Ilu 27
1 Anyala isi banyere echi, nʼihi na ị maghị ihe echi ga-abụ.
Don’t boast about tomorrow; for you don’t know what a 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 man praise you, and not your own mouth; 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 is a burden; but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
4 Iwe na-emebi ihe, ma ekworo jọrọ njọ karịa iwe.
Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Mba abara nʼihe ka mma karịa ịhụnanya ezoro ezo.
Better is open rebuke 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 friend are faithful, although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
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 loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Nwoke na-akpafu site nʼụlọ ya dị ka nnụnụ na-amakwaghị akwụ ya.
As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his home.
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.
Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend.
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.
Don’t forsake your friend and your father’s friend. Don’t go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster. A neighbour who is near 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.
Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, then I can answer my tormentor.
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 prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
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 his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger. Hold it for a wayward woman!
14 Ọ bụrụ na onye ọbụla e jiri oke olu gọzie onye agbataobi ya nʼisi ụtụtụ a ga-agụ nke a dịka ịbụ ọnụ.
He who blesses his neighbour with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse by him.
15 Mmiri na-ata nʼime ụlọ mgbe mmiri na-ezo na nwanyị na-eso okwu bụ otu.
A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike:
16 Onye nwere ike ịkwụsị ya nwere ike iji aka jide ifufe, maọbụ were aka jide mmanụ.
restraining her is like restraining the wind, or like grasping oil in 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; so 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.
Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honoured.
19 Dịka e si ahụ ihu mmadụ nʼime mmiri otu a ka obi mmadụ si egosi ihe onye ahụ bụ.
Like water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and a man’s eyes are never satisfied. (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.
The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined by his praise.
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 grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.
23 Lezie ọrụ gị anya nke ọma, marakwa ọnọdụ igwe ewu na atụrụ gị na anụ ụlọ ndị ọzọ,
Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds,
24 nʼihi na akụnụba adịghị adịgide. Ọ bụladị okpueze nke onye eze na-emesịa gabiga.
for riches are not forever, nor does the crown endure to all generations.
25 Mgbe e gbupụchara ahịhịa ochie, nke ọhụrụ na-epupụta, mgbe ahụ ka a na-achịkọbata ahịhịa sị nʼugwu.
The hay is removed, and the new growth appears, the grasses of the hills are gathered in.
26 Ụmụ atụrụ ga-enye gị uwe ị ga-eyi, ụmụ ewu ga-enyekwa gị ego ọnụahịa ala ubi gị.
The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are 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.
There will be plenty of goats’ milk for your food, for your family’s food, and for the nourishment of your servant girls.
