Ilu 7
1 Na-agbaso okwu m nwa m, nọgide na ya, dokwaa iwu m niile nʼime obi gị.
My son, accept what I say and value my instructions.
2 Debe iwu m ka ị dị ndụ, chee ozizi m nche dịka ọ bụ mkpụrụ anya gị.
Do what I tell you and you will live. Observe my teachings, valuing them as your main focus in life.
3 Kee ha na mkpịsịaka gị, deekwa ha nʼelu mbadamba nkume, bụ obi gị.
Tie them to your fingers; write them in your mind.
4 Hụ amamihe nʼanya dịka nwaagbọghọ ị hụrụ nʼanya; hụkwa inwe nghọta nʼanya dịka a ga-asị na ọ bụ nwanne gị.
Tell wisdom, “You're my sister,” and call insight your best friend.
5 Kwee ka ha debe gị, ka ị ghara ijekwuru nwanyị na-akwa iko, ka ị gharakwa ịṅa ntị nʼokwu ire ụtọ ya.
They will protect you from the immoral woman, from the prostitute with her seductive words.
6 Nʼihi na otu ụbọchị, esi m na oghereikuku dị nʼụlọ m lepụ anya,
One time I looked through the lattice of the window in my house,
7 hụ nʼetiti ndị na-enweghị uche, ahụtara m otu nwokorobịa nʼetiti ha, onye amamihe kọrọ,
and I saw among the immature young men one who had no sense at all.
8 ka ọ na-aga nʼụzọ dị nso ebe nkuku ụlọ nʼakụkụ ụlọ nwanyị ihere na-adịghị eme,
He was walking down the street near the corner where she lived and took the road passing her house.
9 nʼoge anyasị, dịka chi na-eji, mgbe ọchịchịrị na-agbachi.
It was at dusk in the evening, as the light was fading and the dark night closed in.
10 Mgbe ahụ, nwanyị ahụ pụtara zute ya. O yi uwe dịka nwanyị akwụna, jiri aghụghọ na-abịakwute ya.
Then out came a woman came to meet him. She was dressed as a prostitute and had deceptive intentions.
11 (Ọ na-eme ụzụ na-aṅaghị ntị ịnụ ihe ọbụla. Ụkwụ ya anaghị anọgide nʼụlọ ya.
(She was loud and provocative, never wanting to stay at home.
12 Ọ na-akwụgharị ma nʼokporoụzọ ma nʼama; na-amịgharị nʼebe nzuzo niile.)
One moment she'd be walking the streets, the next she'd be there in the town squares, loitering at every corner.)
13 O weere aka ya abụọ jikụọ nwokorobịa ahụ nʼolu, sutu ya ọnụ, were ihu nke ihere na-adịghị, sị:
She grabbed hold of him and kissed him, and with a bold face she told him,
14 “Emezuru m nkwa niile m kwere taa, enwekwara m nri nke sitere nʼihe aja udo m chụrụ nʼụlọ m,
“I sacrificed my peace offering today, and paid my vows.
15 Ọ bụ gị ka m na-achọkwute, lee gị ka ị na-abịa.
That's why I came out to meet you. I was looking for you and now I've 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.
My bed is made, covered with colorful linens from Egypt.
17 Efesakwala m mmanụ isi ọma nke máá, aloos na sinamọn nʼelu nʼihe ndina m.
I've sprinkled perfume on my bed—myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Bịa, ka anyị were ịhụnanya ṅụjụbiga afọ anyị; ka anyị mee onwe anyị obi ụtọ site ugbu a ruo ụtụtụ echi.
Come with me, let's make love until the morning. Let's enjoy one another in our love-making!
19 Nʼihi na di m anọghị nʼụlọ o jeela njem dị anya.
My husband isn't home; he's gone on a long trip.
20 O ji akpa ego juru gaa njem, abalị ole na ole ga-agafekwa tupu ọ lọta.”
He took a bag of money with him, and he won't be coming back until the full moon.”
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.
She convinced him with all that she said; she seduced him with her smooth talking.
22 O sooro nwanyị ahụ dịka ehi a na-adọkpụ na-aga ebe a ga-egbu ya, dịka ele nke na-aba nʼọnya,
He followed her right away, like an ox to the slaughter. Like a stag that's caught in a snare
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 its liver, like a bird flying into a trap, he's unaware he will pay with his life.
24 Geenụ ntị, ụmụ m, ma ọ bụghị naanị ige ntị, kama meekwanụ ihe m na-ekwu.
So now listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to what I'm saying.
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.
Don't even think about following her. Don't stray down her road.
26 Nʼihi na o mebiela ndụ ọtụtụ mmadụ, ọtụtụ mmadụ amaala nʼọnya ya.
For she has brought down and destroyed a lot of men; she's killed so many.
