Ilu 4
1 Ụmụ m ndị ikom, geenụ ntị na ndụmọdụ nke nna unu, lezienụ anya ka unu nwee nghọta.
Listen, sons, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so you will know what understanding is.
2 Ṅaanụ ntị, nwee uche, nʼihi na ọ bụ ezi ozizi ka m na-ezi unu; ya mere, unu ahapụkwala iwu m.
I am giving you good instructions; do not forsake my teaching.
3 Mgbe m bụ nwantakịrị nʼụlọ nna m, mgbe m ka dị ntakịrị, bụrụkwa naanị otu nwa nne m ji,
When I was a son of my father, the tender and only child 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 your heart hold fast to my words; keep my commands and live.
5 Nweta amamihe, nwetakwa nghọta, echezọkwala okwu m, maọbụ site na ya wezuga onwe gị.
Acquire wisdom and understanding; do not forget and do not reject the words of my mouth;
6 Ahapụla amamihe, ọ ga-echebe gị, hụ ya nʼanya, nʼihi na ọ ga-eduzi gị.
do not abandon wisdom and she will watch over you; love her and she will keep you safe.
7 Mmalite amamihe bụ nke a, nweta amamihe, ihe ọbụla o ga-efu gị, nweta nghọta.
Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom and spend all you own so you can get understanding.
8 Ọ bụrụ na i bulie amamihe elu, o ga-ebulikwa gị elu. Jidesie ya ike, ọ ga-ewetara gị oke nsọpụrụ.
Cherish wisdom and she will exalt you; she will honor you when you embrace her.
9 Ọ ga-eji okpueze okoko osisi chọọ isi gị mma nyekwa gị okpueze mara mma nʼisi gị.”
She will put a wreath of honor on your head; she will give you a beautiful crown.”
10 Nwa m, ṅaa m ntị, meekwa ihe m gwara gị; ị ga-enwekwa ndụ ogologo.
Listen, my son, and pay attention to my words, and you will have many years in your life.
11 M ga-edu gị nʼụzọ nke amamihe, duokwa gị nʼụzọ ziri ezi.
I direct you in the way of wisdom; I lead you down straight paths.
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 you walk, no one will stand in your way and if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Mee ihe niile m gwara gị, echefukwala ha, nʼihi na ọ ga-eduba gị na ndụ zuruoke.
Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it, for it is your life.
14 Emela dịka ndị na-emebi iwu. Esokwala ụzọ ha.
Do not follow the path of the wicked and do not go along the way of those who do evil.
15 Zeere ha, ejekwala nʼụzọ ha; chepu ihu gị nʼụzọ ahụ,
Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it and go another way.
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 cannot sleep until they do evil and they are robbed of sleep until they cause someone 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 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 righteous people is like the first light that grows brighter; it shines more and more until the fullness of the day comes.
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 do not know what it is they stumble over.
20 Gee ntị nwa m, nʼihe m na-ekwu. Gee ntị nke ọma.
My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Doo ihe ndị a nʼuche gị mgbe niile; ka ha bamiekwa nʼime obi gị,
Do not let them turn away from your eyes; keep them in your heart.
22 nʼihi na ha bụ ndụ nye ndị chọtara ha, bụrụkwa ahụ ike nye mmadụ.
For my words are life to those who find them and health to their whole body.
23 Nke ka nke, lezie echiche uche gị niile anya, nʼihi na ha na-emetụta ndụ gị niile.
Keep your heart safe and guard it with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
24 Ka ụgha ọbụla ghara isi gị nʼọnụ pụta; kpọọ ịgha ụgha niile na okwu rụrụ arụ niile asị.
Put crooked speech away from you and put corrupt talk far from you.
25 Legide anya nʼihu ime ihe bụ eziokwu; atụgharịkwala isi gị ile ihe ọbụla.
Let your eyes look straight ahead and fix your gaze straight before you.
26 Leruo ije ụkwụ gị anya, doziekwa ụzọ gị niile ka ọ guzozie.
Make a level path for your foot; then all your ways will be secure.
27 Ewezugala onwe gị site nʼaka nri maọbụ nʼaka ekpe; si nʼihe ọjọọ wezuga ụkwụ gị.
Do not turn aside to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
