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 in summer, and as rain in harvest; so honor is not seemly for 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 by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.
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 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.
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like 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 conceit.
6 Iziga ozi site nʼaka onye nzuzu dịka mmadụ ibipụ ụkwụ ya maọbụ ịṅụ ihe ike dịka mmiri.
He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, [and] drinketh damage.
7 Dịka onye ngwụrọ si eji ụkwụ ya eje ije, otu a ka ilu si esite nʼọnụ onye nzuzu apụta.
The legs of the lame are not equal: 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 he that bindeth a stone 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 goeth up 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.
The great [God] that formed all [things] both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
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] a fool returneth to his folly.
12 Ị hụrụ onye mara ihe nʼanya nke onwe ya? Olileanya dị nye onye nzuzu karịa ndị dị otu a.
Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? [there is] more hope of a fool than of him.
13 Onye umengwụ na-asị, “Ọdụm nọ nʼokporoụzọ, ọdụm ji oke iwe na-awagharị nọ nʼama niile!”
The slothful [man] saith, [There is] a lion in the way; a lion [is] in 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] the 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.
The slothful hideth [his] hand in [his] bosom; it grieveth him to bring it 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 sluggard [is] wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
17 Onye na-etinye onwe ya nʼesemokwu na-agbasaghị ya dị ka mmadụ na-apụ nʼokporoụzọ dọkpụrụ nkịta ọbụla ọ hụrụ na ntị.
He that passeth by, [and] meddleth with strife [belonging] not to him, [is like] one that taketh a dog by the ears.
18 Dịka onye ara na-agba àkụ na-ere ọkụ nke na-eweta ọnwụ,
As a mad [man] who casteth fire-brands, 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] deceiveth his neighbor, and saith, Am not I in sport?
20 Ọkụ na-anyụ mgbe nkụ gwụrụ, otu a kwa esemokwu na-akwụsị mgbe a kwụsịrị ikwu ndị ọzọ okwu nʼazụ.
Where no wood is, [there] the fire goeth out: so where [there is] no tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth.
21 Dịka icheku si eme ka nkụ nwuru ọkụ, otu a ka onye na-ese okwu si eme ka ọgụ nwuru ọkụ.
[As] coals [are] to burning coals, and wood to fire; so [is] a contentious man to kindle strife.
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 tale-bearer [are] as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
23 Dịka ite aja ụrọ nke e ji ọlaọcha na-abaghị uru techie, ka egbugbere ọnụ dị nro nke obi jupụtara nʼihe ọjọọ bụ.
Burning lips and a wicked heart [are like] a potsherd covered with silver dross.
24 Ndị iro na-eji egbugbere ọnụ ha gbanwee onwe ha, ma nʼime obi ha ọ bụ naanị aghụghọ dị ya.
He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
25 Okwu ọnụ ya nwere ike tọọ ụtọ na ntị ma ekwenyerela ha, nʼihi na ihe arụ asaa jupụtara nʼime obi ha.
When he speaketh fair, 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.
[Whose] hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shown before the [whole] congregation.
27 Onye na-egwuru ibe ya olulu ga-adaba nʼime ya. Ọzọ, onye na-enuda nkume, ya ka nkume ahụ ga-adagbu.
Whoever diggeth a pit shall fall into it: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
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] afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
