Ilu 30
1 Ndị a bụ okwu Agọ, nwa Jake, onye Masa, Okwu si nʼọnụ nwoke a zigaara Itiel na Ukal: “Ike agwụla m, Chineke ma a pụrụ imeri.
The words of the Gatherer, the son of the Vomiter. The vision that the man spoke. God is with him, and he, being strengthened by God and abiding with him, said:
2 Nʼezie, abụ m onye nzuzu karịa mmadụ ọbụla; Enweghị m ụdị nghọta ahụ mmadụ na-enwe.
“I am the most foolish among men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.
3 Amụtabeghị m amamihe, maọbụ ruo ịmata maka Onye Nsọ ahụ.
I have not learned wisdom, and I have not known the knowledge of sanctity.
4 Olee onye na-arịgo nʼeluigwe na-arịdatakwa? Onye ka ọ bụ, bụ onye jikọtara ifufe nʼaka ya? Onye kwa weere akwa kechikọtaa osimiri niile nʼaka ya? Onye hiwere oke nsọtụ ụwa niile? Onye ka ọ bụ? Ọ bụrụ na ị ma onye ọ bụ, gịnị bụ aha ya? Gịnịkwa bụ aha nwa ya?
Who has ascended to heaven and also descended? Who has grasped the wind in his hands? Who has tied the waters together, as with a garment? Who has raised all the limits of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son, if you know?
5 “Okwu ọnụ Chineke niile bụ ihe anụchara anụcha, Ọ bụ ọta nye ndị na-agbaba nʼime ya izere ndụ.
Every word of God is fire-tested. He is a bronze shield to those who hope in him.
6 Atụkwasịla ihe ọbụla nʼokwu ya, ka ọ ghara ịbara gị mba, ka ị gharakwa ịghọ onye ụgha.
Do not add anything to his words, lest you be reproved and be discovered to be a liar.
7 “O Onyenwe anyị, naanị ihe abụọ ka m na-arịọ gị tupu m nwụọ; ajụkwala imere m ha:
Two things I have asked of you; do not deny them to me before I die.
8 Nke mbụ, mee ka okwu efu na okwu ụgha dị anya nʼebe m nọ. Nke abụọ, e nyela m ọnọdụ ogbenye maọbụ ọnọdụ ọgaranya, kama nye m naanị nri ga-ezuru m kwa ụbọchị niile.
Remove, far from me, vanity and lying words. Give me neither begging, nor wealth. Apportion to me only the necessities of my life,
9 Nʼihi na, ọ bụrụ na m aghọọ ọgaranya, ma eleghị anya, afọ ga-eju m, jubiga m oke, ruo na m ga-asị na m achọkwaghị gị ma kwuokwa si, ‘Onye ka Onyenwe anyị bụ?’ Ọ bụrụkwa na m adaa ogbenye, ma eleghị anya, aga m ezu ohi, site nʼụzọ dị otu a, wetara aha nsọ gị Chineke, ihe ihere.
lest perhaps, being filled, I might be enticed into denial, and say: ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or, being compelled by destitution, I might steal, and then perjure myself in the name of my God.
10 “Ekwujọla ohu nʼihu nna ya ukwu, ka ọ ghara ịbụ gị ọnụ, ikpe amaa gị.
Do not accuse a servant to his lord, lest he curse you, and you fall.
11 “Ọ dị ndị na-akọcha nna ha, ha adịghị agọzikwa nne ha;
There is a generation which curses their father, and which does not bless their mother.
12 Ọgbọ ndị dị ọcha nʼanya nke onwe ha ma asapụbeghị isisi nʼunyi ha ruru.
There is a generation which seems pure to themselves, and yet they are not even washed from their filthiness.
13 Ọ dị ndị anya ha dị nʼelu, ndị ile anya ha jupụtara na nlelị.
There is a generation, whose eyes have been elevated, and their eyelids are lifted on high.
14 Ndị eze ha niile bụ mma agha ịkịrị eze ha bụkwa mma maka irichapụ ndị ogbenye site nʼụwa na ndị nọ nʼụkọ site nʼetiti mmadụ.
There is a generation which has swords in place of teeth, and which commands their molars to devour the indigent from the earth and the poor from among men.
15 “Etu nwere ụmụ nwanyị abụọ ndị na-eti, ‘Nye, nye.’ “Ọ dị ụzọ ihe atọ nke afọ na-adịghị eju. E, anọ dị na-adịghị asị, ‘O zuola.’
