Ilu 8
1 Ọ bụ na amamihe adịghị eti mkpu? Ọ bụ na nghọta anaghị eme ka olu ya daa ụda?
Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding give forth her voice?
2 Ọ na-eguzo nʼelu ebe niile dị elu nʼokporoụzọ, nʼagbata ụzọ niile.
On the top of high places by the way, at the cross-paths she taketh her stand.
3 Nʼọnụ ụzọ nke obodo niile na nʼọnụ ụzọ ụlọ niile ka ọ nọ na-eti mkpu,
Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud.
4 ọ na-asị, “Ụmụ mmadụ geenụ m ntị; ọ bụ unu ndị dị ndụ ka m na-agwa okwu.
Unto you, men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of man:
5 Unu ndị na-enweghị uche, nweenụ uche zuruoke; unu ndị nzuzu, nweenụ nghọta.
O ye simple, understand prudence; and ye foolish, understand sense.
6 Geenụ m ntị, nʼihi na enwere m okwu dị mkpa m ga-agwa unu; Ihe ọbụla m kwuru bụ ihe ziri ezi,
Hear, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7 Ọnụ m na-ekwu eziokwu nʼihi na akpọrọ m okwu ụgha asị.
For my palate shall meditate truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 Ndụmọdụ m zuruoke, ọ dịkwa mma. Ihe ọjọọ ọbụla adịghị nʼime ya.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing tortuous or perverse in them.
9 Nʼebe onye nwetara nghọta nọ, okwu m doro anya; nʼebe ndị chọtara ihe ọmụma nọ, okwu m ziri ezi.
They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
10 Họrọ ịdọ aka na ntị m karịa ọlaọcha họrọkwa ihe ọmụma karịa ọlaedo dị ezi mma.”
Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold:
11 Amamihe dị mkpa karịa nkume rubi dị oke ọnụahịa. Ọ dịkwaghị ihe a ga-eji tụnyere ya.
for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not equal to it.
12 “Mụ onwe m bụ amamihe na ezi nghọta na-agakọta. Enwere m ọmụma ihe na ezi izuzu.
I wisdom dwell [with] prudence, and find the knowledge [which cometh] of reflection.
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 Jehovah is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate.
14 Ndụmọdụ na ezi nghọta bụ nke m; enwekwara m ọmụma ihe na ike.
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am intelligence; I have strength.
15 Site na m ka ndị eze ji achị, ọ bụ m na-eme ka ndị na-achị achị mee iwu ziri ezi.
By me kings reign, and rulers make just decrees;
16 Site na m ka ndị eze ji achị bụ ndịisi niile na-achị nʼụwa.
by me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth.
17 Ndị niile hụrụ m nʼanya ka m na-ahụ nʼanya. Ndị niile na-achọ m aghakwaghị ịchọta m.
I love those that love me; and they that seek me early shall find me.
18 Ana m ekenye ụba na nsọpụrụ, na ikpe ziri ezi na ezi omume.
Riches and honour are with me; durable wealth and righteousness.
19 Onyinye m na-enye dị mma karịa ọlaọcha, ọ karịkwara ọlaedo.
My fruit is better than fine gold, yea, than pure gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
20 Ana m aga ije nʼụzọ ezi omume, nʼokporoụzọ ikpe ziri ezi.
I walk in the path of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
21 Ndị niile hụrụ m nʼanya, na-eketa akụnụba. Ana m emejupụtakwa ụlọakụ ha.
that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasuries.
22 “Onyenwe anyị kpụrụ m dịka mmalite ụzọ ya, tupu o bido ike ihe ọbụla ọzọ.
Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 Site nʼebighị ebi gara aga ka m dị; adịkwa m adị tupu e kee ụwa.
I was set up from eternity, from the beginning, before the earth was.
24 Anọ m na-adị tupu e kee ogbu mmiri, tupu isi iyi ọbụla agbapụta mmiri nʼelu ụwa,
When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 tupu e kee ugwu ukwu na ugwu nta.
Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth;
26 E, amụọla m rịị tupu Chineke ekee ụwa na osisi niile, na aja niile dị nʼime ya.
while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
27 Anọ m ya mgbe o doziri mbara eluigwe nʼọnọdụ ya, mgbe ọ tụsara ha nʼelu ogbu mmiri niile;
When he prepared the heavens I was there; when he ordained the circle upon the face of the deep;
28 mgbe o hiwere mbara eluigwe, mgbe o mere ka isi iyi niile nke ogbu mmiri dị ike,
when he established the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong;
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 imposed on the sea his decree that the waters should not pass his commandment, when he appointed 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.
then I was by him [his] nursling, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 Ihe niile o kere tọkwara m ụtọ, ụwa niile na ụmụ mmadụ!
rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights [were] 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.
And now, sons, hearken unto me, and blessed are they that keep my ways:
33 Gee ntị na ndụmọdụ m ka ị bụrụ onye maara ihe, agbakụtakwala ndụmọdụ m azụ.
hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not.
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 that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 nʼihi na onye ọbụla chọtara m chọtara ndụ; ọ natakwala ihuọma nʼebe Onyenwe anyị nọ.
For whoso findeth me findeth life, and obtaineth favour of Jehovah;
36 Ma onye na-enweghị ike chọta m na-emerụ onwe ya ahụ; ndị niile kpọrọ m asị hụrụ ọnwụ nʼanya.”
but he that sinneth against me doeth violence to his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
