Ilu 4
1 Ụmụ m ndị ikom, geenụ ntị na ndụmọdụ nke nna unu, lezienụ anya ka unu nwee nghọta.
Heare, O ye children, the instruction of a father, and giue eare to learne vnderstanding.
2 Ṅaanụ ntị, nwee uche, nʼihi na ọ bụ ezi ozizi ka m na-ezi unu; ya mere, unu ahapụkwala iwu m.
For I doe giue you a good doctrine: therefore forsake yee not my lawe.
3 Mgbe m bụ nwantakịrị nʼụlọ nna m, mgbe m ka dị ntakịrị, bụrụkwa naanị otu nwa nne m ji,
For I was my fathers sonne, tender and deare 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.
When he taught me, and sayde vnto me, Let thine heart holde fast my woordes: keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue.
5 Nweta amamihe, nwetakwa nghọta, echezọkwala okwu m, maọbụ site na ya wezuga onwe gị.
Get wisedom: get vnderstading: forget not, neither decline from the woordes of my mouth.
6 Ahapụla amamihe, ọ ga-echebe gị, hụ ya nʼanya, nʼihi na ọ ga-eduzi gị.
Forsake her not, and shee shall keepe thee: loue her and shee shall preserue thee.
7 Mmalite amamihe bụ nke a, nweta amamihe, ihe ọbụla o ga-efu gị, nweta nghọta.
Wisedome is the beginning: get wisedome therefore: and aboue all thy possession get vnderstanding.
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 exalt thee: she shall bring thee to honour, if thou embrace her.
9 Ọ ga-eji okpueze okoko osisi chọọ isi gị mma nyekwa gị okpueze mara mma nʼisi gị.”
She shall giue a comely ornamet vnto thine head, yea, she shall giue thee a crowne of glorie.
10 Nwa m, ṅaa m ntị, meekwa ihe m gwara gị; ị ga-enwekwa ndụ ogologo.
Heare, my sonne, and receiue my wordes, and the yeeres of thy life shalbe many.
11 M ga-edu gị nʼụzọ nke amamihe, duokwa gị nʼụzọ ziri ezi.
I haue taught thee in ye way of wisedom, and led thee in the pathes of righteousnesse.
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.
Whe thou goest, thy gate shall not be strait, and when thou runnest, thou shalt not fall.
13 Mee ihe niile m gwara gị, echefukwala ha, nʼihi na ọ ga-eduba gị na ndụ zuruoke.
Take holde of instruction, and leaue not: keepe her, for shee is thy life.
14 Emela dịka ndị na-emebi iwu. Esokwala ụzọ ha.
Enter not into the way of the wicked, and walke not in the way of euill men.
15 Zeere ha, ejekwala nʼụzọ ha; chepu ihu gị nʼụzọ ahụ,
Auoide it, and goe not by it: turne from it, and passe by.
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 can not sleepe, except they haue done euill, and their sleepe departeth except they cause some to fall.
17 Ha na-eri ihe oriri nke mmebi iwu, na-aṅụkwa ihe ọṅụṅụ nke ọgbaaghara.
For they eate the breade of wickednesse, and drinke 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 way of the righteous shineth as the light, that shineth more and more vnto the perfite 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 as the darkenes: they knowe not wherein they shall fall.
20 Gee ntị nwa m, nʼihe m na-ekwu. Gee ntị nke ọma.
My sonne, hearken vnto my wordes, incline thine eare vnto my sayings.
21 Doo ihe ndị a nʼuche gị mgbe niile; ka ha bamiekwa nʼime obi gị,
Let them not depart from thine eyes, but keepe them in the middes of thine heart.
22 nʼihi na ha bụ ndụ nye ndị chọtara ha, bụrụkwa ahụ ike nye mmadụ.
For they are life vnto those that find them, and health vnto all their flesh.
23 Nke ka nke, lezie echiche uche gị niile anya, nʼihi na ha na-emetụta ndụ gị niile.
Keepe thine heart with all diligence: for thereout commeth life.
24 Ka ụgha ọbụla ghara isi gị nʼọnụ pụta; kpọọ ịgha ụgha niile na okwu rụrụ arụ niile asị.
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and put wicked lippes farre from thee.
25 Legide anya nʼihu ime ihe bụ eziokwu; atụgharịkwala isi gị ile ihe ọbụla.
Let thine eyes beholde the right, and let thine eyelids direct thy way before thee.
26 Leruo ije ụkwụ gị anya, doziekwa ụzọ gị niile ka ọ guzozie.
Ponder the path of thy feete, and let all thy waies be ordred aright.
27 Ewezugala onwe gị site nʼaka nri maọbụ nʼaka ekpe; si nʼihe ọjọọ wezuga ụkwụ gị.
Turne not to the right hande, nor to the left, but remooue thy foote from euill.
