Ilu 1
1 Ndị a bụ ilu Solomọn nwa Devid, eze Izrel.
The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, who reigned in Israel;
2 Ọ bụ maka amamihe na ntụziaka, maka ịghọta okwu niile kwesiri ịghọta nke ọma,
to know wisdom and instruction, and to perceive words of understanding;
3 nʼihi inweta ntụziaka nʼinwe uche, ime ezi omume na ikpe ziri ezi nke aghụghọ na-adịghị.
to receive also hard saying, and to understand true justice, and [how] to direct judgement;
4 Nʼihi ime ka ndị na-enweghị uche nwee ezi uche, ka ndị na-eto eto nweta ihe ọmụma na izuzu ọma.
that he might give subtlety to the simple, and to the young man discernment and understanding.
5 Ka onye maara ihe gee ntị, tụkwasịkwa ihe nʼihe ọ maara, ka ndị nwere nghọta nwetakwa ezi ndụmọdụ.
For by the hearing of these a wise man will be wiser, and man of understanding will gain direction;
6 Ka ha ghọta ilu niile na okwu niile na-esi nʼọnụ ndị maara ihe.
and will understand a parable, and a dark speech; the saying of the wise also, and riddles.
7 Ịtụ egwu Onyenwe anyị bụ mmalite ihe ọmụma. Ọ bụkwa naanị ndị nzuzu bụ ndị na-adịghị anabata amamihe na ịdọ aka na ntị.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and [there is] good understanding to all that practise it: and piety towards God is the beginning of discernment; but the ungodly will set at nothing wisdom and instruction.
8 Nwa m, na-aṅa ntị na ntụziaka nke nna gị ahapụkwala ndụmọdụ nne gị.
Hear, [my] son, the instruction of your father, and reject not the rules of your mother.
9 Nʼihi na okpu amara ka ha ga-abụrụ isi gị, bụrụkwa ihe ịnya nʼolu nye gị.
For you shall receive for your head a crown of graces, and a chain of gold round your neck.
10 Nwa m, ọ bụrụ na ndị mmehie ara gị ụra, ekwenyerela ha, Ekwela!
[My] son, let not ungodly men lead you astray, neither consent you [to them].
11 Ọ bụrụ na ha asị gị, “Bịa soro anyị; ka anyị zoo onwe anyị, tigbuo onye ọbụla anyị hụrụ, bụ onye na-emeghị ihe ọjọọ ọbụla.
If they should exhort you, saying, Come with us, partake in blood, and let us unjustly hide the just man in the earth:
and let us swallow him alive, as Hades [would], and remove the memorial of him from the earth: (Sheol h7585)
13 Anyị ga-enwetakwa ọtụtụ ihe dị oke ọnụahịa, nke anyị ga-akwaju nʼụlọ anyị.
let us seize on his valuable property, and let us fill our houses with spoils:
14 Soro anyị fee nza gị ka anyị nwaa ike anyị, ihe ọbụla kwa anyị nwetara, anyị na gị ga-ekekọta ya ọnụ.”
but do you cast in your lot with us, and let us all provide a common purse, and let us have one pouch:
15 Nwa m, ejela ije nʼụzọ ndị dị otu a, a zọọkwala ụkwụ nʼokporoụzọ ha;
go not in the way with them, but turn aside your foot from their paths:
16 nʼihi na ụkwụ ha na-agba ọsọ ime ihe ọjọọ, na-emekwa ngwangwa iwufu ọbara.
[For their feet run to do evil, and are swift to shed blood. ]
17 Ọ bụ ihe abaghị uru ịgbasa ụgbụ, nʼebe nnụnụ ọbụla na-ahụ ya anya.
for nets are not without cause spread for birds.
18 Ma ndị a na-esi ọnya nke na-ama ha. Ha onwe ha ka ọnya ahụ ga-ejide.
For they that are concerned in murder store up evils for themselves; and the overthrow of transgressors is evil.
19 Otu a ka ọ na-adịkwara ndị ọ na-agụsị agụụ ike inweta akụnụba nʼụzọ na-ezighị ezi. Nʼihi na ịgbaso ụzọ dị otu a na-ewetara ndị na-eso ya ọnwụ.
