Ilu 3
1 Nwa m echezọla ihe niile m ziri gị. Ma debe iwu m nʼobi gị.
My son, don't forget my instructions. Always keep my commands in mind.
2 Nʼihi na ha ga-eme ka ndụ gị dị ogologo ruo ọtụtụ afọ, wetakwara gị udo na ọganihu.
Then you will live a long time, and have a full life.
3 Ekwela ka ịhụnanya na ikwesi ntụkwasị obi hapụ gị, kekwasị ha nʼolu gị, deekwa ha nʼelu mbadamba nkume, bụ obi gị.
Hold on to kindness and truth. Tie them around your neck; write them in your mind.
4 Mgbe ahụ, ị ga-enwe ihuọma na ezi aha nʼanya Chineke na nʼihu mmadụ.
That way you'll gain a good reputation and be appreciated by both God and people.
5 Tụkwasị Onyenwe anyị obi gị niile, adaberekwala na nghọta gị.
Put your trust totally in the Lord—don't rely on what you think you know!
6 Nʼihe ọbụla ị na-eme, ka Chineke bute ụzọ, ọ ga-eduzi gị, meekwa ka okporoụzọ gị niile gazie.
Remember him in everything you do, and he'll show you the right way.
7 A bụla onye maara ihe nʼanya nke onwe gị. Tụọ Onyenwe anyị egwu, kpọọkwa ihe ọjọọ asị.
Don't think you're wise—respect God and avoid evil.
8 Nke a ga-eme ka i nwee ahụ ike gbaakwa ọkpụkpụ gị ume.
Then you will have healed and be made strong.
9 Sọpụrụ Onyenwe anyị site nʼinye ya mkpụrụ mbụ nke akụnụba gị, na mkpụrụ mbụ nke ihe ubi gị.
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all the crops you grow.
10 Mgbe ahụ ka ọ ga-eme ka ọba gị niile jubigakwa oke, ebe ịnara mmanya gị ga-ejupụta na mmanya ọhụrụ.
Then your barns will be filled with produce, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 Nwa m nwoke ajụla ịdọ aka na ntị nke Onyenwe anyị, ike agwụla gị ịnagide ịba mba ya.
My son, don't reject the Lord's discipline or resent it when he corrects you,
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 the Lord corrects those he loves, as a father corrects a son who pleases him.
13 Onye a gọziri agọzi ka mmadụ ahụ bụ onye chọtara amamihe, onye nwetara nghọta.
Happy are those who find wisdom and gain understanding,
14 Nʼihi na amamihe dị mma karịa ọlaọcha, ọ bakwara uru karịa ọlaedo.
for wisdom is worth more than silver, and pays better than gold.
15 Ọ dị oke ọnụahịa karịa ọla rubi, ọ dịghị ihe na-amasị gị e ji atụnyere ya.
She is more valuable than rubies—everything you could ever want just doesn't compare!
16 Ndụ ogologo dị nʼaka nri ya; nʼaka ekpe ya ka akụnụba na nsọpụrụ dịkwa.
She offers long life in one hand, and riches and honor in the other.
17 Ụzọ ya bụ ụzọ dị mma bụrụkwa ụzọ udo.
She brings true happiness, and leads to peaceful prosperity.
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.
Wisdom is a tree of life to everyone who embraces her, blessing those who accept her.
19 Ọ bụ site nʼamamihe ka Onyenwe anyị ji tọọ ntọala ụwa; ọ bụkwa nghọta ya mere ka eluigwe dịrị ebe ọ dị.
It was through wisdom that the Lord created the earth, and through understanding he set the heavens in place.
20 Esitere nʼihe ọmụma ya kewaa ogbu mmiri niile, igwe ojii na-atụdakwa igirigi.
It was through his knowledge the waters of the deep were broken open, and the clouds sent down the dew.
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, hold on to good judgment and wise decisions—don't let them out of your sight,
22 nʼihi na ha na-enye gị ndụ ọhụrụ, ha bụkwaara gị ihe ịchọ mma amara nʼolu gị.
for they will be life to you, and an ornament for your neck.
23 Ha na-eme ka ị na-aga ije nʼụzọ gị na-enweghị ihe egwu maọbụ ihe mkpọbi ụkwụ.
You will be able to walk confidently on your way, and you won't trip up.
24 Mgbe ị ga-edina ala, ị gaghị atụ egwu, ị ga-edina ala ụra gị ga-adị ụtọ.
When you rest, you won't be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Ị gaghị atụ egwu ihe mbibi mberede ọbụla maọbụ tụọ egwu ịla nʼiyi nke na-abịakwasị ndị ajọ omume.
You won't be afraid of a sudden panic, or of disasters that hit the wicked,
26 Nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị bụ ebe ndabere gị, ọ ga-echebekwa gị.
for the Lord will be the one you can trust in, and he will prevent you being caught in a trap.
27 Ejigidele ihe ọma ị pụrụ imere onye ọzọ mgbe ọ dị gị nʼaka ime ya.
Don't hold back good from those who deserve it when it's something you have the power to do.
28 A sịkwala onye agbataobi gị laa, bịaghachi azụ echi mgbe i nwere ike ime ya taa.
Don't tell your neighbor, “Go away. Come back tomorrow and then I'll give it to you,” when you've already got it.
29 Agbala izu ọjọọ megide onye agbataobi gị, nʼihi na o nwere ntụkwasị obi nʼebe ị nọ.
Don't plan to harm your neighbor who lives nearby and trusts you.
30 Ebola mmadụ ebubo na-enweghị isi, mgbe onye ahụ na-emeghị gị ihe ọjọọ ọbụla.
Don't quarrel with anybody for no reason, when they haven't done anything to hurt you.
31 Ekwosola onye na-eme ihe ike ekworo maọbụ họrọ ụzọ ya ọbụla.
Don't be jealous of violent people—don't choose to follow their 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 Lord hates deceitful people, but he is a friend to those who do what is good.
33 Ọbụbụ ọnụ Onyenwe anyị dị nʼụlọ ndị na-eme ajọ omume, ma ọ na-agọzi ụlọ ndị ezi omume.
The houses of the wicked are cursed by the Lord, but he blesses the homes of those who live right.
34 Ndị mpako na-akwa emo ka ya onwe ya na-akwakwa emo, ma ndị dị umeala nʼobi ka ọ na-enye amara.
He mocks those who mock, but he is kind to the humble.
35 Ndị maara ihe na-enweta nsọpụrụ, ma ndị nzuzu na-enweta ihere.
The wise will receive honor, but fools are held up in disgrace.
