Ilu 4
1 Ụmụ m ndị ikom, geenụ ntị na ndụmọdụ nke nna unu, lezienụ anya ka unu nwee nghọta.
Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge:
2 Ṅaanụ ntị, nwee uche, nʼihi na ọ bụ ezi ozizi ka m na-ezi unu; ya mere, unu ahapụkwala iwu m.
For I give you good teaching; do not give up the knowledge you are getting from me.
3 Mgbe m bụ nwantakịrị nʼụlọ nna m, mgbe m ka dị ntakịrị, bụrụkwa naanị otu nwa nne m ji,
For I was a son to my father, a gentle and an only one to my mother.
4 ọ ziri m ihe, sịkwa m, “Ka obi gị jidesie okwu m niile ike, debe nʼiwu niile, ị ga-adịkwa ndụ.
And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life:
5 Nweta amamihe, nwetakwa nghọta, echezọkwala okwu m, maọbụ site na ya wezuga onwe gị.
Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth.
6 Ahapụla amamihe, ọ ga-echebe gị, hụ ya nʼanya, nʼihi na ọ ga-eduzi gị.
Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe.
7 Mmalite amamihe bụ nke a, nweta amamihe, ihe ọbụla o ga-efu gị, nweta nghọta.
The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge.
8 Ọ bụrụ na i bulie amamihe elu, o ga-ebulikwa gị elu. Jidesie ya ike, ọ ga-ewetara gị oke nsọpụrụ.
Put her in a high place, and you will be lifted up by her; she will give you honour, when you give her your love.
9 Ọ ga-eji okpueze okoko osisi chọọ isi gị mma nyekwa gị okpueze mara mma nʼisi gị.”
She will put a crown of grace on your head, giving you a head-dress of glory.
10 Nwa m, ṅaa m ntị, meekwa ihe m gwara gị; ị ga-enwekwa ndụ ogologo.
Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours.
11 M ga-edu gị nʼụzọ nke amamihe, duokwa gị nʼụzọ ziri ezi.
I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way.
12 Ọ bụrụ na i bie ụdị ndụ dị otu a, ihe agaghị akpọ gị nʼụkwụ nʼije gị, ị gaghị asụkwa ngọngọ mgbe ị na-agba ọsọ.
When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall.
13 Mee ihe niile m gwara gị, echefukwala ha, nʼihi na ọ ga-eduba gị na ndụ zuruoke.
Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life.
14 Emela dịka ndị na-emebi iwu. Esokwala ụzọ ha.
Do not go in the road of sinners, or be walking in the way of evil men.
15 Zeere ha, ejekwala nʼụzọ ha; chepu ihu gị nʼụzọ ahụ,
Keep far from it, do not go near; be turned from it, and go on your way.
16 nʼihi na ndị na-emebi iwu adịghị arahụ ụra tutu ha emee arụ nke ụbọchị ahụ. Ha anaghị ezu ike tutu ha emee ka otu onye maa nʼọnya.
For they take no rest till they have done evil; their sleep is taken away if they have not been the cause of someone's fall.
17 Ha na-eri ihe oriri nke mmebi iwu, na-aṅụkwa ihe ọṅụṅụ nke ọgbaaghara.
The bread of evil-doing is their food, the wine of violent acts their drink.
18 Ma ụzọ ndị ezi omume dị ka anyanwụ na-awa nʼisi ụtụtụ, nke na-enwuwakwa dịka ìhè nʼetiti ehihie ụbọchị.
But the way of the upright is like the light of early morning, getting brighter and brighter till the full day.
19 Ma ụzọ onye na-emebi iwu dị ka itiri nke ọchịchịrị, ha anaghị ama ihe na-eme ka ha sụọ ngọngọ.
The way of sinners is dark; they see not the cause of their fall.
20 Gee ntị nwa m, nʼihe m na-ekwu. Gee ntị nke ọma.
My son, give attention to my words; let your ear be turned to my sayings.
21 Doo ihe ndị a nʼuche gị mgbe niile; ka ha bamiekwa nʼime obi gị,
Let them not go from your eyes; keep them deep in your heart.
22 nʼihi na ha bụ ndụ nye ndị chọtara ha, bụrụkwa ahụ ike nye mmadụ.
For they are life to him who gets them, and strength to all his flesh.
23 Nke ka nke, lezie echiche uche gị niile anya, nʼihi na ha na-emetụta ndụ gị niile.
And keep watch over your heart with all care; so you will have life.
24 Ka ụgha ọbụla ghara isi gị nʼọnụ pụta; kpọọ ịgha ụgha niile na okwu rụrụ arụ niile asị.
Put away from you an evil tongue, and let false lips be far from you.
25 Legide anya nʼihu ime ihe bụ eziokwu; atụgharịkwala isi gị ile ihe ọbụla.
Keep your eyes on what is in front of you, looking straight before you.
26 Leruo ije ụkwụ gị anya, doziekwa ụzọ gị niile ka ọ guzozie.
Keep a watch on your behaviour; let all your ways be rightly ordered.
27 Ewezugala onwe gị site nʼaka nri maọbụ nʼaka ekpe; si nʼihe ọjọọ wezuga ụkwụ gị.
Let there be no turning to the right or to the left, keep your feet from evil.
