Ilu 3
1 Nwa m echezọla ihe niile m ziri gị. Ma debe iwu m nʼobi gị.
My son, keep my teaching in your memory, and my rules in your heart:
2 Nʼihi na ha ga-eme ka ndụ gị dị ogologo ruo ọtụtụ afọ, wetakwara gị udo na ọganihu.
For they will give you increase of days, years of life, and peace.
3 Ekwela ka ịhụnanya na ikwesi ntụkwasị obi hapụ gị, kekwasị ha nʼolu gị, deekwa ha nʼelu mbadamba nkume, bụ obi gị.
Let not mercy and good faith go from you; let them be hanging round your neck, recorded on your heart;
4 Mgbe ahụ, ị ga-enwe ihuọma na ezi aha nʼanya Chineke na nʼihu mmadụ.
So you will have grace and a good name in the eyes of God and men.
5 Tụkwasị Onyenwe anyị obi gị niile, adaberekwala na nghọta gị.
Put all your hope in God, not looking to your reason for support.
6 Nʼihe ọbụla ị na-eme, ka Chineke bute ụzọ, ọ ga-eduzi gị, meekwa ka okporoụzọ gị niile gazie.
In all your ways give ear to him, and he will make straight your footsteps.
7 A bụla onye maara ihe nʼanya nke onwe gị. Tụọ Onyenwe anyị egwu, kpọọkwa ihe ọjọọ asị.
Put no high value on your wisdom: let the fear of the Lord be before you, and keep yourself from evil:
8 Nke a ga-eme ka i nwee ahụ ike gbaakwa ọkpụkpụ gị ume.
This will give strength to your flesh, and new life to your bones.
9 Sọpụrụ Onyenwe anyị site nʼinye ya mkpụrụ mbụ nke akụnụba gị, na mkpụrụ mbụ nke ihe ubi gị.
Give honour to the Lord with your wealth, and with the first-fruits of all your increase:
10 Mgbe ahụ ka ọ ga-eme ka ọba gị niile jubigakwa oke, ebe ịnara mmanya gị ga-ejupụta na mmanya ọhụrụ.
So your store-houses will be full of grain, and your vessels overflowing with new wine.
11 Nwa m nwoke ajụla ịdọ aka na ntị nke Onyenwe anyị, ike agwụla gị ịnagide ịba mba ya.
My son, do not make your heart hard against the Lord's teaching; do not be made angry by his training:
12 Nʼihi na ọ bụ ndị Onyenwe anyị hụrụ nʼanya ka ọ na-abara mba, dịka nna si abara nwa ya nke ihe ya na-atọ ya ụtọ mba.
For to those who are dear to him the Lord says sharp words, and makes the son in whom he has delight undergo pain.
13 Onye a gọziri agọzi ka mmadụ ahụ bụ onye chọtara amamihe, onye nwetara nghọta.
Happy is the man who makes discovery of wisdom, and he who gets knowledge.
14 Nʼihi na amamihe dị mma karịa ọlaọcha, ọ bakwara uru karịa ọlaedo.
For trading in it is better than trading in silver, and its profit greater than bright gold.
15 Ọ dị oke ọnụahịa karịa ọla rubi, ọ dịghị ihe na-amasị gị e ji atụnyere ya.
She is of more value than jewels, and nothing for which you may have a desire is fair in comparison with her.
16 Ndụ ogologo dị nʼaka nri ya; nʼaka ekpe ya ka akụnụba na nsọpụrụ dịkwa.
Long life is in her right hand, and in her left are wealth and honour.
17 Ụzọ ya bụ ụzọ dị mma bụrụkwa ụzọ udo.
Her ways are ways of delight, and all her goings are peace.
18 Amamihe bụ osisi nke ndụ nye ndị na-ejide ya aka, e, onye ahụ nke na-ejidesi ya aka ike ka ihe na-agara nke ọma.
She is a tree of life to all who take her in their hands, and happy is everyone who keeps her.
19 Ọ bụ site nʼamamihe ka Onyenwe anyị ji tọọ ntọala ụwa; ọ bụkwa nghọta ya mere ka eluigwe dịrị ebe ọ dị.
The Lord by wisdom put in position the bases of the earth; by reason he put the heavens in their place.
20 Esitere nʼihe ọmụma ya kewaa ogbu mmiri niile, igwe ojii na-atụdakwa igirigi.
By his knowledge the deep was parted, and dew came dropping from the skies.
21 Nwa m nwoke, ekwela ka ihe abụọ ndị a site nʼihu gị wezuga onwe ha: amamihe na nghọta nke ime ihe dị mma nʼizuzu zuruoke,
My son, keep good sense, and do not let wise purpose go from your eyes.
22 nʼihi na ha na-enye gị ndụ ọhụrụ, ha bụkwaara gị ihe ịchọ mma amara nʼolu gị.
So they will be life for your soul, and grace for your neck.
23 Ha na-eme ka ị na-aga ije nʼụzọ gị na-enweghị ihe egwu maọbụ ihe mkpọbi ụkwụ.
Then you will go safely on your way, and your feet will have no cause for slipping.
24 Mgbe ị ga-edina ala, ị gaghị atụ egwu, ị ga-edina ala ụra gị ga-adị ụtọ.
When you take your rest you will have no fear, and on your bed sleep will be sweet to you.
25 Ị gaghị atụ egwu ihe mbibi mberede ọbụla maọbụ tụọ egwu ịla nʼiyi nke na-abịakwasị ndị ajọ omume.
Have no fear of sudden danger, or of the storm which will come on evil-doers:
26 Nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị bụ ebe ndabere gị, ọ ga-echebekwa gị.
For the Lord will be your hope, and will keep your foot from being taken in the net.
27 Ejigidele ihe ọma ị pụrụ imere onye ọzọ mgbe ọ dị gị nʼaka ime ya.
Do not keep back good from those who have a right to it, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
28 A sịkwala onye agbataobi gị laa, bịaghachi azụ echi mgbe i nwere ike ime ya taa.
Say not to your neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when you have it by you at the time.
29 Agbala izu ọjọọ megide onye agbataobi gị, nʼihi na o nwere ntụkwasị obi nʼebe ị nọ.
Do not make evil designs against your neighbour, when he is living with you without fear.
30 Ebola mmadụ ebubo na-enweghị isi, mgbe onye ahụ na-emeghị gị ihe ọjọọ ọbụla.
Do not take up a cause at law against a man for nothing, if he has done you no wrong.
31 Ekwosola onye na-eme ihe ike ekworo maọbụ họrọ ụzọ ya ọbụla.
Have no envy of the violent man, or take any of his ways as an example.
32 Nʼihi na ndị dị otu a bụ ihe arụ nʼanya Onyenwe anyị, ma ọ na-emeso ndị na-eme ihe ziri ezi mmeso ọma.
For the wrong-hearted man is hated by the Lord, but he is a friend to the upright.
33 Ọbụbụ ọnụ Onyenwe anyị dị nʼụlọ ndị na-eme ajọ omume, ma ọ na-agọzi ụlọ ndị ezi omume.
The curse of the Lord is on the house of the evil-doer, but his blessing is on the tent of the upright.
34 Ndị mpako na-akwa emo ka ya onwe ya na-akwakwa emo, ma ndị dị umeala nʼobi ka ọ na-enye amara.
He makes sport of the men of pride, but he gives grace to the gentle-hearted.
35 Ndị maara ihe na-enweta nsọpụrụ, ma ndị nzuzu na-enweta ihere.
The wise will have glory for their heritage, but shame will be the reward of the foolish.
