< Ilu 25 >
1 Ndị a bụkwa ilu Solomọn, nke ndị ozi Hezekaya eze ndị Juda dekọtara nʼakwụkwọ.
These are the miscellaneous instructions of Solomon, which the friends of Ezekias king of Judea copied out.
2 Ọ bụ nsọpụrụ Chineke izobe okwu, ma nsọpụrụ ndị eze bụ ịchọpụta ala okwu.
The glory of God conceals a matter: but the glory of a king honours business.
3 Dịka ịdị elu nke eluigwe, dịka ịdị omimi nke ala, otu a ka obi ndị eze bụ ihe a na-apụghị ịchọpụta.
Heaven is high, and earth is deep, and a king's heart is unsearchable.
4 Wepụ ihe ahụ niile na-ekpuchi mma ọlaọcha, onye ọkpụ ụzụ ọla ga-arụpụta efere;
Beat the drossy silver, and it shall be made entirely pure.
5 wezugakwa ndịisi nʼeme ajọ ihe nʼihu eze, ocheeze ya ga-eguzosikwa ike site nʼezi omume.
Slay the ungodly from before the king, and his throne shall prosper in righteousness.
6 Egosipụtala onwe gị nʼihu eze, ewerela ọnọdụ nʼetiti ndị oke mmadụ,
Be not boastful in the presence of the king, and remain not in the places of princes;
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 for thee that it should be said, Come up to me, than that [one] should humble thee in the presence of the prince; speak of that which 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?
Get not suddenly into a quarrel, lest thou repent at last.
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,
Whenever thy friend shall reproach thee, retreat backward, despise [him] not;
10 ma ọ bụghị ya, onye nụrụ ya nwere ike menye gị ihere, agwa ọjọọ gị agaghị enwekwa ọgwụgwụ.
lest thy friend continue to reproach thee, so thy quarrel and enmity shall not depart, but shall be to thee like death. Favour and friendship set [a man] free, which do thou keep for thyself, lest thou be made liable to reproach; but take heed to thy ways peaceably.
11 Ndụmọdụ e nyere nʼoge kwesiri ekwesi dị ka mkpụrụ osisi apụl ọlaedo e tinyere nʼefere ọlaọcha.
[As] a golden apple in a necklace of sardius, so [is it] to speak a [wise] word.
12 Dịka ọlantị ọlaedo maọbụ ihe ịchọ mma nke ọlaedo mara mma ka mba onye maara ihe bụ na ntị onye na-anụ ya.
In an ear-ring of gold a precious sardius is also set; [so is] a wise word to 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 a fall of snow in the time of harvest is good against heat, so a faithful messenger [refreshes] those that send him; for he helps the souls of his employers.
14 Onye ahụ na-adịghị emezu nkwa o kwere dịka igwe ojii nke na-adịghị ezo mmiri.
As winds and clouds and rains are most evident [objects], so is he that boasts of a false gift.
15 Nwee ndidi, nʼikpeazụ ị ga-enwe mmeri, nʼihi na ire dị nro na-agbaji ọkpụkpụ.
In long-suffering is prosperity to kings, and a soft tongue breaks the bones.
16 Mmanụ aṅụ ọ na-atọ gị ụtọ? Arachala ya karịa, ka ọ ghara iwetara gị ọrịa.
Having found honey, eat [only] what is enough, lest haply thou be filled, and vomit it up.
17 Ejela ileta onye agbataobi gị mgbe mgbe, ka ị ghara ire ugwu gị.
Enter sparingly into thy friend's house, lest he be satiated with thy company, and hate thee.
18 Onye na-agbagịde onye agbataobi ya ama ụgha, dịka mkpọrọ osisi maọbụ mma agha, maọbụ àkụ a pịziri apịzi.
[As] a club, and a dagger, and a pointed arrow, so also is a man who bears false witness against his friend.
19 Ịtụkwasị onye aghụghọ obi nʼoge nsogbu dị ka iji eze na-eme ndakapụ ata ihe, maọbụ iji ụkwụ jiri eji agba ọsọ.
The way of the wicked and the foot of the transgressor shall perish in an evil day.
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 vinegar is bad for a sore, so trouble befalling the body afflicts the heart. As a moth in a garment, and a worm in wood, so the grief of a man hurts the 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 hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink;
22 Mgbe ị na-eme nke a, ị na-agụkwasị icheku ọkụ na-ere ere nʼisi ya, Onyenwe anyị ga-akwụghachikwa gị.
for so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee [with] good.
23 Dịka ifufe si nʼugwu si eweta mmiri ozuzo, otu a ka ikwu mmadụ okwu azụ si eweta iwe.
The north wind raises clouds; so an impudent face provokes the tongue.
24 Ọ ka mma ibi nʼotu akụkụ elu ụlọ karịa ibinyere nwanyị na-ese okwu.
[It is] better to dwell on a corner of the roof, than with a railing woman in an open house.
25 Oziọma e sitere na mba dị anya nata dị ka mmiri jụrụ oyi nye onye akpịrị na-akpọ nkụ.
As cold water is agreeable to a thirsting soul, so is a good message from a land far off.
26 Onye ezi omume nke kwenyere nʼihe onye na-emebi iwu kwuru dị ka iyi a gwọrụrụ nʼisi ya.
As if one should stop a well, and corrupt a spring of water, so [is it] unseemly for a righteous man to fall before an ungodly man.
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; but it is right to honour venerable sayings.
28 Nwoke ọbụla na-adịghị achị mmụọ ya dị ka obodo na-enweghị ndị na-eche ya nche, nke e tikpọrọ mgbidi ya etikpọ.
As a city whose walls are broken down, and which is unfortified, so is a man who does anything without counsel.