Ilu 8
1 Ọ bụ na amamihe adịghị eti mkpu? Ọ bụ na nghọta anaghị eme ka olu ya daa ụda?
Does not wisdom call out, and prudence bestow her voice?
2 Ọ na-eguzo nʼelu ebe niile dị elu nʼokporoụzọ, nʼagbata ụzọ niile.
At the summits and the tops of exalted places, standing above the ways, in the midst of the paths,
3 Nʼọnụ ụzọ nke obodo niile na nʼọnụ ụzọ ụlọ niile ka ọ nọ na-eti mkpu,
beside the gates of the city, at the very doors, she speaks, saying:
4 ọ na-asị, “Ụmụ mmadụ geenụ m ntị; ọ bụ unu ndị dị ndụ ka m na-agwa okwu.
“O men, to you I call out, and my voice is to the sons of men.
5 Unu ndị na-enweghị uche, nweenụ uche zuruoke; unu ndị nzuzu, nweenụ nghọta.
O little ones, understand discernment. And you who are unwise, turn your souls.
6 Geenụ m ntị, nʼihi na enwere m okwu dị mkpa m ga-agwa unu; Ihe ọbụla m kwuru bụ ihe ziri ezi,
Listen, for I will speak about great things, and my lips will be opened, so as to foretell what is right.
7 Ọnụ m na-ekwu eziokwu nʼihi na akpọrọ m okwu ụgha asị.
My throat shall practice truth, and my lips shall detest the impious.
8 Ndụmọdụ m zuruoke, ọ dịkwa mma. Ihe ọjọọ ọbụla adịghị nʼime ya.
All my words are just. There is no depravity in them, and no perversity.
9 Nʼebe onye nwetara nghọta nọ, okwu m doro anya; nʼebe ndị chọtara ihe ọmụma nọ, okwu m ziri ezi.
They are upright to those who understand, and equitable to those who discover knowledge.
10 Họrọ ịdọ aka na ntị m karịa ọlaọcha họrọkwa ihe ọmụma karịa ọlaedo dị ezi mma.”
Accept my discipline, and not money. Choose the doctrine that is greater than gold.
11 Amamihe dị mkpa karịa nkume rubi dị oke ọnụahịa. Ọ dịkwaghị ihe a ga-eji tụnyere ya.
For wisdom is better than all that is most precious, and everything that is desirable cannot compare to her.
12 “Mụ onwe m bụ amamihe na ezi nghọta na-agakọta. Enwere m ọmụma ihe na ezi izuzu.
I, wisdom, dwell in counsel, and I am inside learned thoughts.
13 Ịtụ egwu Onyenwe anyị bụ ịkpọ ihe ọjọọ asị. Akpọrọ m nganga na mpako, omume ọjọọ nakwa okwu gbagọrọ agbagọ asị.
The fear of the Lord hates evil. I detest arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.
14 Ndụmọdụ na ezi nghọta bụ nke m; enwekwara m ọmụma ihe na ike.
Counsel is mine, and equity. Prudence is mine. Strength is mine.
15 Site na m ka ndị eze ji achị, ọ bụ m na-eme ka ndị na-achị achị mee iwu ziri ezi.
Through me, kings reign and legislators decree just conditions.
16 Site na m ka ndị eze ji achị bụ ndịisi niile na-achị nʼụwa.
Through me, princes rule and the powerful decree justice.
17 Ndị niile hụrụ m nʼanya ka m na-ahụ nʼanya. Ndị niile na-achọ m aghakwaghị ịchọta m.
I love those who love me. And those who stand watch for me until morning shall discover me.
18 Ana m ekenye ụba na nsọpụrụ, na ikpe ziri ezi na ezi omume.
With me, are wealth and glory, superb riches and justice.
19 Onyinye m na-enye dị mma karịa ọlaọcha, ọ karịkwara ọlaedo.
For my fruit is better than gold and precious stones, and my progeny better than choice silver.
20 Ana m aga ije nʼụzọ ezi omume, nʼokporoụzọ ikpe ziri ezi.
I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,
21 Ndị niile hụrụ m nʼanya, na-eketa akụnụba. Ana m emejupụtakwa ụlọakụ ha.
so that I may enrich those who love me, and thus complete their treasures.
22 “Onyenwe anyị kpụrụ m dịka mmalite ụzọ ya, tupu o bido ike ihe ọbụla ọzọ.
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made anything, from the beginning.
23 Site nʼebighị ebi gara aga ka m dị; adịkwa m adị tupu e kee ụwa.
I was ordained from eternity, and out of antiquity, before the earth was formed.
24 Anọ m na-adị tupu e kee ogbu mmiri, tupu isi iyi ọbụla agbapụta mmiri nʼelu ụwa,
The abyss did not yet exist, and I was already conceived; neither had the fountains of waters yet erupted.
25 tupu e kee ugwu ukwu na ugwu nta.
The mountains, with their great mass, had not yet been established. Before the hills, I was brought forth.
26 E, amụọla m rịị tupu Chineke ekee ụwa na osisi niile, na aja niile dị nʼime ya.
Still he had not made the earth, and the rivers, and the poles of the globe of the earth.
27 Anọ m ya mgbe o doziri mbara eluigwe nʼọnọdụ ya, mgbe ọ tụsara ha nʼelu ogbu mmiri niile;
I was already present: when he prepared the heavens; when, with a certain law and a circuit, he fortified the abyss;
28 mgbe o hiwere mbara eluigwe, mgbe o mere ka isi iyi niile nke ogbu mmiri dị ike,
when he made firm the sky above, and set free the fountains of waters;
29 mgbe ọ kpara oke nye osimiri ebe ọ ga-akwụsị, ka mmiri ya ghara ịgafe iwu ya, mgbe ọ kara akara ebe a tọrọ ntọala nke ụwa.
when he encompassed the sea within its limits, and laid down a law for the waters, lest they transgress their limits; when he weighed the foundations of the earth.
30 Oge ahụ niile ka m na-anọ nʼakụkụ ya dịka onye ǹka. Ihe banyere m na-atọkwa ya ụtọ; ana m egwuri egwu nʼihu ya.
I was with him in composing all things. And I was delighted, throughout every day, by playing in his sight at all times,
31 Ihe niile o kere tọkwara m ụtọ, ụwa niile na ụmụ mmadụ!
playing in globe of the earth. And my delight was to be with the sons of men.
32 “Nʼihi ya, ụmụ m ndị ikom, geenụ m ntị; nʼihi na ndị niile na-eso ụzọ m na-enwe ọṅụ.
Therefore, sons, hear me now. Blessed are those who preserve my ways.
33 Gee ntị na ndụmọdụ m ka ị bụrụ onye maara ihe, agbakụtakwala ndụmọdụ m azụ.
Listen to discipline, and become wise, and do not be willing to cast it aside.
34 Ngọzị dịrị mmadụ ahụ na-aṅa ntị nʼokwu m, onye na-anọ na nche nʼọnụ ụzọ m ụbọchị niile, onye na-anọ na-echere m nʼọnụ ụzọ ụlọ m;
Blessed is the man who listens to me, and who stands watch at my gates every day, and who observes at the posts of my doors.
35 nʼihi na onye ọbụla chọtara m chọtara ndụ; ọ natakwala ihuọma nʼebe Onyenwe anyị nọ.
He who finds me, finds life, and he will draw salvation from the Lord.
36 Ma onye na-enweghị ike chọta m na-emerụ onwe ya ahụ; ndị niile kpọrọ m asị hụrụ ọnwụ nʼanya.”
But he who sins against me will wound his own soul. All who hate me love death.”