These are the ways of all that perform lawless deeds; for by ungodliness they destroy their own life.
20 Amamihe na-eti mkpu nʼezi ka mmadụ nụ. Olu ya na-ada ụda nʼama.
Wisdom sings aloud in passages, and in the broad places speaks boldly.
21 Ọ bụ nʼisi akụkụ ụzọ nke mkpọtụ dịkarịsịrị ka ọ na-akpọ oku, nʼọnụ ụzọ ama obodo ka ọ na-anọ ekwupụta okwu ọnụ ya niile.
And she makes proclamation on the top of the walls, and sits by the gates of princes; and at the gates of the city boldly says,
22 “Unu ndị na-enweghị uche ruo ole mgbe ka unu ga-anọgide bụrụ ndị ga-ahụ enweghị uche nʼanya? Ruo ole mgbe ka ndị na-akwa emo ga-anọgide na mmasị ịkwa emo? Ruo ole mgbe ka ndị nzuzu ga-anọgide na-akpọ ihe ọmụma asị?
So long as the simple cleave to justice, they shall not be ashamed: but the foolish being lovers of haughtiness, having become ungodly have hated knowledge, and are become subject to reproofs.
23 Ọ bụrụ na unu gere ntị na mba m na-abara unu, aga m awụpụ echiche niile nke obi m nye unu, aga m emekwa ka unu mara okwu m.
Behold, I will bring forth to you the utterance of my breath, and I will instruct you in my speech.
24 Ma ebe ọ bụ na unu egeghị ntị mgbe m kpọrọ oku, setịpụkwa aka m nye unu ma ọ dịghị onye ṅara ntị,
Since I called, and you did not listen; and I spoke at length, and you gave no heed;
25 ebe ọ bụ na unu akpọla ndụmọdụ m asị, jụkwa ịnabata ịba mba m nye unu,
but you set at nothing my counsels, and disregarded my reproofs;
26 ụbọchị unu ga-adaba na mmekpa ahụ, aga m achị ọchị. Mgbe ihe egwu bịakwasịrị unu, aga m akwa unu emo.
therefore I also will laugh at your destruction; and I will rejoice against [you] when ruin comes upon you:
27 Mgbe oke ihe egwu ga-abịakwasị unu dịka ikuku dị ike, mgbe nhụju anya ga-erubiga nʼelu unu dịka oke ifufe, mgbe ịta ahụhụ na nsogbu ga-agbagwoju unu anya.
yes when dismay suddenly comes upon you, and [your] overthrow shall arrive like a tempest; and when tribulation and distress shall come upon you, or when ruin shall come upon you.
28 “Agaghị m ege ntị nʼakwa unu, ọ bụ ezie na unu ga na-akpọ m. Unu ga-achọkwa m ma unu agaghị achọta m.
For it shall be that when you call upon me, I will not listen to you: wicked men shall seek me, but shall not find [me].
29 Nʼihi na unu mechiri anya unu nʼebe ihe ọmụma dị, unu atụghị egwu Onyenwe anyị.
For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the word of the Lord:
30 Unu aṅaghị ntị na ndụmọdụ m. Unu lelịrị ịba mba m anya.
neither would they attend to my counsels, but derided my reproofs.
31 Ihe niile unu kụrụ ka unu ga-aghọta. Ọ bụkwa ụzọ unu na ndụmọdụ unu ga-eju unu afọ.
Therefore shall they eat the fruits of their own way, and shall be filled with their own ungodliness.
32 Nʼihi na ejezighị ije nke ndị na-enweghị uche na-egbu ha, ọ bụkwa ọnọdụ afọ ojuju ndị nzuzu ga-alakwa ha nʼiyi.
For because they wronged the simple, they shall be slain; and an inquisition shall ruin the ungodly.
33 Ma onye na-ege ntị nʼokwu m ga-ebi obi ntụkwasị obi. Ọ ga-anọ jụụ na-enweghị ihe ọbụla ga-atụ ya egwu.”
But he that hearkens to me shall dwell in confidence, and shall rest securely from all evil.
