Ilu 5
1 Nwa m, ṅaa ntị nʼokwu amamihe m, gee ntị nʼokwu nghọta m ndị a.
My son, attend to my wisdom, and incline thy ear to my prudence.
2 Lezie anya, ka i debe izuzu dị iche iche, ka egbugbere ọnụ gị na-echebekwa ihe ọmụma.
That thou mayst keep thoughts, and thy lips may preserve instruction. Mind not the deceit of a woman.
3 Nʼihi na egbugbere ọnụ nwanyị na-akwa iko na-atọ ka mmanụ aṅụ, okwu ọnụ ya na-akwọ mụrụmụrụ karịa mmanụ.
For the lips of a harlot are like a honeycomb dropping, and her throat is smoother than oil.
4 Ma nʼikpeazụ, ọ na-elu ilu dịka oluilu dịkwa nkọ ka mma agha ihu abụọ.
But her end is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two-edged sword.
Her feet go down into death, and her steps go in as far as hell. (Sheol h7585)
6 Nʼihi na ọ dịghị agbaso ụzọ kwesiri ndụ; ụzọ ya gbagọrọ agbagọ, ma ọ maghị nke a.
They walk not by the path of life, her steps are wandering, and unaccountable.
7 Ugbu a ụmụ m, geenụ m ntị, unu esikwala nʼokwu niile nke ọnụ m wezuga onwe unu.
Now therefore, my son, hear me, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
8 Gbaara nwanyị dị otu a ọsọ! Ejekwala ọnụ ụzọ ụlọ ya nso,
Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the doors of her house.
9 ka ị ghara ire ugwu gị nʼebe ndị ọzọ nọ, maọbụ were ndụ gị tinye nʼaka ndị na-enweghị obi ebere.
Give not thy honour to strangers, and thy years to the cruel.
10 Ka ndị ọbịa ghara inwe oke oriri nʼelu akụ gị, ka ihe niile ị dọgburu onwe gị nʼọrụ ịkpata gharakwa imejupụta ụlọ onye ọzọ.
Lest strangers be filled with thy strength, and thy labours be in another man’s house,
11 Ka ị gharakwa ịsụ ude nʼikpeazụ mgbe ọrịa ga-eripịa ọkpụkpụ gị na anụ ahụ gị.
And thou mourn it the last, when thou shalt have spent thy flesh and thy body, and say:
12 Mgbe ị ga-asị, Lee ka m si kpọọ ịdọ aka na ntị asị! “Leekwa ka obi m si lelịa iba mba anya!
Why have I hated instruction, and my heart consented not to reproof,
13 Egeghị m ntị nʼozizi nke ndị nkuzi m maọbụ nabata ndụmọdụ nke ndị ndụmọdụ m.
And have not heard the voice of them that taught me, and have not inclined my ear to masters?
14 Nʼihi na ugbu a, abịaruola m na mbibi nʼihu ọha mmadụ niile.”
I have almost been in all evil, in the midst of the church and of the congregation.
15 Ṅụọ naanị mmiri nke si nʼite mmiri gị; mmiri dị mma nke si nʼolulu mmiri gị.
Drink water out of thy own cistern, and the streams of thy own well:
16 Gịnị mere ị ga-eji kwe ka isi mmiri gị sọọ nʼokporoụzọ, ka mmiri nke aka gị sọọ nʼama?
Let thy fountains be conveyed abroad, and in the streets divide thy waters.
17 Kwee ka ha bụrụ nke naanị gị, nke onye ọbịa na-agaghị enwe oke nʼime ya.
Keep them to thyself alone, neither let strangers be partakers with thee.
18 Kwere ka ịbụ nwoke gị bụrụ ngọzị nye gị; ṅụrịakwa ọṅụ nʼihi nwunye nke ị lụtara nʼokorobịa gị.
Let thy vein be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of thy youth:
19 Nne anụ nke na-ahụ nʼanya, dịka ele mara mma, ka ara dị ya nʼobi zuore gị, ka ịhụnanya ya na-enye gị obi ụtọ mgbe ọbụla.
Let her be thy dearest hind, and most agreeable fawn: let her breasts inebriate thee at all times; he thou delighted continually with her love.
20 Gịnị ka ị na-achọ nʼahụ nwanyị na-akwa iko? Gịnị mere i ji na-amaku nwunye onye ọzọ obi?
Why art thou seduced, my son, by a strange woman, and art cherished in the bosom of another?
21 Nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị na-ele gị anya, ihe niile ị na-eme ka ọ na-ahụ.
The Lord beholdeth the ways of man, and considereth all his steps.
22 Onye na-emebi iwu na-esite na mmehie ya laa onwe ya nʼiyi; mmehie ndị a bụ ụdọ nke na-ejide ya.
His own iniquities catch the wicked, and he is fast bound with the ropes of his own sins.
23 Ọ ga-anwụ nʼihi na ọ nabataghị ịdọ aka na ntị; ọ bụkwa nzuzu ya dufuru ya.
He shall die, because he hath not received instruction, and in the multitude of his folly he shall be deceived.
