Ilu 4
1 Ụmụ m ndị ikom, geenụ ntị na ndụmọdụ nke nna unu, lezienụ anya ka unu nwee nghọta.
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know intelligence;
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 doctrine: forsake ye not my law.
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 unto my father, tender and an only one 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 said unto me, Let thy heart retain my words; keep my commandments and live.
5 Nweta amamihe, nwetakwa nghọta, echezọkwala okwu m, maọbụ site na ya wezuga onwe gị.
Get wisdom, get intelligence: forget [it] not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6 Ahapụla amamihe, ọ ga-echebe gị, hụ ya nʼanya, nʼihi na ọ ga-eduzi gị.
Forsake her not, and she shall keep thee; love her, and she shall preserve thee.
7 Mmalite amamihe bụ nke a, nweta amamihe, ihe ọbụla o ga-efu gị, nweta nghọta.
The beginning of wisdom [is], Get wisdom; and with all thy getting get intelligence.
8 Ọ bụrụ na i bulie amamihe elu, o ga-ebulikwa gị elu. Jidesie ya ike, ọ ga-ewetara gị oke nsọpụrụ.
Exalt her, and she shall promote thee; she shall bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her.
9 Ọ ga-eji okpueze okoko osisi chọọ isi gị mma nyekwa gị okpueze mara mma nʼisi gị.”
She shall give to thy head a garland of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow upon thee.
10 Nwa m, ṅaa m ntị, meekwa ihe m gwara gị; ị ga-enwekwa ndụ ogologo.
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of thy life shall be multiplied.
11 M ga-edu gị nʼụzọ nke amamihe, duokwa gị nʼụzọ ziri ezi.
I will teach thee in the way of wisdom, I will lead thee in paths of uprightness.
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 thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Mee ihe niile m gwara gị, echefukwala ha, nʼihi na ọ ga-eduba gị na ndụ zuruoke.
Take fast hold of instruction, let [her] not go: keep her, for she is thy life.
14 Emela dịka ndị na-emebi iwu. Esokwala ụzọ ha.
Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil [men]:
15 Zeere ha, ejekwala nʼụzọ ha; chepu ihu gị nʼụzọ ahụ,
avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass away.
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 sleep not except they have done mischief, and their sleep is taken away unless they have caused [some] to fall.
17 Ha na-eri ihe oriri nke mmebi iwu, na-aṅụkwa ihe ọṅụṅụ nke ọgbaaghara.
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
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 righteous is as the shining light, going on and brightening until the day be fully come.
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 wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20 Gee ntị nwa m, nʼihe m na-ekwu. Gee ntị nke ọma.
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Doo ihe ndị a nʼuche gị mgbe niile; ka ha bamiekwa nʼime obi gị,
Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thy heart.
22 nʼihi na ha bụ ndụ nye ndị chọtara ha, bụrụkwa ahụ ike nye mmadụ.
For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Nke ka nke, lezie echiche uche gị niile anya, nʼihi na ha na-emetụta ndụ gị niile.
Keep thy heart more than anything that is guarded; for out of it are the issues of life.
24 Ka ụgha ọbụla ghara isi gị nʼọnụ pụta; kpọọ ịgha ụgha niile na okwu rụrụ arụ niile asị.
Put away from thee perverseness of mouth, and corrupt lips put far from thee.
25 Legide anya nʼihu ime ihe bụ eziokwu; atụgharịkwala isi gị ile ihe ọbụla.
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Leruo ije ụkwụ gị anya, doziekwa ụzọ gị niile ka ọ guzozie.
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be well-ordered.
27 Ewezugala onwe gị site nʼaka nri maọbụ nʼaka ekpe; si nʼihe ọjọọ wezuga ụkwụ gị.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.
