Ilu 27
1 Anyala isi banyere echi, nʼihi na ị maghị ihe echi ga-abụ.
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what the future day may bring.
2 Ka onye ọzọ too gị, ọ bụghị ọnụ gị. Ka onye ọzọ too gị, ka egbugbere ọnụ gị abụọ ghara ito gị.
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth: an outsider, and not your own lips.
3 Nkume dị arọ, aja bụkwa ibu arọ, ma mkpasu iwe nke onye nzuzu dị arọ karịa ha abụọ.
A stone is weighty, and sand is burdensome; but the wrath of the foolish is heavier than both.
4 Iwe na-emebi ihe, ma ekworo jọrọ njọ karịa iwe.
Anger holds no mercy, nor does fury when it erupts. And who can bear the assault of one who has been provoked?
5 Mba abara nʼihe ka mma karịa ịhụnanya ezoro ezo.
An open rebuke is better than hidden love.
6 Ihe kwesiri ntụkwasị obi ka mmerụ ahụ nke sitere nʼaka enyi bụ, ma onye iro na-eme ka isutu ọnụ mụbaa.
The wounds of a loved one are better than the deceitful kisses of a hateful one.
7 Mmanụ aṅụ adịghị atọ onye rijuru afọ ụtọ; ma mgbe agụụ ji ya, ọ ga-eri ọ bụladị ihe dị ilu.
A sated soul will trample the honeycomb. And a hungry soul will accept even bitter in place of sweet.
8 Nwoke na-akpafu site nʼụlọ ya dị ka nnụnụ na-amakwaghị akwụ ya.
Just like a bird migrating from her nest, so also is a man who abandons his place.
9 Mmanụ isi ụtọ na ihe nsure ọkụ na-esi isi ụtọ na-eme ka obi ṅụrịa, otu a ka ụtọ enyi dị, site na ndụmọdụ nke mkpụrụobi ha.
Ointment and various perfumes delight the heart. And the good advice of a friend is sweet to the soul.
10 Ahapụla enyi gị maọbụ ndị enyi nna gị. Mgbe ị nọ na mkpa arịọla nwanne gị ka o nyere gị aka. Onye agbataobi nọ gị nso nwere ike inyere gị aka karịa nwanne gị nọ ebe dị anya.
Do not dismiss your friend or your father’s friend. And do not enter your brother’s house in the day of your affliction. A close neighbor is better than a distant brother.
11 Nwa m, obi ga-atọ m ụtọ nke ukwuu ma a sị na ị ga-amụta ihe! Mgbe ahụ, aga m enwe ihe m ga-asa ndị na-akọcha m.
My son, study wisdom, and rejoice my heart, so that you may be able to respond to the one who reproaches.
12 Onye nwere uche na-ahụ nsogbu nke na-abịa nʼihu ma zobe onwe ya. Ma onye na-enweghị uche anaghị ele anya, ọ na-adaba nʼime nsogbu ahụ taa ahụhụ so ya.
The discerning man, seeing evil, hides himself. The little ones, continuing on, sustain losses.
13 Chịrị uwe onye ahụ nke naara onye mba ọzọ na mbe. E, chiri ya ma ọ bụrụ nwanyị na-abụghị nwunye ya ka o nara na mbe.
Take away the garment of him who has vouched for an outsider. And take a pledge from him on behalf of foreigners.
14 Ọ bụrụ na onye ọbụla e jiri oke olu gọzie onye agbataobi ya nʼisi ụtụtụ a ga-agụ nke a dịka ịbụ ọnụ.
Whoever blesses his neighbor with a grand voice, rising in the night, shall be like one who curses.
15 Mmiri na-ata nʼime ụlọ mgbe mmiri na-ezo na nwanyị na-eso okwu bụ otu.
A roof leaking on a cold day, and an argumentative woman, are comparable.
16 Onye nwere ike ịkwụsị ya nwere ike iji aka jide ifufe, maọbụ were aka jide mmanụ.
He who would restrain her, he is like one who would grasp the wind, or who would gather together oil with his right hand.
17 Dịka e si eji igwe amụ igwe ọzọ ka ọ dị nkọ, otu a ka mmadụ si enyere ibe ya aka ịdị nkọ.
Iron sharpens iron, and a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
18 Onye na-eche osisi fiig nche ga-eri mkpụrụ ya, onye na-echebekwa nna ya ukwu ka a ga-asọpụrụ.
Whoever maintains the fig tree shall eat its fruit. And whoever is the keeper of his master shall be glorified.
19 Dịka e si ahụ ihu mmadụ nʼime mmiri otu a ka obi mmadụ si egosi ihe onye ahụ bụ.
In the manner of faces looking into shining water, so are the hearts of men made manifest to the prudent.
Hell and perdition are never filled; similarly the eyes of men are insatiable. (Sheol h7585)
21 Ite eji anụcha ihe dịrị ọlaọcha, oke ọkụ dịkwara ọlaedo ma a na-anwale ndị mmadụ site nʼotuto a na-enye ha.
In the manner of silver being tested in the refinery, and gold in the furnace, so also is a man tested by the mouth of one who praises. The heart of the iniquitous inquires after evils, but the heart of the righteous inquires after knowledge.
22 Nʼagbanyeghị na ị ga-egwepịa onye nzuzu nʼime ikwe, were aka odo gwee ha dịka mkpụrụ ọka, ị pụghị isite nʼahụ ha wepụ enweghị uche ha.
Even if you were to crush the foolish with a mortar, as when a pestle strikes over pearled barley, his foolishness would not be taken from him.
23 Lezie ọrụ gị anya nke ọma, marakwa ọnọdụ igwe ewu na atụrụ gị na anụ ụlọ ndị ọzọ,
Be diligent to know the countenance of your cattle, and consider your own flocks,
24 nʼihi na akụnụba adịghị adịgide. Ọ bụladị okpueze nke onye eze na-emesịa gabiga.
for you will not always hold this power. But a crown shall be awarded from generation to generation.
25 Mgbe e gbupụchara ahịhịa ochie, nke ọhụrụ na-epupụta, mgbe ahụ ka a na-achịkọbata ahịhịa sị nʼugwu.
The meadows are open, and the green plants have appeared, and the hay has been collected from the mountains.
26 Ụmụ atụrụ ga-enye gị uwe ị ga-eyi, ụmụ ewu ga-enyekwa gị ego ọnụahịa ala ubi gị.
Lambs are for your clothing, and goats are for the price of a field.
27 Ị ga-enwe mmiri ara ewu nke ga-ezuru gị na ndị ezinaụlọ gị nri, na nke ga-edozi ahụ ndị odibo nwanyị gị.
Let the milk of goats be sufficient for your food, and for the necessities of your household, and for the provisions of your handmaids.
