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 ye may learn understanding!
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 instruction; Forsake ye not my commandments.
3 Mgbe m bụ nwantakịrị nʼụlọ nna m, mgbe m ka dị ntakịrị, bụrụkwa naanị otu nwa nne m ji,
For I was my father's son, A tender and only child 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.
He taught me, and said to me, Let thy heart hold fast 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 understanding; Forget not, and depart not 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 will guard thee: Love her, and she will preserve thee.
7 Mmalite amamihe bụ nke a, nweta amamihe, ihe ọbụla o ga-efu gị, nweta nghọta.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore gain wisdom, And with all thy gain, gain understanding.
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 will promote thee; She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace 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 graceful wreath, A beautiful crown will she bestow upon thee.
10 Nwa m, ṅaa m ntị, meekwa ihe m gwara gị; ị ga-enwekwa ndụ ogologo.
Hear, O my son! and receive my sayings! So shall the years of thy life be many.
11 M ga-edu gị nʼụzọ nke amamihe, duokwa gị nʼụzọ ziri ezi.
I have taught thee the way of wisdom, I have guided thee in the right path.
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 confined; 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 upon it, Turn from it, and go 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, unless they have done mischief; Yea, 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 light of dawn, Which groweth brighter and brighter unto the 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 as thick 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 to 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 to those who 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.
More than any thing which thou watchest, watch thy heart; For from it goeth forth 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 deceitful mouth, And remove far from thee perverse lips.
25 Legide anya nʼihu ime ihe bụ eziokwu; atụgharịkwala isi gị ile ihe ọbụla.
Let thine eyes look straight forward, And thine eyelids be directed before thee.
26 Leruo ije ụkwụ gị anya, doziekwa ụzọ gị niile ka ọ guzozie.
Give heed to the path of thy foot, And let all thy ways be steadfast.
27 Ewezugala onwe gị site nʼaka nri maọbụ nʼaka ekpe; si nʼihe ọjọọ wezuga ụkwụ gị.
Turn not to the right hand or to the left; Remove thy foot from evil.
