Ilu 3
1 Nwa m echezọla ihe niile m ziri gị. Ma debe iwu m nʼobi gị.
My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep,
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, Life and peace they do 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 kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart,
4 Mgbe ahụ, ị ga-enwe ihuọma na ezi aha nʼanya Chineke na nʼihu mmadụ.
And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.
5 Tụkwasị Onyenwe anyị obi gị niile, adaberekwala na nghọta gị.
Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not.
6 Nʼihe ọbụla ị na-eme, ka Chineke bute ụzọ, ọ ga-eduzi gị, meekwa ka okporoụzọ gị niile gazie.
In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight 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 eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil.
8 Nke a ga-eme ka i nwee ahụ ike gbaakwa ọkpụkpụ gị ume.
Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.
9 Sọpụrụ Onyenwe anyị site nʼinye ya mkpụrụ mbụ nke akụnụba gị, na mkpụrụ mbụ nke ihe ubi gị.
Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase;
10 Mgbe ahụ ka ọ ga-eme ka ọba gị niile jubigakwa oke, ebe ịnara mmanya gị ga-ejupụta na mmanya ọhụrụ.
And filled are thy barns [with] plenty, And [with] new wine thy presses break forth.
11 Nwa m nwoke ajụla ịdọ aka na ntị nke Onyenwe anyị, ike agwụla gị ịnagide ịba mba ya.
Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof,
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 Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.
13 Onye a gọziri agọzi ka mmadụ ahụ bụ onye chọtara amamihe, onye nwetara nghọta.
O the happiness of a man [who] hath found wisdom, And of a man [who] bringeth forth understanding.
14 Nʼihi na amamihe dị mma karịa ọlaọcha, ọ bakwara uru karịa ọlaedo.
For better [is] her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold — her increase.
15 Ọ dị oke ọnụahịa karịa ọla rubi, ọ dịghị ihe na-amasị gị e ji atụnyere ya.
Precious she [is] above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to 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] wealth and honour.
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 she [is] to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her [is] happy.
19 Ọ bụ site nʼamamihe ka Onyenwe anyị ji tọọ ntọala ụwa; ọ bụkwa nghọta ya mere ka eluigwe dịrị ebe ọ dị.
Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding.
20 Esitere nʼihe ọmụma ya kewaa ogbu mmiri niile, igwe ojii na-atụdakwa igirigi.
By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop 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 turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,
22 nʼihi na ha na-enye gị ndụ ọhụrụ, ha bụkwaara gị ihe ịchọ mma amara nʼolu gị.
And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23 Ha na-eme ka ị na-aga ije nʼụzọ gị na-enweghị ihe egwu maọbụ ihe mkpọbi ụkwụ.
Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble.
24 Mgbe ị ga-edina ala, ị gaghị atụ egwu, ị ga-edina ala ụra gị ga-adị ụtọ.
If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep.
25 Ị gaghị atụ egwu ihe mbibi mberede ọbụla maọbụ tụọ egwu ịla nʼiyi nke na-abịakwasị ndị ajọ omume.
Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh.
26 Nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị bụ ebe ndabere gị, ọ ga-echebekwa gị.
For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.
27 Ejigidele ihe ọma ị pụrụ imere onye ọzọ mgbe ọ dị gị nʼaka ime ya.
Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand [is] toward God to do [it].
28 A sịkwala onye agbataobi gị laa, bịaghachi azụ echi mgbe i nwere ike ime ya taa.
Say not thou to thy friend, 'Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee.
29 Agbala izu ọjọọ megide onye agbataobi gị, nʼihi na o nwere ntụkwasị obi nʼebe ị nọ.
Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee.
30 Ebola mmadụ ebubo na-enweghị isi, mgbe onye ahụ na-emeghị gị ihe ọjọọ ọbụla.
Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil.
31 Ekwosola onye na-eme ihe ike ekworo maọbụ họrọ ụzọ ya ọbụla.
Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any 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 an abomination to Jehovah [is] the perverted, And with the upright [is] His secret counsel.
33 Ọbụbụ ọnụ Onyenwe anyị dị nʼụlọ ndị na-eme ajọ omume, ma ọ na-agọzi ụlọ ndị ezi omume.
The curse of Jehovah [is] in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth.
34 Ndị mpako na-akwa emo ka ya onwe ya na-akwakwa emo, ma ndị dị umeala nʼobi ka ọ na-enye amara.
If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace.
35 Ndị maara ihe na-enweta nsọpụrụ, ma ndị nzuzu na-enweta ihere.
Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!
