Ilu 25
1 Ndị a bụkwa ilu Solomọn, nke ndị ozi Hezekaya eze ndị Juda dekọtara nʼakwụkwọ.
These [are] also 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 honor 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.
The heaven for hight, and the earth for depth, and 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 shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
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 forth thyself 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 [it is] that it be said to thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thy 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 reveal not a secret to 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] put thee to shame, and thy 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 pictures 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.
Whoever boasteth himself of a false gift [is like] clouds and wind without rain.
15 Nwee ndidi, nʼikpeazụ ị ga-enwe mmeri, nʼihi na ire dị nro na-agbaji ọkpụkpụ.
By long forbearing is a prince 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 with it, and vomit it.
17 Ejela ileta onye agbataobi gị mgbe mgbe, ka ị ghara ire ugwu gị.
Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbor's house; lest he be weary of thee, and [so] 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] he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, [and as] vinegar upon nitre; 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 thy enemy shall hunger, give him bread to eat; and if he shall thirst, 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 shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD 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 driveth away rain: so [doth] an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
24 Ọ ka mma ibi nʼotu akụkụ elu ụlọ karịa ibinyere nwanyị na-ese okwu.
[It is] better to dwell in a corner of the house-top, than with a brawling woman and 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.
A righteous man falling down before the wicked [is as] a turbid fountain, and a corrupt spring.
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 their own glory [is not] glory.
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 that [hath] no rule over his own spirit [is like] a city [that is] broken down, [and] without walls.
