Ilu 31
1 Ndị a bụ okwu si nʼọnụ Lemuel, eze Masa. Ha bụ okwu ndị ahụ nne eze Lemuel kuziri ya.
These are the words of King Lemuel, an oracle, taught to him by his mother.
2 Gee ntị, nwa m, gee ntị, nwa nke afọ m. Gee ntị, nwa m, nwa nke ọziza ekpere m niile.
What shall I tell you, my son?—the son I gave birth to, the son given in response to my vows.
3 Enyela ụmụ nwanyị ike gị, enyekwela ịdị ike gị nʼaka ndị nʼala ndị eze nʼiyi.
Don't waste your strength sleeping with women, those that bring down kings.
4 Lemuel nwa m, ọ bụghị ihe kwesiri ekwesi na ndị eze ga-aṅụ mmanya. O kwesikwaghị ka agụụ ịṅụ mmanya bụrụ ihe ga na-agụ ndị eze.
Lemuel, kings shouldn't be drinking wine, rulers shouldn't be drinking alcohol.
5 Ka ha ghara ịṅụbiga mmanya oke si otu a chefuo ikpe ikpe ziri ezi dịka iwu kwuru. Ka ha gharakwa isite nʼịṅụbiga mmanya oke napụ ndị a na-emegbu emegbu ikpe ziri ezi ha kwesiri inweta.
For if they drink, they'll forget what the law says, and pervert the rights of those who are suffering.
6 Ndị e kwesiri inye mmanya bụ ndị ahụ na-ala nʼiyi, ndị ahụ nọ nʼọnọdụ oke ihe mgbu nke obi.
Give alcohol to those who are dying, and wine to those who are in terrible distress.
7 Ka ha ṅụọ chefuo ọnọdụ ọjọọ ha, ka ha gharakwa icheta ọnọdụ nhụju anya ha.
Let them drink so they can forget their poverty, and not remember their troubles any longer.
8 Jisie ike kwuchite ọnụ ndị ahụ na-enweghị ike ikwuru ọnụ onwe ha; kwuchitekwa ọnụ ndị niile ọnọdụ ha dị ala.
Speak up for those who have no voice, for the rights of those marginalized by society.
9 Kwusie okwu ike, kpeekwa ikpe ziri ezi. Gbooro ndị ogbenye na ndị mkpa na-akpa ọgụ site nʼaka ndị na-emegbu ha.
Speak up and judge fairly; defend the poor and destitute.
10 Nwanyị nwere ugwu onye ga-achọtali ya? Ọ dị oke ọnụ karịa nkume rubi.
Who can find a strong, capable wife? She's worth more than jewels!
11 Di nwanyị dị otu a na-atụkwasị obi ya niile nʼime ya, ọ dịghị ihe dị mkpa nke na-akọ ya.
Her husband has complete confidence in her, and with her he'll never be poor.
12 Ihe nwanyị dị otu a na-ewetara di ya bụ naanị ihe ọma. Ihe ọjọọ ọbụla adịghị esi nʼaka ya abịakwasị di ya ụbọchị niile nke ndụ ya.
She brings him good, not evil, all her life.
13 Ọ na-ahọrọ ajị anụ na flakisi jiri ya na-arụ ọrụ na-atọ aka ya ụtọ.
She gets wool and flax, and with her eager hands turns them into clothes.
14 Ọ na-esite nʼebe dị anya na-ebubata ihe oriri nʼụlọ ya dịka a ga-asị na ọ bụ ụgbọ mmiri.
Like a merchant's ship, she brings food from far away.
15 Tupu chi abọzie, nwanyị a esitelarị nʼihe ndina bilie kwadooro ezinaụlọ ya ihe oriri, ma debekwara odibo ndị inyom na-ejere ya ozi oke ihe oriri nke ha.
She gets up while it's still dark to make breakfast for her family, and to plan what her servant girls need to do.
