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 honour [is] not comely 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 a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause doth 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 is for a horse, a bridle for an ass, And a rod for the back of fools.
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 be like to him — even thou.
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 is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things 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.
Weak have been the two legs of the lame, And 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 one who is binding a stone in a sling, So [is] he who is giving honour to a fool.
9 Dịka ogwu manyere nʼaka onye na-aṅụbiga mmanya oke otu a ka ilu dị nʼọnụ onye nzuzu.
A thorn hath gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And 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.
Great [is] the Former of all, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding 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 hath returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.
12 Ị hụrụ onye mara ihe nʼanya nke onwe ya? Olileanya dị nye onye nzuzu karịa ndị dị otu a.
Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eyes, 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 hath said, 'A lion [is] in the way, A lion [is] in the broad places.'
14 Dịka ibo ọnụ ụzọ si emegharị nʼihe nkonye ya, otu a ka onye umengwụ si na-atụgharị onwe ya nʼelu ihe ndina ya.
The door turneth round on its hinge, And the slothful on 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 hath hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.
16 Nʼuche ya, onye umengwụ na-eche na ọ maara ihe karịa ndị ikom asaa na-eji ezi uche azaghachi okwu.
Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven [men] returning 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.
Laying hold on the ears of a dog, [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife not his own.
18 Dịka onye ara na-agba àkụ na-ere ọkụ nke na-eweta ọnwụ,
As [one] pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, 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 hath a man deceived his neighbour, And hath said, 'Am not I playing?'
20 Ọkụ na-anyụ mgbe nkụ gwụrụ, otu a kwa esemokwu na-akwụsị mgbe a kwụsịrị ikwu ndị ọzọ okwu nʼazụ.
Without wood is fire going out, And without a tale-bearer, contention ceaseth,
21 Dịka icheku si eme ka nkụ nwuru ọkụ, otu a ka onye na-ese okwu si eme ka ọgụ nwuru ọkụ.
Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions 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 self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
23 Dịka ite aja ụrọ nke e ji ọlaọcha na-abaghị uru techie, ka egbugbere ọnụ dị nro nke obi jupụtara nʼihe ọjọọ bụ.
Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [Are] burning lips and an evil heart.
24 Ndị iro na-eji egbugbere ọnụ ha gbanwee onwe ha, ma nʼime obi ha ọ bụ naanị aghụghọ dị ya.
By his lips doth a hater dissemble, And in his heart he placeth deceit,
25 Okwu ọnụ ya nwere ike tọọ ụtọ na ntị ma ekwenyerela ha, nʼihi na ihe arụ asaa jupụtara nʼime obi ha.
When his voice is gracious trust not in him, For seven abominations [are] 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.
Hatred is covered by deceit, Revealed is its wickedness in an assembly.
27 Onye na-egwuru ibe ya olulu ga-adaba nʼime ya. Ọzọ, onye na-enuda nkume, ya ka nkume ahụ ga-adagbu.
Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And the roller of a stone, to him it turneth.
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 its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth worketh an overthrow!
