Ilu 1
1 Ndị a bụ ilu Solomọn nwa Devid, eze Izrel.
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
2 Ọ bụ maka amamihe na ntụziaka, maka ịghọta okwu niile kwesiri ịghọta nke ọma,
To know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
3 nʼihi inweta ntụziaka nʼinwe uche, ime ezi omume na ikpe ziri ezi nke aghụghọ na-adịghị.
To receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness and judgment and equity;
4 Nʼihi ime ka ndị na-enweghị uche nwee ezi uche, ka ndị na-eto eto nweta ihe ọmụma na izuzu ọma.
To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion:
5 Ka onye maara ihe gee ntị, tụkwasịkwa ihe nʼihe ọ maara, ka ndị nwere nghọta nwetakwa ezi ndụmọdụ.
That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; and that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:
6 Ka ha ghọta ilu niile na okwu niile na-esi nʼọnụ ndị maara ihe.
To understand a proverb, and a figure; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
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 knowledge: [but] the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
8 Nwa m, na-aṅa ntị na ntụziaka nke nna gị ahapụkwala ndụmọdụ nne gị.
My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
9 Nʼihi na okpu amara ka ha ga-abụrụ isi gị, bụrụkwa ihe ịnya nʼolu nye gị.
For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
10 Nwa m, ọ bụrụ na ndị mmehie ara gị ụra, ekwenyerela ha, Ekwela!
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
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 say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause;
Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those that go down into the pit; (Sheol h7585)
13 Anyị ga-enwetakwa ọtụtụ ihe dị oke ọnụahịa, nke anyị ga-akwaju nʼụlọ anyị.
We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil;
14 Soro anyị fee nza gị ka anyị nwaa ike anyị, ihe ọbụla kwa anyị nwetara, anyị na gị ga-ekekọta ya ọnụ.”
Thou shalt cast thy lot among us; we will all have one purse:
15 Nwa m, ejela ije nʼụzọ ndị dị otu a, a zọọkwala ụkwụ nʼokporoụzọ ha;
My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
16 nʼihi na ụkwụ ha na-agba ọsọ ime ihe ọjọọ, na-emekwa ngwangwa iwufu ọbara.
For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
17 Ọ bụ ihe abaghị uru ịgbasa ụgbụ, nʼebe nnụnụ ọbụla na-ahụ ya anya.
For in vain is the net spread, in the eyes of any bird:
18 Ma ndị a na-esi ọnya nke na-ama ha. Ha onwe ha ka ọnya ahụ ga-ejide.
And these lay wait for their own blood, they lurk privily for their own lives.
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.
So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; it taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
20 Amamihe na-eti mkpu nʼezi ka mmadụ nụ. Olu ya na-ada ụda nʼama.
Wisdom crieth aloud in the street; she uttereth her voice in the broad places;
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.
She crieth in the chief place of concourse; at the entering in of the gates, in the city, she uttereth her words:
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?
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and scorners delight them in scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
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.
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
24 Ma ebe ọ bụ na unu egeghị ntị mgbe m kpọrọ oku, setịpụkwa aka m nye unu ma ọ dịghị onye ṅara ntị,
Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
25 ebe ọ bụ na unu akpọla ndụmọdụ m asị, jụkwa ịnabata ịba mba m nye unu,
But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
26 ụbọchị unu ga-adaba na mmekpa ahụ, aga m achị ọchị. Mgbe ihe egwu bịakwasịrị unu, aga m akwa unu emo.
I also will laugh in [the day of] your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
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.
When your fear cometh as a storm, and your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish 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.
Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me diligently, but they shall not find me:
29 Nʼihi na unu mechiri anya unu nʼebe ihe ọmụma dị, unu atụghị egwu Onyenwe anyị.
For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
30 Unu aṅaghị ntị na ndụmọdụ m. Unu lelịrị ịba mba m anya.
They would none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof:
31 Ihe niile unu kụrụ ka unu ga-aghọta. Ọ bụkwa ụzọ unu na ndụmọdụ unu ga-eju unu afọ.
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
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 the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
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 whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, and shall be quiet without fear of evil.
