Ilu 8
1 Ọ bụ na amamihe adịghị eti mkpu? Ọ bụ na nghọta anaghị eme ka olu ya daa ụda?
Doth not wisdom call, and understanding put forth her voice?
2 Ọ na-eguzo nʼelu ebe niile dị elu nʼokporoụzọ, nʼagbata ụzọ niile.
In the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she standeth;
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, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.
5 Unu ndị na-enweghị uche, nweenụ uche zuruoke; unu ndị nzuzu, nweenụ nghọta.
O ye thoughtless, understand prudence, and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
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 mouth shall utter 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 perverse or crooked 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 things desirable are not to be compared unto her.
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 out knowledge of devices.
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 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 understanding, power 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.
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 Site na m ka ndị eze ji achị bụ ndịisi niile na-achị nʼụwa.
By me princes rule, and nobles, even 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 them that love me, and those that seek me earnestly shall find me.
18 Ana m ekenye ụba na nsọpụrụ, na ikpe ziri ezi na ezi omume.
Riches and honour are with me; yea, enduring riches and righteousness.
19 Onyinye m na-enye dị mma karịa ọlaọcha, ọ karịkwara ọlaedo.
My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my produce than choice silver.
20 Ana m aga ije nʼụzọ ezi omume, nʼokporoụzọ ikpe ziri ezi.
I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice;
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 that I may fill their treasuries.
22 “Onyenwe anyị kpụrụ m dịka mmalite ụzọ ya, tupu o bido ike ihe ọbụla ọzọ.
The LORD made me as the beginning of His way, the first of 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 everlasting, from the beginning, or ever 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 established the heavens, I was there; when He set a 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 made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the deep showed their might,
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 gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not transgress 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, as a nursling; and I was daily all delight, playing always before Him,
31 Ihe niile o kere tọkwara m ụtọ, ụwa niile na ụmụ mmadụ!
Playing in His habitable earth, and my delights are 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.
Now therefore, ye children, hearken unto me; for happy 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;
Happy is the man that hearkeneth to 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 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 that misseth me wrongeth his own soul; all they that hate me love death.'
