< Ilu 8 >
1 Ọ bụ na amamihe adịghị eti mkpu? Ọ bụ na nghọta anaghị eme ka olu ya daa ụda?
Does wisdom not call? And understanding give forth her voice?
2 Ọ na-eguzo nʼelu ebe niile dị elu nʼokporoụzọ, nʼagbata ụzọ niile.
At the head of high places by the way, She has stood between the paths,
3 Nʼọnụ ụzọ nke obodo niile na nʼọnụ ụzọ ụlọ niile ka ọ nọ na-eti mkpu,
At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she cries aloud,
4 ọ na-asị, “Ụmụ mmadụ geenụ m ntị; ọ bụ unu ndị dị ndụ ka m na-agwa okwu.
“To 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.
Understand, you simple ones, prudence, And you fools, understand the heart,
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 speak noble things, And the opening of my lips [is] uprightness.
7 Ọnụ m na-ekwu eziokwu nʼihi na akpọrọ m okwu ụgha asị.
For my mouth utters truth, And wickedness [is] an abomination to my lips.
8 Ndụmọdụ m zuruoke, ọ dịkwa mma. Ihe ọjọọ ọbụla adịghị nʼime ya.
All the sayings of my mouth [are] in righteousness, Nothing in them is contrary and perverse.
9 Nʼebe onye nwetara nghọta nọ, okwu m doro anya; nʼebe ndị chọtara ihe ọmụma nọ, okwu m ziri ezi.
All of them [are] plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding 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, Indeed, all delights are not comparable with it.
12 “Mụ onwe m bụ amamihe na ezi nghọta na-agakọta. Enwere m ọmụma ihe na ezi izuzu.
I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And I find out a knowledge of purposes.
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 YHWH [is] to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a contrary mouth, I have hated.
14 Ndụmọdụ na ezi nghọta bụ nke m; enwekwara m ọmụma ihe na ike.
Counsel and substance [are] mine, I [am] understanding, I have might.
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 righteousness,
16 Site na m ka ndị eze ji achị bụ ndịisi niile na-achị nʼụwa.
By me chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of earth.
17 Ndị niile hụrụ m nʼanya ka m na-ahụ nʼanya. Ndị niile na-achọ m aghakwaghị ịchọta m.
I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly find me.
18 Ana m ekenye ụba na nsọpụrụ, na ikpe ziri ezi na ezi omume.
Wealth and honor [are] with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.
19 Onyinye m na-enye dị mma karịa ọlaọcha, ọ karịkwara ọlaedo.
My fruit [is] better than gold, even fine gold, And my increase than choice silver.
20 Ana m aga ije nʼụzọ ezi omume, nʼokporoụzọ ikpe ziri ezi.
I cause to walk in a path of righteousness, In midst of paths of judgment,
21 Ndị niile hụrụ m nʼanya, na-eketa akụnụba. Ana m emejupụtakwa ụlọakụ ha.
To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Indeed, I fill their treasures.
22 “Onyenwe anyị kpụrụ m dịka mmalite ụzọ ya, tupu o bido ike ihe ọbụla ọzọ.
YHWH possessed me—the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.
23 Site nʼebighị ebi gara aga ka m dị; adịkwa m adị tupu e kee ụwa.
I was anointed from the age, from the first, From former states of the earth.
24 Anọ m na-adị tupu e kee ogbu mmiri, tupu isi iyi ọbụla agbapụta mmiri nʼelu ụwa,
In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy [with] waters,
25 tupu e kee ugwu ukwu na ugwu nta.
Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.
26 E, amụọla m rịị tupu Chineke ekee ụwa na osisi niile, na aja niile dị nʼime ya.
While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.
27 Anọ m ya mgbe o doziri mbara eluigwe nʼọnọdụ ya, mgbe ọ tụsara ha nʼelu ogbu mmiri niile;
In His preparing the heavens I [am] there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,
28 mgbe o hiwere mbara eluigwe, mgbe o mere ka isi iyi niile nke ogbu mmiri dị ike,
In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,
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.
In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters do not transgress His command, In His decreeing the foundations of 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 am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight—day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,
31 Ihe niile o kere tọkwara m ụtọ, ụwa niile na ụmụ mmadụ!
Rejoicing in the habitable part of His 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.
And now, you sons, listen to me, Indeed, blessed are they who 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 do not slight.
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;
O the blessedness of the man listening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the doorposts of my entrance.
35 nʼihi na onye ọbụla chọtara m chọtara ndụ; ọ natakwala ihuọma nʼebe Onyenwe anyị nọ.
For whoever is finding me, has found life, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
36 Ma onye na-enweghị ike chọta m na-emerụ onwe ya ahụ; ndị niile kpọrọ m asị hụrụ ọnwụ nʼanya.”
And whoever is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!”