The leech has two daughters, who say, ‘Bring, bring.’ Three things are insatiable, and a fourth never says ‘Enough’:
16 Ala ili, akpanwa nwanyị na-adịghị atụ ime, ala nke mmiri na-adịghị eju afọ, na ọkụ nke na-adịghị asị, ‘O zuola.’ (Sheol h7585)
Hell, and the mouth of the womb, and a land that is not filled with water. And truly, fire never says, ‘Enough.’ (Sheol h7585)
17 “Onye ahụ na-akwa nna ya emo, nke na-akpọkwa irubere nne ya isi asị, ugolọma ga-atụrụ mkpụrụ anya ya, udele ga-erikwa anụ ahụ ya.
The eye of one who mocks his father and who despises the childbearing of his mother, let the ravens of the torrent tear it out, and let the sons of the eagles consume it.
18 “Ọ dị ihe atọ na-agbagwoju m anya, apụghị m ịghọta ha; mbaa, ha dị anọ!
Three things are difficult for me, and about a fourth, I am nearly ignorant:
19 Otu ugo si efegharị na mbara eluigwe; otu agwọ si akpụ nʼelu nkume, otu ụgbọ mmiri si achọta ụzọ ya nʼoke osimiri; na otu ịhụnanya si eto nʼetiti nwoke na nwaagbọghọ.
the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man in adolescence.
20 “Nke bụ ụzọ nwanyị na-akwa iko, Ọ na-eri ma hichaa ọnụ ya, na-asị, ‘E meghị m ajọ ihe ọbụla.’
Such is the way also of an adulterous woman, who eats, and wiping her mouth, says: “I have done no evil.”
21 “Ọ dị ihe atọ na-eme ka ụwa maa jijiji, nʼokpuru ihe anọ nke ọ na-apụghị ịnagide,
By three things, the earth is moved, and a fourth it is not able to sustain:
22 Ohu ghọrọ eze, onye nzuzu ihe na-agara nke ọma,
by a slave when he reigns, by the foolish when he has been filled with food,
23 nwanyị obi ilu mesịrị lụta dị, na odibo nwanyị ghọrọ nwunye nna ya ukwu.
by a hateful woman when she has been taken in matrimony, and by a handmaid when she has been heir to her mistress.
24 “Ihe anọ dị nke dị nta nʼelu ụwa, ma ha maa ihe nke ukwuu.
Four things are least upon the earth, and they are wiser than the wise:
25 Ndanda bụ ndị na-enweghị ume, ma ha na-akpakọta nri ha, dozie nke ha ga-eri nʼoge oyi.
the ants, an infirm people who provide food for themselves at the harvest,
26 Ewi nkume bụ ndị na-adịghị ike, ma ha na-echebe onwe ha site nʼibi nʼọgba nkume.
the rabbit, a sickened people who make their bed upon the rock.
27 Igurube enweghị eze, ma ha na-aga nʼigwe nʼahịrị nʼahịrị.
The locust has no king, but they all depart by their troops.
28 Ngwere dị mfe iji aka jide ya, ma ị ga-achọta ha ọ bụladị nʼụlọ ndị eze.
The lizard supports itself on hands and dwells in the buildings of kings.
29 “Ha dị ihe atọ na-ejegharị nʼụwa nʼọnọdụ ịdị oke ebube, mbaa, ha dị anọ:
There are three things that advance well, and a fourth that marches happily on:
30 Ọdụm, eze ụmụ anụmanụ. Ọ naghị atụ onye ọbụla egwu,
a lion, the strongest of beasts, who fears nothing that he meets,
31 na oke ọkụkọ na-ejegharị ejegharị, na mkpi, na eze ndị agha ya gbara gburugburu.
a rooster prepared at the loins, likewise a ram, and a king, whom none can resist.
32 “Ọ bụrụ na i meela ihe nzuzu site nʼifuli onwe gị elu maọbụ zube nzube ọjọọ, anyala isi nʼihi ya, were aka gị kpuchie ọnụ gị nʼihere.
There is one who has appeared foolish, after he was lifted up on high; for if he had understood, he would have placed his hand over his mouth.
33 A pịaa mmiri ara ehi a na-ewepụta mmanụ ara ehi; iti mmadụ aka nʼimi na-akpata ịgba ọbara, otu a kwa ikpali iwe na-eweta ise okwu.”
But whoever strongly squeezes the udder to bring out the milk, presses out butter. And whoever violently blows his nose, brings out blood. And whoever provokes wrath, brings forth discord.”
