Ilu 25
1 Ndị a bụkwa ilu Solomọn, nke ndị ozi Hezekaya eze ndị Juda dekọtara nʼakwụkwọ.
Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed: —
2 Ọ bụ nsọpụrụ Chineke izobe okwu, ma nsọpụrụ ndị eze bụ ịchọpụta ala okwu.
The honour of God [is] to hide a thing, And the honour of kings 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 heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings — [are] unsearchable.
4 Wepụ ihe ahụ niile na-ekpuchi mma ọlaọcha, onye ọkpụ ụzụ ọla ga-arụpụta efere;
Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,
5 wezugakwa ndịisi nʼeme ajọ ihe nʼihu eze, ocheeze ya ga-eguzosikwa ike site nʼezi omume.
Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.
6 Egosipụtala onwe gị nʼihu eze, ewerela ọnọdụ nʼetiti ndị oke mmadụ,
Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not.
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 [that] he hath said to thee, 'Come thou up hither,' Than [that] he humble thee before a noble, 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 to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?
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,
Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not,
10 ma ọ bụghị ya, onye nụrụ ya nwere ike menye gị ihere, agwa ọjọọ gị agaghị enwekwa ọgwụgwụ.
Lest the hearer put thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not back.
11 Ndụmọdụ e nyere nʼoge kwesiri ekwesi dị ka mkpụrụ osisi apụl ọlaedo e tinyere nʼefere ọlaọcha.
Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
12 Dịka ọlantị ọlaedo maọbụ ihe ịchọ mma nke ọlaedo mara mma ka mba onye maara ihe bụ na ntị onye na-anụ ya.
A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive 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 vessel of snow in a day of harvest, [So is] a faithful ambassador to those sending him, And the soul of his masters he refresheth.
14 Onye ahụ na-adịghị emezu nkwa o kwere dịka igwe ojii nke na-adịghị ezo mmiri.
Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
15 Nwee ndidi, nʼikpeazụ ị ga-enwe mmeri, nʼihi na ire dị nro na-agbaji ọkpụkpụ.
By long-suffering is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh a bone.
16 Mmanụ aṅụ ọ na-atọ gị ụtọ? Arachala ya karịa, ka ọ ghara iwetara gị ọrịa.
Honey thou hast found — eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated [with] it, and hast vomited it.
17 Ejela ileta onye agbataobi gị mgbe mgbe, ka ị ghara ire ugwu gị.
Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, Lest he be satiated [with] thee, and have hated thee.
18 Onye na-agbagịde onye agbataobi ya ama ụgha, dịka mkpọrọ osisi maọbụ mma agha, maọbụ àkụ a pịziri apịzi.
A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying against his neighbour a false testimony.
19 Ịtụkwasị onye aghụghọ obi nʼoge nsogbu dị ka iji eze na-eme ndakapụ ata ihe, maọbụ iji ụkwụ jiri eji agba ọsọ.
A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
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.
Whoso is taking away a garment in a cold day, [Is as] vinegar on nitre, And a singer of songs on 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 he who is hating thee doth hunger, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirst, cause him to drink water.
22 Mgbe ị na-eme nke a, ị na-agụkwasị icheku ọkụ na-ere ere nʼisi ya, Onyenwe anyị ga-akwụghachikwa gị.
For coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee.
23 Dịka ifufe si nʼugwu si eweta mmiri ozuzo, otu a ka ikwu mmadụ okwu azụ si eweta iwe.
A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue — indignant faces.
24 Ọ ka mma ibi nʼotu akụkụ elu ụlọ karịa ibinyere nwanyị na-ese okwu.
Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.
25 Oziọma e sitere na mba dị anya nata dị ka mmiri jụrụ oyi nye onye akpịrị na-akpọ nkụ.
[As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
26 Onye ezi omume nke kwenyere nʼihe onye na-emebi iwu kwuru dị ka iyi a gwọrụrụ nʼisi ya.
A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling 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.
The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one's own honour — honour.
28 Nwoke ọbụla na-adịghị achị mmụọ ya dị ka obodo na-enweghị ndị na-eche ya nche, nke e tikpọrọ mgbidi ya etikpọ.
A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
