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 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 give you a good gift, forsake 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 also was my father’s son, tender and as 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 said: Let thy heart receive my words, keep my commandments, and thou shalt live.
5 Nweta amamihe, nwetakwa nghọta, echezọkwala okwu m, maọbụ site na ya wezuga onwe gị.
Get wisdom, get prudence: forget 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, get wisdom, and with all thy possession purchase prudence.
8 Ọ bụrụ na i bulie amamihe elu, o ga-ebulikwa gị elu. Jidesie ya ike, ọ ga-ewetara gị oke nsọpụrụ.
Take hold on her, and she shall exalt thee: thou shalt be glorified by her, when thou shalt 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 increase of graces, and protect thee with a noble crown.
10 Nwa m, ṅaa m ntị, meekwa ihe m gwara gị; ị ga-enwekwa ndụ ogologo.
Hear, O my son, and receive my words, that years of life may be multiplied to thee.
11 M ga-edu gị nʼụzọ nke amamihe, duokwa gị nʼụzọ ziri ezi.
I will shew thee the way of wisdom, I will lead thee by 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.
Which when thou shalt have entered, thy steps shall not be straitened, and when thou runnest thou shalt not meet a stumblingblock.
13 Mee ihe niile m gwara gị, echefukwala ha, nʼihi na ọ ga-eduba gị na ndụ zuruoke.
Take hold on instruction, leave it not: keep it, because it is thy life.
14 Emela dịka ndị na-emebi iwu. Esokwala ụzọ ha.
Be not delighted in the paths of the wicked, neither let the way of evil men please thee.
15 Zeere ha, ejekwala nʼụzọ ha; chepu ihu gị nʼụzọ ahụ,
Flee from it, pass not by it: go aside, and forsake 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 sleep not except they have done evil: and their sleep is taken away unless they have made some to fall.
17 Ha na-eri ihe oriri nke mmebi iwu, na-aṅụkwa ihe ọṅụṅụ nke ọgbaaghara.
They eat the bread of wickedness, and 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, as a shining light, goeth forwards and increaseth even to perfect 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 the wicked is darksome: they know not where they fall.
20 Gee ntị nwa m, nʼihe m na-ekwu. Gee ntị nke ọma.
My son, hearken to my words, and incline thy ear to my sayings.
21 Doo ihe ndị a nʼuche gị mgbe niile; ka ha bamiekwa nʼime obi gị,
Let them not depart from thy 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 to those that find them, and health to all flesh.
23 Nke ka nke, lezie echiche uche gị niile anya, nʼihi na ha na-emetụta ndụ gị niile.
With all watchfulness keep thy heart, because life issueth out from it.
24 Ka ụgha ọbụla ghara isi gị nʼọnụ pụta; kpọọ ịgha ụgha niile na okwu rụrụ arụ niile asị.
Remove from thee a froward mouth, and let detracting lips be far from thee.
25 Legide anya nʼihu ime ihe bụ eziokwu; atụgharịkwala isi gị ile ihe ọbụla.
Let thy eyes look straight on, and let thy eyelids go before thy steps.
26 Leruo ije ụkwụ gị anya, doziekwa ụzọ gị niile ka ọ guzozie.
Make straight the path for thy feet, and all thy ways shall be established.
27 Ewezugala onwe gị site nʼaka nri maọbụ nʼaka ekpe; si nʼihe ọjọọ wezuga ụkwụ gị.
Decline not to the right hand, nor to the left: turn away thy foot from evil. For the Lord knoweth the ways that are on the right hand: but those are perverse which are on the left hand. But he will make thy courses straight, he will bring forward thy ways in peace.
