Ilu 4
1 Ụmụ m ndị ikom, geenụ ntị na ndụmọdụ nke nna unu, lezienụ anya ka unu nwee nghọta.
Hear, ye children, the correction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 Ṅaanụ ntị, nwee uche, nʼihi na ọ bụ ezi ozizi ka m na-ezi unu; ya mere, unu ahapụkwala iwu m.
For good information do I give you: my teaching must ye not forsake.
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, a tender and an only child before 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 instructed me, and said unto me, Let thy heart grasp firmly my words: observe my commandments and live.
5 Nweta amamihe, nwetakwa nghọta, echezọkwala okwu m, maọbụ site na ya wezuga onwe gị.
Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding: forget not, and depart not from the sayings of my mouth.
6 Ahapụla amamihe, ọ ga-echebe gị, hụ ya nʼanya, nʼihi na ọ ga-eduzi gị.
Forsake her not, and she will watch over thee: love her, and she will keep thee.
7 Mmalite amamihe bụ nke a, nweta amamihe, ihe ọbụla o ga-efu gị, nweta nghọta.
The beginning of wisdom is, Acquire wisdom: and with all thy acquisition acquire understanding.
8 Ọ bụrụ na i bulie amamihe elu, o ga-ebulikwa gị elu. Jidesie ya ike, ọ ga-ewetara gị oke nsọpụrụ.
Hold her in high esteem, and she will exalt thee: she will bring thee to honor, when thou embracest her.
9 Ọ ga-eji okpueze okoko osisi chọọ isi gị mma nyekwa gị okpueze mara mma nʼisi gị.”
She will give to thy head a wreath of grace: a crown of ornament will she deliver to thee.
10 Nwa m, ṅaa m ntị, meekwa ihe m gwara gị; ị ga-enwekwa ndụ ogologo.
Hear, O my son, and accept my sayings: and they will increase unto thee the years of life.
11 M ga-edu gị nʼụzọ nke amamihe, duokwa gị nʼụzọ ziri ezi.
In the way of wisdom have I instructed thee: I have led thee in the tracks 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 walkest, thy step shall not be narrowed; 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.
Lay fast hold of correction; 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 step not on the way of the bad.
15 Zeere ha, ejekwala nʼụzọ ha; chepu ihu gị nʼụzọ ahụ,
Avoid it, pass not through by it, turn off 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 evil, and their sleep is robbed away, unless they cause some to stumble.
17 Ha na-eri ihe oriri nke mmebi iwu, na-aṅụkwa ihe ọṅụṅụ nke ọgbaaghara.
For they eat the bread of wickedness; and the wine of violence do they drink.
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 early morning light, that shineth more and more brightly until the height of noonday.
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 like darkness: they know not against what they stumble.
20 Gee ntị nwa m, nʼihe m na-ekwu. Gee ntị nke ọma.
My son, attend to my words, unto my sayings incline thy ear.
21 Doo ihe ndị a nʼuche gị mgbe niile; ka ha bamiekwa nʼime obi gị,
Let them not slip away from thy eyes: guard 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 every one of those that find them, and to all his body a healing.
23 Nke ka nke, lezie echiche uche gị niile anya, nʼihi na ha na-emetụta ndụ gị niile.
Above all that is to be guarded, keep thy heart, 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.
Remove from thee frowardness of mouth; and perverseness of lips put away far from thee.
25 Legide anya nʼihu ime ihe bụ eziokwu; atụgharịkwala isi gị ile ihe ọbụla.
Let thy eyes look right forward, and let thy eyelids see straight out before thee.
26 Leruo ije ụkwụ gị anya, doziekwa ụzọ gị niile ka ọ guzozie.
Balance well the track of thy foot, and let all thy ways be firmly right.
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.
