Ilu 26
1 Ịhụ onye nzuzu a na-enye nsọpụrụ dịka ịhụ mkpụrụ mmiri ka ọ na-ada nʼoge ọkọchị maọbụ mmiri na-ezo nʼoge owuwe ihe ubi.
As snow is in summer, and as rain in harvest: so is honor not seemly to a fool.
2 Dịka nnụnụ nta na-efegharị efegharị, maọbụ dịka eleke na-awụgharị otu a ka ọbụbụ ọnụ na-ekwesighị agaghị ere.
As the bird [cometh] to flit away, as the swallow, to fly off: so will an undeserved curse not come [to fulfillment].
3 Ụtarị dịrị ịnyịnya, ịnyịnya ibu ka a na-ekenye mkpụmkpụ igwe nʼọnụ; otu a kwa ka apịpịa dị nye azụ ndị nzuzu.
A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.
4 A zaghachila onye nzuzu dịka enweghị uche ya si dị, ma ọ bụghị ya gị onwe gị ga-adị ka ya.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest thou also become equal unto him.
5 Zaa onye nzuzu dịka enweghị uche ya si dị, ma ọ bụghị ya ọ ga-abụ onye maara ihe nʼanya onwe ya.
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
6 Iziga ozi site nʼaka onye nzuzu dịka mmadụ ibipụ ụkwụ ya maọbụ ịṅụ ihe ike dịka mmiri.
He choppeth off the feet, and drinketh vexation, that sendeth important messages by the hand of a fool.
7 Dịka onye ngwụrọ si eji ụkwụ ya eje ije, otu a ka ilu si esite nʼọnụ onye nzuzu apụta.
Too feebly hang down the thighs on a lame man: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
8 Ọ baghị uru inye onye nzuzu nsọpụrụ, nʼihi na ọ gaghị anọgide. Ọ dị ka ịwụ ọkụkọ mmiri nʼazụ.
As is the one that bindeth a stone fast in a sling, so is he that giveth honor to a fool.
9 Dịka ogwu manyere nʼaka onye na-aṅụbiga mmanya oke otu a ka ilu dị nʼọnụ onye nzuzu.
[As] a thorn that is come into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 Dịka ọgba ụta si agba ụta ya na-enweghị onye o bụ nʼobi, otu a ka ọ dị bụ onye na-enye onye nzuzu maọbụ onye o bụla na-agafe nʼụzọ ọrụ ka o rụọra ya.
A master injureth all things when he hireth a fool or hireth mere rovers.
11 Dịka nkịta laghachiri ọzọ nʼihe ọ gbọrọ, otu a ka ndị nzuzu dị mgbe ha na-emekwa omume enweghị uche ha.
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so doth a fool repeat to act in his folly.
12 Ị hụrụ onye mara ihe nʼanya nke onwe ya? Olileanya dị nye onye nzuzu karịa ndị dị otu a.
When thou seest a man wise in his own eyes, then is there more hope for a fool than for him.
13 Onye umengwụ na-asị, “Ọdụm nọ nʼokporoụzọ, ọdụm ji oke iwe na-awagharị nọ nʼama niile!”
The slothful saith, There is a leopard in the way: a lion is between the streets.
14 Dịka ibo ọnụ ụzọ si emegharị nʼihe nkonye ya, otu a ka onye umengwụ si na-atụgharị onwe ya nʼelu ihe ndina ya.
As a door turneth upon its hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
15 Onye umengwụ na-amanye aka nʼefere nri ma oke umengwụ a naghị ekwe ka o weghachi ya tinye nʼọnụ ya.
Hath the slothful hidden his hand in the dish, it wearieth him to bring it back again to his mouth.
16 Nʼuche ya, onye umengwụ na-eche na ọ maara ihe karịa ndị ikom asaa na-eji ezi uche azaghachi okwu.
The slothful is wiser in his own eyes, than seven men that can give wise answers.
17 Onye na-etinye onwe ya nʼesemokwu na-agbasaghị ya dị ka mmadụ na-apụ nʼokporoụzọ dọkpụrụ nkịta ọbụla ọ hụrụ na ntị.
As is one that taketh hold of a dog by the ears, so is he that passing by becometh excited about a dispute which concerneth him not.
18 Dịka onye ara na-agba àkụ na-ere ọkụ nke na-eweta ọnwụ,
As one fatigueth himself shooting off firebrands, arrows, and death:
19 ka nwoke ahụ bụ nke na-aghọgbu onye agbataobi ya ma sị, “ọ bụ naanị egwuregwu ka m na-egwu.”
So is the man that hath cheated his neighbor, and saith, Behold, I am only jesting.
20 Ọkụ na-anyụ mgbe nkụ gwụrụ, otu a kwa esemokwu na-akwụsị mgbe a kwụsịrị ikwu ndị ọzọ okwu nʼazụ.
Where there is no wood, the fire goeth out: so where there is no whisperer, strife is silenced.
21 Dịka icheku si eme ka nkụ nwuru ọkụ, otu a ka onye na-ese okwu si eme ka ọgụ nwuru ọkụ.
As charcoals are added to burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man fitted to enkindle a dispute.
22 Okwu niile nke onye na-agba asịrị na-ekwu dịka iberibe nri nʼatọ ezi ụtọ, ha na-agbadakwa nʼime ime ala afọ.
The words of a whisperer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost chambers of the body.
23 Dịka ite aja ụrọ nke e ji ọlaọcha na-abaghị uru techie, ka egbugbere ọnụ dị nro nke obi jupụtara nʼihe ọjọọ bụ.
Like silver dross laid over an earthen vessel, so are burning lips with a bad heart.
24 Ndị iro na-eji egbugbere ọnụ ha gbanwee onwe ha, ma nʼime obi ha ọ bụ naanị aghụghọ dị ya.
With his lips dissembleth he that hateth, and within himself layeth he up deceit:
25 Okwu ọnụ ya nwere ike tọọ ụtọ na ntị ma ekwenyerela ha, nʼihi na ihe arụ asaa jupụtara nʼime obi ha.
Though he make his voice sound ever so graciously, believe him not; for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Ọ bụ ezie na ọ ga na-eme ka ọ hụrụ gị nʼanya, ma iro ya ga-apụta ihe, mmadụ niile ga-ahụkwa ya.
If one's hatred be covered by deception, then shall be laid bare his wickedness before a [whole] assembly.
27 Onye na-egwuru ibe ya olulu ga-adaba nʼime ya. Ọzọ, onye na-enuda nkume, ya ka nkume ahụ ga-adagbu.
Whoso diggeth a pit will fall therein; and upon him that rolleth a stone, will it return.
28 Onye ị kpọrọ asị bụ onye ị ga-achọ iwetara ihe mgbu site nʼịgha ụgha. Okwu ọma na-esighị nʼobi mmadụ pụta na-eweta ịla nʼiyi.
A lying tongue hateth those that are crushed by it; and a flattering mouth prepareth [others'] downfall.
