Ilu 4
1 Ụmụ m ndị ikom, geenụ ntị na ndụmọdụ nke nna unu, lezienụ anya ka unu nwee nghọta.
Listen, sons, to the discipline of a father, and pay attention, so that you may know prudence.
2 Ṅaanụ ntị, nwee uche, nʼihi na ọ bụ ezi ozizi ka m na-ezi unu; ya mere, unu ahapụkwala iwu m.
I will bestow upon you a good gift. Do not relinquish my law.
3 Mgbe m bụ nwantakịrị nʼụlọ nna m, mgbe m ka dị ntakịrị, bụrụkwa naanị otu nwa nne m ji,
For I, too, was the son of my father, tender and an only son in the sight of 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 taught me, and he also said: “Let your heart accept my words. Keep my precepts, and you shall live.
5 Nweta amamihe, nwetakwa nghọta, echezọkwala okwu m, maọbụ site na ya wezuga onwe gị.
Obtain wisdom, obtain prudence. May you neither forget, nor turn 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 send her away, and she will guard you. Love her, and she will preserve you.
7 Mmalite amamihe bụ nke a, nweta amamihe, ihe ọbụla o ga-efu gị, nweta nghọta.
The beginning of wisdom is to obtain wisdom, and, with all that you possess, to acquire prudence.
8 Ọ bụrụ na i bulie amamihe elu, o ga-ebulikwa gị elu. Jidesie ya ike, ọ ga-ewetara gị oke nsọpụrụ.
Grasp her, and she will exalt you. You will be glorified by her, when you have embraced her.
9 Ọ ga-eji okpueze okoko osisi chọọ isi gị mma nyekwa gị okpueze mara mma nʼisi gị.”
She will bestow upon your head an increase in graces, and she will protect you with a noble crown.
10 Nwa m, ṅaa m ntị, meekwa ihe m gwara gị; ị ga-enwekwa ndụ ogologo.
Listen, my son, and accept my words, so that years of life may be multiplied for you.
11 M ga-edu gị nʼụzọ nke amamihe, duokwa gị nʼụzọ ziri ezi.
I will demonstrate to you the way of wisdom. I will lead you along the paths of equity.
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 have entered by these, your steps will not be constrained, and when running, you will have no obstacle.
13 Mee ihe niile m gwara gị, echefukwala ha, nʼihi na ọ ga-eduba gị na ndụ zuruoke.
Take hold of discipline. Do not dismiss it. Guard it, for it is your life.
14 Emela dịka ndị na-emebi iwu. Esokwala ụzọ ha.
Do not delight in the paths of the impious, nor permit the way of evil-doers to please you.
15 Zeere ha, ejekwala nʼụzọ ha; chepu ihu gị nʼụzọ ahụ,
Take flight from it. Do not pass close to it. Turn away and abandon it.
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 do not sleep, unless they have done evil. And their sleep is quickly taken away from them, unless they have overthrown.
17 Ha na-eri ihe oriri nke mmebi iwu, na-aṅụkwa ihe ọṅụṅụ nke ọgbaaghara.
They eat the bread of impiety, and they drink the wine of iniquity.
18 Ma ụzọ ndị ezi omume dị ka anyanwụ na-awa nʼisi ụtụtụ, nke na-enwuwakwa dịka ìhè nʼetiti ehihie ụbọchị.
But the path of the just is like a shining light: it advances and increases, even to the day of completion.
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 the impious is darkened. They do not know where they may fall.
20 Gee ntị nwa m, nʼihe m na-ekwu. Gee ntị nke ọma.
My son, pay attention to my sermons, and incline your ear to my eloquent words.
21 Doo ihe ndị a nʼuche gị mgbe niile; ka ha bamiekwa nʼime obi gị,
Let them not recede from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 nʼihi na ha bụ ndụ nye ndị chọtara ha, bụrụkwa ahụ ike nye mmadụ.
For they are life to those who find them and health to all that is flesh.
23 Nke ka nke, lezie echiche uche gị niile anya, nʼihi na ha na-emetụta ndụ gị niile.
Preserve your heart with all watchfulness, for life proceeds from this.
24 Ka ụgha ọbụla ghara isi gị nʼọnụ pụta; kpọọ ịgha ụgha niile na okwu rụrụ arụ niile asị.
Remove from yourself a corrupt mouth, and let detracting lips be far from you.
25 Legide anya nʼihu ime ihe bụ eziokwu; atụgharịkwala isi gị ile ihe ọbụla.
Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelids precede your steps.
26 Leruo ije ụkwụ gị anya, doziekwa ụzọ gị niile ka ọ guzozie.
Direct the path of your feet, and all your ways shall be secure.
27 Ewezugala onwe gị site nʼaka nri maọbụ nʼaka ekpe; si nʼihe ọjọọ wezuga ụkwụ gị.
Turn aside, neither to the right, nor to the left; yet turn your foot away from evil. For the Lord knows the ways that are on the right, and truly, those that are on the left are perverse. But he himself will make your courses straight. Then your journey will advance in peace.
