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 up my commandments with thee!
2 Debe iwu m ka ị dị ndụ, chee ozizi m nche dịka ọ bụ mkpụrụ anya gị.
Keep my commandments and live! Yea, my teaching, as the apple of thine eye!
3 Kee ha na mkpịsịaka gị, deekwa ha nʼelu mbadamba nkume, bụ obi gị.
Bind them upon thy fingers, Write them upon the tablet of thy heart!
4 Hụ amamihe nʼanya dịka nwaagbọghọ ị hụrụ nʼanya; hụkwa inwe nghọta nʼanya dịka a ga-asị na ọ bụ nwanne gị.
Say unto wisdom, “Thou art my sister!” And call understanding thy near acquaintance;
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 thee from the wife of another, From the stranger, that useth smooth words.
6 Nʼihi na otu ụbọchị, esi m na oghereikuku dị nʼụlọ m lepụ anya,
For through the window of my house, Through the lattice I was looking forth,
7 hụ nʼetiti ndị na-enweghị uche, ahụtara m otu nwokorobịa nʼetiti ha, onye amamihe kọrọ,
And I saw among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, A young man void of understanding.
8 ka ọ na-aga nʼụzọ dị nso ebe nkuku ụlọ nʼakụkụ ụlọ nwanyị ihere na-adịghị eme,
He was passing through the street near her corner, And was going the way to her house,
9 nʼoge anyasị, dịka chi na-eji, mgbe ọchịchịrị na-agbachi.
At twilight, in the evening, At midnight, yea, in the thick darkness.
10 Mgbe ahụ, nwanyị ahụ pụtara zute ya. O yi uwe dịka nwanyị akwụna, jiri aghụghọ na-abịakwute ya.
And, behold, a woman met him, In the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart, —
11 (Ọ na-eme ụzụ na-aṅaghị ntị ịnụ ihe ọbụla. Ụkwụ ya anaghị anọgide nʼụlọ ya.
One noisy and unruly, Whose feet abide not in her house;
12 Ọ na-akwụgharị ma nʼokporoụzọ ma nʼama; na-amịgharị nʼebe nzuzo niile.)
Who is now in the streets, now in the broad places, And lurketh near every corner.
13 O weere aka ya abụọ jikụọ nwokorobịa ahụ nʼolu, sutu ya ọnụ, were ihu nke ihere na-adịghị, sị:
She caught hold of him and kissed him, And with a shameless face said to him,
14 “Emezuru m nkwa niile m kwere taa, enwekwara m nri nke sitere nʼihe aja udo m chụrụ nʼụlọ m,
“Thank-offerings have been upon me, And this day have I performed my vows;
15 Ọ bụ gị ka m na-achọkwute, lee gị ka ị na-abịa.
Therefore came I forth to meet thee, —Diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee!
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 spread my bed with coverlets, With tapestry of the thread of Egypt.
17 Efesakwala m mmanụ isi ọma nke máá, aloos na sinamọn nʼelu nʼihe ndina m.
I have sprinkled my bed With 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, let us take our fill of love until the morning; Let us solace ourselves with caresses.
19 Nʼihi na di m anọghị nʼụlọ o jeela njem dị anya.
For the good-man is not at home; He is gone a long journey;
20 O ji akpa ego juru gaa njem, abalị ole na ole ga-agafekwa tupu ọ lọta.”
He hath taken a purse of money with him; At the day of the full moon he will return.”
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.
By her much fair speech she seduced him; By the smoothness of her lips she drew him away.
22 O sooro nwanyị ahụ dịka ehi a na-adọkpụ na-aga ebe a ga-egbu ya, dịka ele nke na-aba nʼọnya,
He goeth after her straightway, As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or as one in fetters to the chastisement of the fool,
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.
Till an arrow strike through his liver; —As a bird hasteneth into the snare, And knoweth not that it is laid for its life.
24 Geenụ ntị, ụmụ m, ma ọ bụghị naanị ige ntị, kama meekwanụ ihe m na-ekwu.
Now, therefore, ye children, hearken 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.
Let not thy heart turn aside to her ways; Go not astray in her paths!
26 Nʼihi na o mebiela ndụ ọtụtụ mmadụ, ọtụtụ mmadụ amaala nʼọnya ya.
For many are the wounded which she hath cast down; Yea, countless is the number of those slain by her.
