Ilu 8
1 Ọ bụ na amamihe adịghị eti mkpu? Ọ bụ na nghọta anaghị eme ka olu ya daa ụda?
You shall proclaim wisdom, that understanding may be obedient to you.
2 Ọ na-eguzo nʼelu ebe niile dị elu nʼokporoụzọ, nʼagbata ụzọ niile.
For she is on lofty eminences, and stands in the midst of the ways.
3 Nʼọnụ ụzọ nke obodo niile na nʼọnụ ụzọ ụlọ niile ka ọ nọ na-eti mkpu,
For she sits by the gates of princes, and sings in the entrances, [saying],
4 ọ na-asị, “Ụmụ mmadụ geenụ m ntị; ọ bụ unu ndị dị ndụ ka m na-agwa okwu.
You, O men, I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men.
5 Unu ndị na-enweghị uche, nweenụ uche zuruoke; unu ndị nzuzu, nweenụ nghọta.
O you simple, understand subtlety, and you that are untaught, imbibe knowledge.
6 Geenụ m ntị, nʼihi na enwere m okwu dị mkpa m ga-agwa unu; Ihe ọbụla m kwuru bụ ihe ziri ezi,
Listen to me; for I will speak solemn [truths]; and will produce right [sayings] from my lips.
7 Ọnụ m na-ekwu eziokwu nʼihi na akpọrọ m okwu ụgha asị.
For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me.
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 in them wrong or perverse.
9 Nʼebe onye nwetara nghọta nọ, okwu m doro anya; nʼebe ndị chọtara ihe ọmụma nọ, okwu m ziri ezi.
They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge.
10 Họrọ ịdọ aka na ntị m karịa ọlaọcha họrọkwa ihe ọmụma karịa ọlaedo dị ezi mma.”
Receive instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than tried gold.
11 Amamihe dị mkpa karịa nkume rubi dị oke ọnụahịa. Ọ dịkwaghị ihe a ga-eji tụnyere ya.
For wisdom is better than precious stones; and no valuable substance is of equal worth with it.
12 “Mụ onwe m bụ amamihe na ezi nghọta na-agakọta. Enwere m ọmụma ihe na ezi izuzu.
I wisdom have lived [with] counsel and knowledge, and I have called upon understanding.
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 unrighteousness, and insolence, and pride, and the ways of wicked men; and I hate the perverse ways of bad men.
14 Ndụmọdụ na ezi nghọta bụ nke m; enwekwara m ọmụma ihe na ike.
Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and 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.
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 nobles become great, and monarchs by me rule over 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 shall find [me].
18 Ana m ekenye ụba na nsọpụrụ, na ikpe ziri ezi na ezi omume.
Wealth and glory belong to me; yes, abundant possessions and righteousness.
19 Onyinye m na-enye dị mma karịa ọlaọcha, ọ karịkwara ọlaedo.
[It is] better to have my fruit than [to have] gold and precious stones; and my produce is better than choice silver.
20 Ana m aga ije nʼụzọ ezi omume, nʼokporoụzọ ikpe ziri ezi.
I walk in ways of righteousness, and [am] conversant with the paths of judgment;
21 Ndị niile hụrụ m nʼanya, na-eketa akụnụba. Ana m emejupụtakwa ụlọakụ ha.
that I may divide substance to them that love me, and may fill their treasures with good things. If I declare to you the things that daily happen, I will remember [also] to recount the things of old.
22 “Onyenwe anyị kpụrụ m dịka mmalite ụzọ ya, tupu o bido ike ihe ọbụla ọzọ.
The Lord made me the beginning of his ways for his works.
23 Site nʼebighị ebi gara aga ka m dị; adịkwa m adị tupu e kee ụwa.
He established me before time [was] in the beginning, before he made the earth:
24 Anọ m na-adị tupu e kee ogbu mmiri, tupu isi iyi ọbụla agbapụta mmiri nʼelu ụwa,
even before he made the depths; before the fountains of water came forth:
25 tupu e kee ugwu ukwu na ugwu nta.
before the mountains were settled, and before all hills, he begets me.
26 E, amụọla m rịị tupu Chineke ekee ụwa na osisi niile, na aja niile dị nʼime ya.
The Lord made countries and uninhabited [tracks], and the highest inhabited parts 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 heaven, I was present with him; and when he prepared his throne upon the winds:
28 mgbe o hiwere mbara eluigwe, mgbe o mere ka isi iyi niile nke ogbu mmiri dị ike,
and when he strengthened the clouds above; and when he secured the fountains of the earth:
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.
decree. and when he strengthened 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 by him, suiting [myself to him], I was that wherein he took delight; and daily I rejoiced in his presence continually.
31 Ihe niile o kere tọkwara m ụtọ, ụwa niile na ụmụ mmadụ!
For he rejoiced when he had completed the world, and rejoiced among the children of men.
32 “Nʼihi ya, ụmụ m ndị ikom, geenụ m ntị; nʼihi na ndị niile na-eso ụzọ m na-enwe ọṅụ.
Now then, [my] son, hear me: blessed is the man who shall listen to me, and the mortal who shall keep my ways;
33 Gee ntị na ndụmọdụ m ka ị bụrụ onye maara ihe, agbakụtakwala ndụmọdụ m azụ.
[Hear wisdom and be wise, and be not strangers to it. ]
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;
watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my entrances.
35 nʼihi na onye ọbụla chọtara m chọtara ndụ; ọ natakwala ihuọma nʼebe Onyenwe anyị nọ.
For my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and [in them] is prepared favor 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 they that sin against me act wickedly against their own souls: and they that hate me love death.
