Ilu 8
1 Ọ bụ na amamihe adịghị eti mkpu? Ọ bụ na nghọta anaghị eme ka olu ya daa ụda?
Does not Wisdom call out? Does not Understanding raise her voice?
2 Ọ na-eguzo nʼelu ebe niile dị elu nʼokporoụzọ, nʼagbata ụzọ niile.
On the hilltops beside the road, at the crossroads, Wisdom has taken her stand.
3 Nʼọnụ ụzọ nke obodo niile na nʼọnụ ụzọ ụlọ niile ka ọ nọ na-eti mkpu,
Before the gates at the entrance into the city, at the entrances into the city, she calls out.
4 ọ na-asị, “Ụmụ mmadụ geenụ m ntị; ọ bụ unu ndị dị ndụ ka m na-agwa okwu.
“It is to you, people, that I call; my voice is for the sons of mankind.
5 Unu ndị na-enweghị uche, nweenụ uche zuruoke; unu ndị nzuzu, nweenụ nghọta.
You who are naive, learn wisdom; and you who are foolish, you must get an understanding mind.
6 Geenụ m ntị, nʼihi na enwere m okwu dị mkpa m ga-agwa unu; Ihe ọbụla m kwuru bụ ihe ziri ezi,
Listen, because I will speak of noble things, and when my lips open I will say upright things.
7 Ọnụ m na-ekwu eziokwu nʼihi na akpọrọ m okwu ụgha asị.
For my mouth speaks what is trustworthy, and wickedness is disgusting to my lips.
8 Ndụmọdụ m zuruoke, ọ dịkwa mma. Ihe ọjọọ ọbụla adịghị nʼime ya.
All the words of my mouth are just; in them is nothing twisted or misleading.
9 Nʼebe onye nwetara nghọta nọ, okwu m doro anya; nʼebe ndị chọtara ihe ọmụma nọ, okwu m ziri ezi.
All of them are straight for the person who understands; my words are upright for those who find knowledge.
10 Họrọ ịdọ aka na ntị m karịa ọlaọcha họrọkwa ihe ọmụma karịa ọlaedo dị ezi mma.”
Acquire my instruction rather than silver; acquire knowledge rather than pure gold.
11 Amamihe dị mkpa karịa nkume rubi dị oke ọnụahịa. Ọ dịkwaghị ihe a ga-eji tụnyere ya.
For Wisdom is better than jewels; no treasure is equal to her.
12 “Mụ onwe m bụ amamihe na ezi nghọta na-agakọta. Enwere m ọmụma ihe na ezi izuzu.
I, Wisdom, live with Prudence, and I possess knowledge and discretion.
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 Yahweh is to hate evil. I hate pride and arrogance, the evil way, and perverted speech. I hate them.
14 Ndụmọdụ na ezi nghọta bụ nke m; enwekwara m ọmụma ihe na ike.
I have good advice and sound wisdom; I am insight; strength belongs to me.
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 rulers make laws that are just.
16 Site na m ka ndị eze ji achị bụ ndịisi niile na-achị nʼụwa.
By me princes rule, nobles, and all who govern with justice.
17 Ndị niile hụrụ m nʼanya ka m na-ahụ nʼanya. Ndị niile na-achọ m aghakwaghị ịchọta m.
I love those who love me, and those who diligently seek me, find me.
18 Ana m ekenye ụba na nsọpụrụ, na ikpe ziri ezi na ezi omume.
With me are riches and honor, lasting wealth and righteousness.
19 Onyinye m na-enye dị mma karịa ọlaọcha, ọ karịkwara ọlaedo.
My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold; my produce is better than pure silver.
20 Ana m aga ije nʼụzọ ezi omume, nʼokporoụzọ ikpe ziri ezi.
I walk in the path of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice.
21 Ndị niile hụrụ m nʼanya, na-eketa akụnụba. Ana m emejupụtakwa ụlọakụ ha.
As a result, I make those who love me inherit wealth; I fill up their treasuries.
22 “Onyenwe anyị kpụrụ m dịka mmalite ụzọ ya, tupu o bido ike ihe ọbụla ọzọ.
Yahweh created me at the beginning, the first of his deeds then.
23 Site nʼebighị ebi gara aga ka m dị; adịkwa m adị tupu e kee ụwa.
In ages long ago I was made—from the first, from the beginnings of the earth.
24 Anọ m na-adị tupu e kee ogbu mmiri, tupu isi iyi ọbụla agbapụta mmiri nʼelu ụwa,
Before there were oceans, I was given birth— before there were springs abounding with water.
25 tupu e kee ugwu ukwu na ugwu nta.
Before the mountains were settled and before the hills, I was born.
26 E, amụọla m rịị tupu Chineke ekee ụwa na osisi niile, na aja niile dị nʼime ya.
I was born before Yahweh had made the earth or the fields, or even the first dust in the world.
27 Anọ m ya mgbe o doziri mbara eluigwe nʼọnọdụ ya, mgbe ọ tụsara ha nʼelu ogbu mmiri niile;
I was there when he established the heavens, when he drew a circle on the surface of the deep.
28 mgbe o hiwere mbara eluigwe, mgbe o mere ka isi iyi niile nke ogbu mmiri dị ike,
I was there when he established the clouds above and when the springs in the deep became fixed.
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.
I was there when he made his limit for the sea, so the waters should not spread beyond his command, and when there was set the limit for the foundations of the dry land.
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 beside him, as a skilled craftsman; I was his delight day after day, always rejoicing before him.
31 Ihe niile o kere tọkwara m ụtọ, ụwa niile na ụmụ mmadụ!
I was rejoicing in his whole world, and my delight was in the sons of mankind.
32 “Nʼihi ya, ụmụ m ndị ikom, geenụ m ntị; nʼihi na ndị niile na-eso ụzọ m na-enwe ọṅụ.
Now, my sons, listen to me, for those who keep my ways will be blessed.
33 Gee ntị na ndụmọdụ m ka ị bụrụ onye maara ihe, agbakụtakwala ndụmọdụ m azụ.
Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not neglect 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;
The one who listens to me will be blessed. He will be watching every day at my doors, waiting beside the posts of my doors.
35 nʼihi na onye ọbụla chọtara m chọtara ndụ; ọ natakwala ihuọma nʼebe Onyenwe anyị nọ.
For whoever finds me, finds life, and he will find the favor of Yahweh.
36 Ma onye na-enweghị ike chọta m na-emerụ onwe ya ahụ; ndị niile kpọrọ m asị hụrụ ọnwụ nʼanya.”
But he who fails, harms his own life; all who hate me love death.”
