Ilu 31
1 Ndị a bụ okwu si nʼọnụ Lemuel, eze Masa. Ha bụ okwu ndị ahụ nne eze Lemuel kuziri ya.
The words of King Lemuel—the revelation which his mother taught him:
2 Gee ntị, nwa m, gee ntị, nwa nke afọ m. Gee ntị, nwa m, nwa nke ọziza ekpere m niile.
“Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows!
3 Enyela ụmụ nwanyị ike gị, enyekwela ịdị ike gị nʼaka ndị nʼala ndị eze nʼiyi.
Don’t give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys 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.
It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong drink?’
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.
lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.
6 Ndị e kwesiri inye mmanya bụ ndị ahụ na-ala nʼiyi, ndị ahụ nọ nʼọnọdụ oke ihe mgbu nke obi.
Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish, and wine to the bitter in soul.
7 Ka ha ṅụọ chefuo ọnọdụ ọjọọ ha, ka ha gharakwa icheta ọnọdụ nhụju anya ha.
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8 Jisie ike kwuchite ọnụ ndị ahụ na-enweghị ike ikwuru ọnụ onwe ha; kwuchitekwa ọnụ ndị niile ọnọdụ ha dị ala.
Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate.
9 Kwusie okwu ike, kpeekwa ikpe ziri ezi. Gbooro ndị ogbenye na ndị mkpa na-akpa ọgụ site nʼaka ndị na-emegbu ha.
Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to the poor and needy.”
10 Nwanyị nwere ugwu onye ga-achọtali ya? Ọ dị oke ọnụ karịa nkume rubi.
Who can find a worthy woman? For her value is far above rubies.
11 Di nwanyị dị otu a na-atụkwasị obi ya niile nʼime ya, ọ dịghị ihe dị mkpa nke na-akọ ya.
The heart of her husband trusts in her. He shall have no lack of gain.
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 does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
13 Ọ na-ahọrọ ajị anụ na flakisi jiri ya na-arụ ọrụ na-atọ aka ya ụtọ.
She seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands.
14 Ọ na-esite nʼebe dị anya na-ebubata ihe oriri nʼụlọ ya dịka a ga-asị na ọ bụ ụgbọ mmiri.
She is like the merchant ships. She brings her bread from afar.
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 rises also while it is yet night, gives food to her household, and portions for her servant girls.
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 considers a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard.
17 Ike ịrụ ọrụ adịghị agwụ ya. Ọ dị nnọọ ike, bụrụkwa onye na-arụpụta ihe dị iche iche.
She arms her waist with strength, and makes her arms strong.
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 perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp doesn’t go out by night.
19 Nʼọbụaka ya ka o jidere osisi ịtụ ogho akwa; mkpịsịaka ya na-ejidesikwa ozele e ji na-ekwe akwa ike.
She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
20 Ọ na-agbasapụ aka inyere ndị ogbenye na ndị mkpa na-akpa aka.
She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends her hands 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 is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
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 for herself carpets of tapestry. Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
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 respected in the gates, when he sits amongst the elders of the land.
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 garments and sells them, and delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Ọ bụ nwanyị dị ike, onye a na-asọpụrụ asọpụrụ. Ụjọ adịghị atụkwa ya maka ihe ga-eme nʼoge dị nʼihu.
Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the time to come.
26 Ọ na-eji amamihe na-ekwu okwu ntụziaka kwesiri dịkwa nʼire ya.
She opens her mouth with wisdom. Kind instruction is on her tongue.
27 Ọ na-etinye uche nʼihe niile banyere ezinaụlọ ya, ọ naghị arụ ọrụ umengwụ.
She looks well to the ways of her household, and doesn’t eat the bread of idleness.
28 Ụmụ ya na-ebili gọzie ya; otu a kwa di ya ga-eto ya ezi otuto.
Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her:
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 noble things, but you excel them all.”
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 is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall 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 of the fruit of her hands! Let her works praise her in the gates!
