< Ilu 9 >
1 Amamihe ewuola ụlọ ukwu ya nʼelu ogidi asaa.
[It is as though] wisdom [is a woman who] has built a [big] house for herself, and has set up seven columns [to support the roof],
2 O doziela oriri ya nʼusoro, o gbuola anụ ya, gwaakwa mmanya.
and has slaughtered an animal [and cooked the meat], and has mixed [nice spices] in the wine, and has put [the food] on the table.
3 O zipụkwala ndị ozi ya ka ha gaa kpọọ mmadụ niile, site nʼebe dị elu nke obodo ka ha nọ na-akpọ oku na-asị,
[It is as though then] she sent out her servant women to call out from the highest place in the town,
4 “Bịanụ nʼụlọ m, unu ndị niile na-enweghị uche” Ma nye ndị amamihe kọrọ, ọ na-asị,
“You people who need to understand more, come in!” And to those who are ignorant, [it is as though] she calls out,
5 “Bịanụ, rie nri m, ṅụọkwa mmanya m gwakọtara.
“Come and eat the food that I [have prepared], and drink the [good] wine that I have mixed!
6 Hapụnụ ụzọ enweghị uche unu, ka unu were dị ndụ; gbasokwanụ ụzọ mmụọ ịghọta ihe.”
(Leave/Go away from) [other] foolish people, and [if you do that, you will continue to] live. Walk on the road that will enable you to (have knowledge/know what is true and what is not true).”
7 Onye ọbụla na-adọ onye na-akwa emo aka na ntị na-ewetara onwe ya nlelị; onye na-abara mmadụ ọjọọ mba na-enweta nkọcha.
If you rebuke someone who will not allow others to correct him, he will insult you. If you reprove/scold an evil man, he will hurt you.
8 Abarala ndị na-akwa emo mba, ma ọ bụghị ya, ha ga-akpọ gị asị; baara ndị maara ihe mba, ha ga-ahụ gị nʼanya.
Do not rebuke someone who will not allow others to (correct him/tell him what he has done is wrong), because he will hate you for doing that. [But] if you rebuke a wise person, he will respect you.
9 Kuziere onye maara ihe ihe o kwesiri ịmụta, ọ ga-ama ihe karịa, kuziere onye ziri ezi ihe ọ ga-atụkwasị ihe ọ mụtara nʼamamihe ya.
If you give instruction to wise people, they will become wiser. And if you teach righteous people, they will learn more.
10 Nʼihi na ịtụ egwu Onyenwe anyị bụ mmalite amamihe, inwe ihe ọmụma banyere onye Nsọ ahụ bụkwa nghọta.
If you want to be wise, you must start by revering Yahweh, and if you know God, the Holy One, you will understand [which teachings are wise/true].
11 Nʼihi na ọ bụ site na amamihe, ka ụbọchị gị ga-adị ogologo. A ga-etinyekwara gị ọtụtụ afọ na ndụ gị.
If you become wise, you will live many years [DOU].
12 Ị bụrụ onye nwere amamihe, amamihe gị ga-abara gị uru, ma ị bụrụ onye na-akwa emo, naanị gị ga-ata ahụhụ ya.
If you are wise, you are the one who will benefit from it; if you ridicule [becoming wise], you are the one who will suffer.
13 Nwanyị dị nzuzu na-eme mkpọtụ, o nweghị uche; ihere adịghịkwa eme ya.
Foolish women talk loudly; they are ignorant and are never ashamed [of the wrong things that they do].
14 Ọ na-anọ ọdụ nʼọnụ ụzọ ụlọ ya, nʼelu oche nʼebe dịkarịsịrị elu nʼobodo,
They sit at the doors of their houses [or] they sit on the top [of the hills] in the town,
15 na-akpọ ndị na-aga nʼụzọ oku, bụ ndị na-aga mkpa ha,
and they call out to the men who are passing by, who are trying to be concerned with their own affairs,
16 “Ka ndị niile amamihe kọrọ bịa nʼụlọ m.” Ọ na-asịkwa ndị na-enweghị uche,
“You people who need to understand more, come into [my house]!” And to those who are ignorant, they call out,
17 “Mmiri e zutere nʼohi na-atọ ụtọ, nri e riri na nzuzo na-atọkarịkwa nʼụtọ.”
“[Just as] water which you have stolen tastes very good and food that you eat by yourself tastes the best, [if you have sex secretly with someone to whom you are not married, you will enjoy it very much].”
18 Ma ha adịghị aghọta na ndị nʼadịghị ndụ nọ nʼebe ahụ, na ndị ọ kpọrọ oku nri aghọọlarị ndị nọ nʼala mmụọ. (Sheol )
But men who go to those women’s houses do not know that those who have gone there are now dead; they have descended down into the deepest parts of the place where dead people are. (Sheol )