Ilu 7
1 Na-agbaso okwu m nwa m, nọgide na ya, dokwaa iwu m niile nʼime obi gị.
My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you.
2 Debe iwu m ka ị dị ndụ, chee ozizi m nche dịka ọ bụ mkpụrụ anya gị.
Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 Kee ha na mkpịsịaka gị, deekwa ha nʼelu mbadamba nkume, bụ obi gị.
Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Hụ amamihe nʼanya dịka nwaagbọghọ ị hụrụ nʼanya; hụkwa inwe nghọta nʼanya dịka a ga-asị na ọ bụ nwanne gị.
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman,
5 Kwee ka ha debe gị, ka ị ghara ijekwuru nwanyị na-akwa iko, ka ị gharakwa ịṅa ntị nʼokwu ire ụtọ ya.
that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words.
6 Nʼihi na otu ụbọchị, esi m na oghereikuku dị nʼụlọ m lepụ anya,
For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice.
7 hụ nʼetiti ndị na-enweghị uche, ahụtara m otu nwokorobịa nʼetiti ha, onye amamihe kọrọ,
I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,
8 ka ọ na-aga nʼụzọ dị nso ebe nkuku ụlọ nʼakụkụ ụlọ nwanyị ihere na-adịghị eme,
crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house,
9 nʼoge anyasị, dịka chi na-eji, mgbe ọchịchịrị na-agbachi.
at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night.
10 Mgbe ahụ, nwanyị ahụ pụtara zute ya. O yi uwe dịka nwanyị akwụna, jiri aghụghọ na-abịakwute ya.
Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart.
11 (Ọ na-eme ụzụ na-aṅaghị ntị ịnụ ihe ọbụla. Ụkwụ ya anaghị anọgide nʼụlọ ya.
She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home.
12 Ọ na-akwụgharị ma nʼokporoụzọ ma nʼama; na-amịgharị nʼebe nzuzo niile.)
Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.
13 O weere aka ya abụọ jikụọ nwokorobịa ahụ nʼolu, sutu ya ọnụ, were ihu nke ihere na-adịghị, sị:
She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him:
14 “Emezuru m nkwa niile m kwere taa, enwekwara m nri nke sitere nʼihe aja udo m chụrụ nʼụlọ m,
“I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows.
15 Ọ bụ gị ka m na-achọkwute, lee gị ka ị na-abịa.
So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you.
16 Agbasaala m akwa mara mma nʼelu ihe ndina m, bụ akwa ọcha mara mma tụrụ ọtụtụ agwa nke e ji ogho ndị Ijipt kpaa.
I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt.
17 Efesakwala m mmanụ isi ọma nke máá, aloos na sinamọn nʼelu nʼihe ndina m.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
18 Bịa, ka anyị were ịhụnanya ṅụjụbiga afọ anyị; ka anyị mee onwe anyị obi ụtọ site ugbu a ruo ụtụtụ echi.
Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses!
19 Nʼihi na di m anọghị nʼụlọ o jeela njem dị anya.
For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
20 O ji akpa ego juru gaa njem, abalị ole na ole ga-agafekwa tupu ọ lọta.”
He took with him a bag of money and will not return till the moon is full.”
21 Otu a ka o si jiri okwu ire ụtọ ya megharịa nwokorobịa ahụ isi tutu o kwenyere ya. O nwekwaghị ike ịnapụta onwe ya site nʼokwu nrafu nke nwanyị ahụ.
With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.
22 O sooro nwanyị ahụ dịka ehi a na-adọkpụ na-aga ebe a ga-egbu ya, dịka ele nke na-aba nʼọnya,
He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,
23 nke na-eche ka e were àkụ gbata ya nʼobi. Nwoke ahụ dịka nnụnụ nke na-efeba nʼọnya na-amaghị ihe na-eche ya pụrụ iwepụ ndu ya.
until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare— not knowing it will cost him his life.
24 Geenụ ntị, ụmụ m, ma ọ bụghị naanị ige ntị, kama meekwanụ ihe m na-ekwu.
Now, my sons, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Ekwela ka agụụ nke obi gị chịa gị; ejela nwanyị dị otu a nso; gbaara ya ọsọ, ka ọ ghara ịnwa gị nwetakwa gị.
Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths.
26 Nʼihi na o mebiela ndụ ọtụtụ mmadụ, ọtụtụ mmadụ amaala nʼọnya ya.
For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.
