Ilu 3
1 Nwa m echezọla ihe niile m ziri gị. Ma debe iwu m nʼobi gị.
My son, forget not my teaching, and let thy heart keep my commandments;
2 Nʼihi na ha ga-eme ka ndụ gị dị ogologo ruo ọtụtụ afọ, wetakwara gị udo na ọganihu.
For length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they increase unto thee.
3 Ekwela ka ịhụnanya na ikwesi ntụkwasị obi hapụ gị, kekwasị ha nʼolu gị, deekwa ha nʼelu mbadamba nkume, bụ obi gị.
Let kindness and truth not forsake thee; bind them about thy throat; write them upon the table of thy heart:
4 Mgbe ahụ, ị ga-enwe ihuọma na ezi aha nʼanya Chineke na nʼihu mmadụ.
So shalt thou find grace and good favor in the eyes of God and man.
5 Tụkwasị Onyenwe anyị obi gị niile, adaberekwala na nghọta gị.
Trust in the Lord with all thy heart: and upon thy own understanding do not rely.
6 Nʼihe ọbụla ị na-eme, ka Chineke bute ụzọ, ọ ga-eduzi gị, meekwa ka okporoụzọ gị niile gazie.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will make level thy paths.
7 A bụla onye maara ihe nʼanya nke onwe gị. Tụọ Onyenwe anyị egwu, kpọọkwa ihe ọjọọ asị.
Be not wise in thy own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
8 Nke a ga-eme ka i nwee ahụ ike gbaakwa ọkpụkpụ gị ume.
It will be healing to thy body, and marrow to thy bones.
9 Sọpụrụ Onyenwe anyị site nʼinye ya mkpụrụ mbụ nke akụnụba gị, na mkpụrụ mbụ nke ihe ubi gị.
Honor the Lord with thy wealth, and with the first-fruits of all thy products:
10 Mgbe ahụ ka ọ ga-eme ka ọba gị niile jubigakwa oke, ebe ịnara mmanya gị ga-ejupụta na mmanya ọhụrụ.
So shall thy storehouses be filled with plenty, and with new wine shall thy presses overflow.
11 Nwa m nwoke ajụla ịdọ aka na ntị nke Onyenwe anyị, ike agwụla gị ịnagide ịba mba ya.
The correction of the Lord, my son, do not despise; and feel no loathing for his admonition;
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.
Because whomever the Lord loveth he admonisheth; and as a father who delighteth in [his] son.
13 Onye a gọziri agọzi ka mmadụ ahụ bụ onye chọtara amamihe, onye nwetara nghọta.
Happy the man that hath found wisdom, and the man that acquireth understanding.
14 Nʼihi na amamihe dị mma karịa ọlaọcha, ọ bakwara uru karịa ọlaedo.
For the obtaining of her is better than the obtaining of silver, and better than fine gold is her product.
15 Ọ dị oke ọnụahịa karịa ọla rubi, ọ dịghị ihe na-amasị gị e ji atụnyere ya.
She is more precious than pearls; and all the things thou valuest are not equal unto her.
16 Ndụ ogologo dị nʼaka nri ya; nʼaka ekpe ya ka akụnụba na nsọpụrụ dịkwa.
Length of days is in her right hand: in her left are riches and honor.
17 Ụzọ ya bụ ụzọ dị mma bụrụkwa ụzọ udo.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths 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.
A tree of life is she to those that lay hold on her: and every one that firmly graspeth her will be made happy.
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 hath through wisdom founded the earth: he hath established the heavens through understanding.
20 Esitere nʼihe ọmụma ya kewaa ogbu mmiri niile, igwe ojii na-atụdakwa igirigi.
By his knowledge were the depths split open, and the skies drop 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, let them not be removed from thy eyes; keep [before thee] sound wisdom and discretion:
22 nʼihi na ha na-enye gị ndụ ọhụrụ, ha bụkwaara gị ihe ịchọ mma amara nʼolu gị.
And they will be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy throat.
23 Ha na-eme ka ị na-aga ije nʼụzọ gị na-enweghị ihe egwu maọbụ ihe mkpọbi ụkwụ.
Then wilt thou walk in safety on thy way, and thy foot will not strike [against aught]:
24 Mgbe ị ga-edina ala, ị gaghị atụ egwu, ị ga-edina ala ụra gị ga-adị ụtọ.
When thou layest thyself down, thou shalt feel no dread; and as thou liest down, thy sleep shall be pleasant.
25 Ị gaghị atụ egwu ihe mbibi mberede ọbụla maọbụ tụọ egwu ịla nʼiyi nke na-abịakwasị ndị ajọ omume.
Thou needest not to be afraid of sudden dread, neither of the [unlooked-for] tempest over the wicked, when it cometh.
26 Nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị bụ ebe ndabere gị, ọ ga-echebekwa gị.
For the Lord will be thy confidence, and he will guard thy foot from being caught.
27 Ejigidele ihe ọma ị pụrụ imere onye ọzọ mgbe ọ dị gị nʼaka ime ya.
Withhold not a benefit from him who is deserving it, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it.
28 A sịkwala onye agbataobi gị laa, bịaghachi azụ echi mgbe i nwere ike ime ya taa.
Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and return, and tomorrow will I give: when thou hast it by thee.
29 Agbala izu ọjọọ megide onye agbataobi gị, nʼihi na o nwere ntụkwasị obi nʼebe ị nọ.
Contrive not against thy neighbor any evil, when he dwelleth in safety with thee.
30 Ebola mmadụ ebubo na-enweghị isi, mgbe onye ahụ na-emeghị gị ihe ọjọọ ọbụla.
Quarrel not with any man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31 Ekwosola onye na-eme ihe ike ekworo maọbụ họrọ ụzọ ya ọbụla.
Envy not the man of violence, and choose none of his 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 the froward is an abomination to the Lord; but with the upright is his good-will.
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 in the house of the wicked; but the habitation of the righteous will he bless.
34 Ndị mpako na-akwa emo ka ya onwe ya na-akwakwa emo, ma ndị dị umeala nʼobi ka ọ na-enye amara.
If [it concern] the scornful he will himself render them a scorn; but unto the lowly doth he give grace.
35 Ndị maara ihe na-enweta nsọpụrụ, ma ndị nzuzu na-enweta ihere.
The wise shall inherit glory; but fools shall obtain disgrace as their portion.