16 Ọ na-apụ nyochapụta ịdị mma ala ubi, ma zụpụta ya. Ọ bụ ego ọ rụpụtara nʼonwe ya ka o ji arụ ọrụ ubi vaịnị.
She looks at a field, and decides to buy it; from the money she's earned she buys a vineyard.
17 Ike ịrụ ọrụ adịghị agwụ ya. Ọ dị nnọọ ike, bụrụkwa onye na-arụpụta ihe dị iche iche.
She's keen to get ready, and works hard with her strong arms.
18 Ọ na-elezi anya hụ na ihe ahịa o mepụtara dị ezi oke ọnụahịa; ọ bụ nke a mere o ji na-arụ ọrụ ruo nʼime ime abalị.
She knows that the things she makes are valuable. She keeps busy—her lamp burns late into the night.
19 Nʼọbụaka ya ka o jidere osisi ịtụ ogho akwa; mkpịsịaka ya na-ejidesikwa ozele e ji na-ekwe akwa ike.
She spins the thread and weaves the cloth.
20 Ọ na-agbasapụ aka inyere ndị ogbenye na ndị mkpa na-akpa aka.
She's generous to the poor, and gives help to the needy.
21 Udu mmiri maọbụ oge oke oyi adịghị eche ya uche nʼihi na ndị niile nọ nʼezinaụlọ ya nwere uwe ha ga-eji chụọ oyi.
She doesn't worry if it snows, because her whole family has warm clothing.
22 Ọ na-akpa akwa a na-agbasa nʼelu ihe ndina, ma ya onwe ya na-eyikwa uwe e ji ezi akwa ọcha na akwa odo odo dụọ.
She makes herself bedspreads; she dresses in fine linen and purple clothes.
23 Di ya bụ onye a na-asọpụrụ nʼọnụ ụzọ ama obodo ebe ọ na-ewere ọnọdụ nʼetiti ndị okenye nke ala ahụ.
Her husband is well-respected in the council at the town gates, where he sits with the town elders.
24 Ọ na-akpa ma na-adụkwa akwa dị iche iche, ya na ihe ike nʼukwu, ndị ọ na-eresi ndị ahịa ndị ọzọ.
She makes linen clothes for sale, and supplies merchants with belts.
25 Ọ bụ nwanyị dị ike, onye a na-asọpụrụ asọpụrụ. Ụjọ adịghị atụkwa ya maka ihe ga-eme nʼoge dị nʼihu.
She's clothed with strength and dignity, and she is happy about the future.
26 Ọ na-eji amamihe na-ekwu okwu ntụziaka kwesiri dịkwa nʼire ya.
She speaks wise words, and she's kind when she gives instructions.
27 Ọ na-etinye uche nʼihe niile banyere ezinaụlọ ya, ọ naghị arụ ọrụ umengwụ.
She looks after the needs of her whole household, and she's never idle.
28 Ụmụ ya na-ebili gọzie ya; otu a kwa di ya ga-eto ya ezi otuto.
Her children are quick to bless her. Her husband praises her too, saying,
29 Ọ ga-asị; “E nwere ọtụtụ ndị inyom ndị bụ ezi nwunye nye di ha, ma gị onwe gị kachasị ha niile mma.”
“Many women do great things, but you are better than all of them!”
30 Ịma mma nke elu ahụ adịghị egosi ihe mmadụ bụ, nʼihi na ịma mma adịghị adịgide ogologo oge. Ma nwanyị ọbụla nke na-atụ egwu Onyenwe anyị bụ onye e kwesiri ito.
Charm can deceive, and beauty fades, but a woman who honors the Lord should be praised.
31 E kwesiri ito ya nʼihi ọrụ ọma niile nke aka ya rụpụtara. Ka ọrụ ya niile wetara ya otuto nʼọnụ ụzọ ama nke obodo.
Give her the recognition she deserves; praise her publicly for what she's done.
