkụ.
[As] cold waters to a thirsty soul, So is good news from a far country.
26 Onye ezi omume nke kwenyere nʼihe onye na-emebi iwu kwuru dị ka iyi a gwọrụrụ nʼisi ya.
[As] a troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring, [So is] a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.
27 Dịka ịracha mmanụ aṅụ hie nne si jọọ njọ, otu a ka o si bụrụ ihe na-enweghị nsọpụrụ, mmadụ ịchọpụta ihe ndị ezomiri ezomi.
It is not good to eat much honey; So [for men] to search out their own glory is grievous.
28 Nwoke ọbụla na-adịghị achị mmụọ ya dị ka obodo na-enweghị ndị na-eche ya nche, nke e tikpọrọ mgbidi ya etikpọ.
He whose spirit is without restraint Is [like] a city that is broken down and without walls.
