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 aloud, And understanding put forth her voice?
2 Ọ na-eguzo nʼelu ebe niile dị elu nʼokporoụzọ, nʼagbata ụzọ niile.
Upon the top of the high places, By the wayside, In the cross-ways, She taketh her station.
3 Nʼọnụ ụzọ nke obodo niile na nʼọnụ ụzọ ụlọ niile ka ọ nọ na-eti mkpu,
By the side of the gates, In the entrance of the city, In the approaches to 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.
“To you, O men! do 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 simple ones! learn wisdom, 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 speak excellent things, And my lips utter that which is right.
7 Ọnụ m na-ekwu eziokwu nʼihi na akpọrọ m okwu ụgha asị.
For my mouth speaketh 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 uprightness; There is nothing crooked or deceitful 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 the man of understanding, And right to those who 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 pearls, And no precious things are to be compared with 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 the knowledge of sagacious counsels.
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 arrogance, and the evil way, And the deceitful mouth, do I hate.
14 Ndụmọdụ na ezi nghọta bụ nke m; enwekwara m ọmụma ihe na ike.
Counsel is mine, and sound reason; I am understanding; 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 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 they who seek me early shall find me.
18 Ana m ekenye ụba na nsọpụrụ, na ikpe ziri ezi na ezi omume.
Riches and honor are with me; Yea, durable riches and prosperity.
19 Onyinye m na-enye dị mma karịa ọlaọcha, ọ karịkwara ọlaedo.
My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold. And my revenue 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 equity.
21 Ndị niile hụrụ m nʼanya, na-eketa akụnụba. Ana m emejupụtakwa ụlọakụ ha.
I cause those who love me to possess substance; Yea, I fill their treasuries.
22 “Onyenwe anyị kpụrụ m dịka mmalite ụzọ ya, tupu o bido ike ihe ọbụla ọzọ.
“The LORD created me, the firstling of his course, Before his works, of old;
23 Site nʼebighị ebi gara aga ka m dị; adịkwa m adị tupu e kee ụwa.
I was anointed from everlasting, From the beginning, even before the earth was made.
24 Anọ m na-adị tupu e kee ogbu mmiri, tupu isi iyi ọbụla agbapụta mmiri nʼelu ụwa,
When as yet there were no deeps, I was brought forth. When there were no springs, abounding with water.
25 tupu e kee ugwu ukwu na ugwu nta.
Before the mountains were settled, Yea, 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.
Ere yet he had made the land and the wastes, And the first of the clods of the earth.
27 Anọ m ya mgbe o doziri mbara eluigwe nʼọnọdụ ya, mgbe ọ tụsara ha nʼelu ogbu mmiri niile;
When he framed the heavens, I was there; When he drew 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 sky above, And the fountains of the deep rushed forth;
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 its bounds, that the waters should not pass their border; When he marked out 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 was I by him as a master-builder; I was his delight day by day, Exulting before him at all times;
31 Ihe niile o kere tọkwara m ụtọ, ụwa niile na ụmụ mmadụ!
Exulting in the habitable part of his earth, And my delight was 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 to me! For happy 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! Yea, reject 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 the man who hearkeneth to me, Who watcheth day by day at my gates, Who waiteth at the posts of my doors;
35 nʼihi na onye ọbụla chọtara m chọtara ndụ; ọ natakwala ihuọma nʼebe Onyenwe anyị nọ.
For he that findeth me findeth life, And obtaineth 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 he who misseth me doeth violence to himself; All they who hate me love death.”
