Ilu 5
1 Nwa m, ṅaa ntị nʼokwu amamihe m, gee ntị nʼokwu nghọta m ndị a.
My son, attend to my wisdom. And bow thine ear to my understanding;
2 Lezie anya, ka i debe izuzu dị iche iche, ka egbugbere ọnụ gị na-echebekwa ihe ọmụma.
That thou mayest keep discretion, And that thy lips may preserve knowledge!
3 Nʼihi na egbugbere ọnụ nwanyị na-akwa iko na-atọ ka mmanụ aṅụ, okwu ọnụ ya na-akwọ mụrụmụrụ karịa mmanụ.
Truly, the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And her mouth 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, Sharp as a two-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death; Her steps lay hold of the under-world. (Sheol h7585)
6 Nʼihi na ọ dịghị agbaso ụzọ kwesiri ndụ; ụzọ ya gbagọrọ agbagọ, ma ọ maghị nke a.
That she may not ponder the way of life, Her paths waver when she heedeth it not.
7 Ugbu a ụmụ m, geenụ m ntị, unu esikwala nʼokwu niile nke ọnụ m wezuga onwe unu.
Hear me now, therefore, O children! And turn not away 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 door 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.
Lest thou give thy bloom to others, And thy years to a cruel one;
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 wealth, And thine earnings be in the house of an alien;
11 Ka ị gharakwa ịsụ ude nʼikpeazụ mgbe ọrịa ga-eripịa ọkpụkpụ gị na anụ ahụ gị.
And lest thou mourn in thy latter end. When thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
12 Mgbe ị ga-asị, Lee ka m si kpọọ ịdọ aka na ntị asị! “Leekwa ka obi m si lelịa iba mba anya!
And say, “How have I hated instruction! And how hath my heart despised reproof!
13 Egeghị m ntị nʼozizi nke ndị nkuzi m maọbụ nabata ndụmọdụ nke ndị ndụmọdụ m.
I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined mine ear to my instructors;
14 Nʼihi na ugbu a, abịaruola m na mbibi nʼihu ọha mmadụ niile.”
I have well-nigh fallen into utter misery; In the midst of the congregation and the assembly.”
15 Ṅụọ naanị mmiri nke si nʼite mmiri gị; mmiri dị mma nke si nʼolulu mmiri gị.
Drink water out of thine own cistern. And running water out of thine own well:
16 Gịnị mere ị ga-eji kwe ka isi mmiri gị sọọ nʼokporoụzọ, ka mmiri nke aka gị sọọ nʼama?
So shall thy fountains overflow in the streets, In the wide streets, as streams of water;
17 Kwee ka ha bụrụ nke naanị gị, nke onye ọbịa na-agaghị enwe oke nʼime ya.
They shall belong to thee alone, And not to strangers with thee;
18 Kwere ka ịbụ nwoke gị bụrụ ngọzị nye gị; ṅụrịakwa ọṅụ nʼihi nwunye nke ị lụtara nʼokorobịa gị.
And thy fountain shall be blessed, Yea, thou shalt have joy in 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.
A lovely hind, a graceful doe, Her breasts shall satisfy thee at all times, And thou shalt be always ravished 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, then, my son, wilt thou be ravished with a wanton, And embrace the bosom of a stranger?
21 Nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị na-ele gị anya, ihe niile ị na-eme ka ọ na-ahụ.
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, And he weigheth well all his paths.
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 shall ensnare the wicked; Yea, he shall be held fast by the cords 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 for want of instruction; Yea, through the greatness of his folly he shall stagger.
