Ilu 3
1 Nwa m echezọla ihe niile m ziri gị. Ma debe iwu m nʼobi gị.
[My] son, forget not my laws; but let thine heart keep my words:
2 Nʼihi na ha ga-eme ka ndụ gị dị ogologo ruo ọtụtụ afọ, wetakwara gị udo na ọganihu.
for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
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 truth forsake thee; but bind them about thy neck:
4 Mgbe ahụ, ị ga-enwe ihuọma na ezi aha nʼanya Chineke na nʼihu mmadụ.
so shalt thou find favour: and do thou provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.
5 Tụkwasị Onyenwe anyị obi gị niile, adaberekwala na nghọta gị.
Trust in God with all thine heart; and be not exalted in thine own wisdom.
6 Nʼihe ọbụla ị na-eme, ka Chineke bute ụzọ, ọ ga-eduzi gị, meekwa ka okporoụzọ gị niile gazie.
In all thy ways acquaint thyself with her, that she may rightly direct thy paths.
7 A bụla onye maara ihe nʼanya nke onwe gị. Tụọ Onyenwe anyị egwu, kpọọkwa ihe ọjọọ asị.
Be not wise in thine own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.
8 Nke a ga-eme ka i nwee ahụ ike gbaakwa ọkpụkpụ gị ume.
Then shall there be health to thy body, and good keeping to thy bones.
9 Sọpụrụ Onyenwe anyị site nʼinye ya mkpụrụ mbụ nke akụnụba gị, na mkpụrụ mbụ nke ihe ubi gị.
Honour the Lord with thy just labours, and give him the first of thy fruits of righteousness:
10 Mgbe ahụ ka ọ ga-eme ka ọba gị niile jubigakwa oke, ebe ịnara mmanya gị ga-ejupụta na mmanya ọhụrụ.
that thy storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that thy presses may burst forth with wine.
11 Nwa m nwoke ajụla ịdọ aka na ntị nke Onyenwe anyị, ike agwụla gị ịnagide ịba mba ya.
[My] son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
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 whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.
13 Onye a gọziri agọzi ka mmadụ ahụ bụ onye chọtara amamihe, onye nwetara nghọta.
Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.
14 Nʼihi na amamihe dị mma karịa ọlaọcha, ọ bakwara uru karịa ọlaedo.
For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.
15 Ọ dị oke ọnụahịa karịa ọla rubi, ọ dịghị ihe na-amasị gị e ji atụnyere ya.
And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value.
16 Ndụ ogologo dị nʼaka nri ya; nʼaka ekpe ya ka akụnụba na nsọpụrụ dịkwa.
For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue.
17 Ụzọ ya bụ ụzọ dị mma bụrụkwa ụzọ udo.
Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful.
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 that lay hold upon her; and she is [a] secure [help] to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord.
19 Ọ bụ site nʼamamihe ka Onyenwe anyị ji tọọ ntọala ụwa; ọ bụkwa nghọta ya mere ka eluigwe dịrị ebe ọ dị.
God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.
20 Esitere nʼihe ọmụma ya kewaa ogbu mmiri niile, igwe ojii na-atụdakwa igirigi.
By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.
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, let [them] not pass from [thee], but keep my counsel and understanding:
22 nʼihi na ha na-enye gị ndụ ọhụrụ, ha bụkwaara gị ihe ịchọ mma amara nʼolu gị.
that thy soul may live, and that there may be grace round thy neck; and it shall be health to thy flesh, and safety to thy bones:
23 Ha na-eme ka ị na-aga ije nʼụzọ gị na-enweghị ihe egwu maọbụ ihe mkpọbi ụkwụ.
that thou mayest go confidently in peace in all thy ways, and that thy foot may not stumble.
24 Mgbe ị ga-edina ala, ị gaghị atụ egwu, ị ga-edina ala ụra gị ga-adị ụtọ.
For if thou rest, thou shalt be undismayed; and if thou sleep, thou shalt slumber sweetly.
25 Ị gaghị atụ egwu ihe mbibi mberede ọbụla maọbụ tụọ egwu ịla nʼiyi nke na-abịakwasị ndị ajọ omume.
And thou shalt not be afraid of alarm coming upon thee, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.
26 Nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị bụ ebe ndabere gị, ọ ga-echebekwa gị.
For the Lord shall be over all thy ways, and shall establish thy foot that thou be not moved.
27 Ejigidele ihe ọma ị pụrụ imere onye ọzọ mgbe ọ dị gị nʼaka ime ya.
Forbear not to do good to the poor, whensoever thy hand may have [power] to help [him].
28 A sịkwala onye agbataobi gị laa, bịaghachi azụ echi mgbe i nwere ike ime ya taa.
Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while thou art able to do [him] good: for thou knowest not what the next day will bring forth.
29 Agbala izu ọjọọ megide onye agbataobi gị, nʼihi na o nwere ntụkwasị obi nʼebe ị nọ.
Devise not evil against thy friend, living near thee and trusting in thee.
30 Ebola mmadụ ebubo na-enweghị isi, mgbe onye ahụ na-emeghị gị ihe ọjọọ ọbụla.
Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do thee some harm.
31 Ekwosola onye na-eme ihe ike ekworo maọbụ họrọ ụzọ ya ọbụla.
Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do thou covet their ways.
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 every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous.
33 Ọbụbụ ọnụ Onyenwe anyị dị nʼụlọ ndị na-eme ajọ omume, ma ọ na-agọzi ụlọ ndị ezi omume.
The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.
34 Ndị mpako na-akwa emo ka ya onwe ya na-akwakwa emo, ma ndị dị umeala nʼobi ka ọ na-enye amara.
The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.
35 Ndị maara ihe na-enweta nsọpụrụ, ma ndị nzuzu na-enweta ihere.
The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted [their own] dishonour.
