Ilu 27
1 Anyala isi banyere echi, nʼihi na ị maghị ihe echi ga-abụ.
Boast not of to-morrow; for you know not what the next day shall bring forth.
2 Ka onye ọzọ too gị, ọ bụghị ọnụ gị. Ka onye ọzọ too gị, ka egbugbere ọnụ gị abụọ ghara ito gị.
Let your neighbor, and not your own mouth, praise you; a stranger, 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 heavy, and sand cumbersome; but a fool's wrath is heavier than both.
4 Iwe na-emebi ihe, ma ekworo jọrọ njọ karịa iwe.
Wrath is merciless, and anger sharp: but envy can bear nothing.
5 Mba abara nʼihe ka mma karịa ịhụnanya ezoro ezo.
Open reproofs are better than secret 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 friend are more to be trusted than the spontaneous kisses of an enemy.
7 Mmanụ aṅụ adịghị atọ onye rijuru afọ ụtọ; ma mgbe agụụ ji ya, ọ ga-eri ọ bụladị ihe dị ilu.
A full soul scorns honeycombs; but to a hungry soul even bitter things appear sweet.
8 Nwoke na-akpafu site nʼụlọ ya dị ka nnụnụ na-amakwaghị akwụ ya.
As when a bird flies down from its own nest, so a man is brought into bondage whenever he estranges himself from his own 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.
The heart delights in ointments and wines and perfumes: but the soul is broken by calamities.
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.
Your own friend, and your father's friend, forsake not; and when you are in distress go not into your brother's house: better is a friend [that is] near than a brother living far off.
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.
Son, be wise, that your heart may rejoice; and remove you from yourself reproachful words.
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.
A wise man, when evils are approaching, hides himself; but fools pass on, and will be punished.
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 man's garment, (for a scorner has passed by) whoever lays waste another's goods.
14 Ọ bụrụ na onye ọbụla e jiri oke olu gọzie onye agbataobi ya nʼisi ụtụtụ a ga-agụ nke a dịka ịbụ ọnụ.
Whosoever shall bless a friend in the morning with a loud voice, shall seem to differ nothing from one who curses [him].
15 Mmiri na-ata nʼime ụlọ mgbe mmiri na-ezo na nwanyị na-eso okwu bụ otu.
On a stormy day drops [of rain] drive a man out of his house; so also does a railing woman [drive a man] out of his own house.
16 Onye nwere ike ịkwụsị ya nwere ike iji aka jide ifufe, maọbụ were aka jide mmanụ.
The north wind is sharp, but it is called by name propitious.
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 his friend's countenance.
18 Onye na-eche osisi fiig nche ga-eri mkpụrụ ya, onye na-echebekwa nna ya ukwu ka a ga-asọpụrụ.
He that plants a fig tree shall eat the fruits of it: so he that waits on his own master shall be honored.
19 Dịka e si ahụ ihu mmadụ nʼime mmiri otu a ka obi mmadụ si egosi ihe onye ahụ bụ.
As faces are not like [other] faces, so neither are the thoughts of men.
Hell and destruction are not filled; so also are the eyes of men insatiable. [He that fixes his eye is an abomination to the Lord; and the uninstructed do not restrain their tongue.] (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.
Fire is the trial for silver and gold; and a man is tried by the mouth of them that praise him. The heart of the transgressor seeks after mischiefs; but an upright heart seeks 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.
Though you scourge a fool, disgracing him in the midst of the council, you will [still] in no wise remove his folly from him.
23 Lezie ọrụ gị anya nke ọma, marakwa ọnọdụ igwe ewu na atụrụ gị na anụ ụlọ ndị ọzọ,
Do you thoroughly know the number of your flock, and pay attention to your herds.
24 nʼihi na akụnụba adịghị adịgide. Ọ bụladị okpueze nke onye eze na-emesịa gabiga.
For a man [has] not strength and power for ever; neither does he transmit it from generation to generation.
25 Mgbe e gbupụchara ahịhịa ochie, nke ọhụrụ na-epupụta, mgbe ahụ ka a na-achịkọbata ahịhịa sị nʼugwu.
Take care of the herbage in the field, and you shall cut grass, and gather the mountain hay;
26 Ụmụ atụrụ ga-enye gị uwe ị ga-eyi, ụmụ ewu ga-enyekwa gị ego ọnụahịa ala ubi gị.
that you may have [wool of] sheep for clothing: pay attention to the land, that you may have lambs.
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.
[My] son, you have from me words very useful for your life, and for the life of your servants.
