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, send forth her voice?
2 Ọ na-eguzo nʼelu ebe niile dị elu nʼokporoụzọ, nʼagbata ụzọ niile.
At the top of the high places above the way, at the place where paths meet, 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 entrance of the city, —at the going in of the openings, she shouteth: —
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 unto the sons of men;
5 Unu ndị na-enweghị uche, nweenụ uche zuruoke; unu ndị nzuzu, nweenụ nghọta.
Understand, ye simple ones, shrewdness, and, ye dullards 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, princely things, will I speak, and the opening of my lips shall be of equity;
7 Ọnụ m na-ekwu eziokwu nʼihi na akpọrọ m okwu ụgha asị.
For, faithfulness, shall my mouth softly utter, but, the abomination of my lips, shall be lawlessness;
8 Ndụmọdụ m zuruoke, ọ dịkwa mma. Ihe ọjọọ ọbụla adịghị nʼime ya.
In righteousness, shall be all the sayings of my mouth, nothing therein, shall be crafty or perverse;
9 Nʼebe onye nwetara nghọta nọ, okwu m doro anya; nʼebe ndị chọtara ihe ọmụma nọ, okwu m ziri ezi.
All of them, shall be plain, to them who would understand, and just, to such as would gain knowledge.
10 Họrọ ịdọ aka na ntị m karịa ọlaọcha họrọkwa ihe ọmụma karịa ọlaedo dị ezi mma.”
Receive my correction, and not silver, and knowledge, rather than choicest gold.
11 Amamihe dị mkpa karịa nkume rubi dị oke ọnụahịa. Ọ dịkwaghị ihe a ga-eji tụnyere ya.
For better is wisdom, than ornaments of coral, and, no delightful things, can equal her.
12 “Mụ onwe m bụ amamihe na ezi nghọta na-agakọta. Enwere m ọmụma ihe na ezi izuzu.
I, wisdom, inhabit shrewdness, —and, the knowledge of sagacious things, I gain.
13 Ịtụ egwu Onyenwe anyị bụ ịkpọ ihe ọjọọ asị. Akpọrọ m nganga na mpako, omume ọjọọ nakwa okwu gbagọrọ agbagọ asị.
The reverence of Yahweh, is to hate wickedness: pride, arrogance, and the way of wickedness; And a mouth of perverse things, do I hate.
14 Ndụmọdụ na ezi nghọta bụ nke m; enwekwara m ọmụma ihe na ike.
Mine, are counsel, and effective working, I, am understanding, mine, is valour:
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 dignitaries decree righteousness;
16 Site na m ka ndị eze ji achị bụ ndịisi niile na-achị nʼụwa.
By me, rulers govern, and nobles—all the righteous judges:
17 Ndị niile hụrụ m nʼanya ka m na-ahụ nʼanya. Ndị niile na-achọ m aghakwaghị ịchọta m.
I love, them who love me, and, they who diligently seek me, find me:
18 Ana m ekenye ụba na nsọpụrụ, na ikpe ziri ezi na ezi omume.
Riches and honour, are with me, lordly wealth, and righteousness;
19 Onyinye m na-enye dị mma karịa ọlaọcha, ọ karịkwara ọlaedo.
Better is my fruit, than gold—yea fine gold, and mine increase, than choice silver;
20 Ana m aga ije nʼụzọ ezi omume, nʼokporoụzọ ikpe ziri ezi.
In the way of righteousness, I march along, in the middle of the paths of justice:
21 Ndị niile hụrụ m nʼanya, na-eketa akụnụba. Ana m emejupụtakwa ụlọakụ ha.
That I may cause them who love me to inherit substance, and, their treasuries, I may fill.
22 “Onyenwe anyị kpụrụ m dịka mmalite ụzọ ya, tupu o bido ike ihe ọbụla ọzọ.
Yahweh, had constituted me the beginning of his way, before his works, at the commencement of that time;
23 Site nʼebighị ebi gara aga ka m dị; adịkwa m adị tupu e kee ụwa.
At the outset of the ages, had I been established, in advance of the antiquities of the earth;
24 Anọ m na-adị tupu e kee ogbu mmiri, tupu isi iyi ọbụla agbapụta mmiri nʼelu ụwa,
When there was no resounding deep, I had been brought forth, when there were no fountains, abounding with water;
25 tupu e kee ugwu ukwu na ugwu nta.
Ere yet the mountains had been settled, before the hills, had I been brought forth;
26 E, amụọla m rịị tupu Chineke ekee ụwa na osisi niile, na aja niile dị nʼime ya.
Or ever he had made the land and the wastes, or the top of the dry 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 heavens, there, was I! When he decreed a vault upon the face of the resounding 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 resounding deep, waxed 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 fixed for the sea its bound, that, the waters, should not go beyond his bidding, when he decreed 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 became I beside him, a firm and sure worker, then became I filled with delight, day by day, exulting before him on every occasion;
31 Ihe niile o kere tọkwara m ụtọ, ụwa niile na ụmụ mmadụ!
Exulting in the fruitful land of his earth, Yea, my fulness of 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 sons, hearken to me, for how happy are they who, to my ways, pay regard!
33 Gee ntị na ndụmọdụ m ka ị bụrụ onye maara ihe, agbakụtakwala ndụmọdụ m azụ.
Hear ye correction, and be wise, and do not neglect.
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;
How happy the man that doth hearken to me, —keeping guard at my doors, day by day, watching at the posts of my gates;
35 nʼihi na onye ọbụla chọtara m chọtara ndụ; ọ natakwala ihuọma nʼebe Onyenwe anyị nọ.
For, he that findeth me, findeth life, and hath obtained favour from Yahweh;
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 who hate me, love death.
