< Ilu 25 >
1 Ndị a bụkwa ilu Solomọn, nke ndị ozi Hezekaya eze ndị Juda dekọtara nʼakwụkwọ.
These are more wise sayings of Solomon, copied out by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
2 Ọ bụ nsọpụrụ Chineke izobe okwu, ma nsọpụrụ ndị eze bụ ịchọpụta ala okwu.
It is the glory of God to keep a thing secret: but the glory of kings is to have it searched out.
3 Dịka ịdị elu nke eluigwe, dịka ịdị omimi nke ala, otu a ka obi ndị eze bụ ihe a na-apụghị ịchọpụta.
The heaven is high and the earth is deep, and the hearts of kings may not be searched out.
4 Wepụ ihe ahụ niile na-ekpuchi mma ọlaọcha, onye ọkpụ ụzụ ọla ga-arụpụta efere;
Take away the waste from silver, and a vessel will come out for the silver-worker.
5 wezugakwa ndịisi nʼeme ajọ ihe nʼihu eze, ocheeze ya ga-eguzosikwa ike site nʼezi omume.
Take away evil-doers from before the king, and the seat of his power will be made strong in righteousness.
6 Egosipụtala onwe gị nʼihu eze, ewerela ọnọdụ nʼetiti ndị oke mmadụ,
Do not take glory for yourself before the king, and do not put yourself in the place of the great:
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 it is better to have it said to you, Come up here; than for you to be put down in a lower place before the ruler.
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?
Do not be quick to go to law about what you have seen, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbour has put you 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,
Have a talk with your neighbour himself about your cause, but do not give away the secret of another:
10 ma ọ bụghị ya, onye nụrụ ya nwere ike menye gị ihere, agwa ọjọọ gị agaghị enwekwa ọgwụgwụ.
Or your hearer may say evil of you, and your shame will not be turned away.
11 Ndụmọdụ e nyere nʼoge kwesiri ekwesi dị ka mkpụrụ osisi apụl ọlaedo e tinyere nʼefere ọlaọcha.
A word at the right time is like apples of gold in a 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.
Like a nose-ring of gold and an ornament of the best gold, is a wise man who says sharp words to an ear ready to give attention.
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 grain-cutting, so is a true servant to those who send him; for he gives new life to the soul of his master.
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 one who takes credit for an offering he has not given.
15 Nwee ndidi, nʼikpeazụ ị ga-enwe mmeri, nʼihi na ire dị nro na-agbaji ọkpụkpụ.
A judge is moved by one who for a long time undergoes wrongs without protest, and by a soft tongue even bone is broken.
16 Mmanụ aṅụ ọ na-atọ gị ụtọ? Arachala ya karịa, ka ọ ghara iwetara gị ọrịa.
If you have honey, take only as much as is enough for you; for fear that, being full of it, you may not be able to keep it down.
17 Ejela ileta onye agbataobi gị mgbe mgbe, ka ị ghara ire ugwu gị.
Let not your foot be frequently in your neighbour's house, or he may get tired of you, and his feeling be turned to hate.
18 Onye na-agbagịde onye agbataobi ya ama ụgha, dịka mkpọrọ osisi maọbụ mma agha, maọbụ àkụ a pịziri apịzi.
One who gives false witness against his neighbour is a hammer 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.
Putting one's faith in a false man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a shaking foot.
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.
Like one who takes off clothing in cold weather and like acid on a wound, is he who makes melody to a sad 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 your hater is in need of food, give him bread; and if he is in need of drink, give him water:
22 Mgbe ị na-eme nke a, ị na-agụkwasị icheku ọkụ na-ere ere nʼisi ya, Onyenwe anyị ga-akwụghachikwa gị.
For so you will put coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will give you your reward.
23 Dịka ifufe si nʼugwu si eweta mmiri ozuzo, otu a ka ikwu mmadụ okwu azụ si eweta iwe.
As the north wind gives birth to rain, so is an angry face caused by a tongue saying evil secretly.
24 Ọ ka mma ibi nʼotu akụkụ elu ụlọ karịa ibinyere nwanyị na-ese okwu.
It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top, than with a bitter-tongued 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 water to a tired 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.
Like a troubled fountain and a dirty spring, is an upright man who has to give way before evil-doers.
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 take much honey: so he who is not looking for honour will be honoured.
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 uncontrolled is like an unwalled town which has been broken into.