Ilu 1
1 Ndị a bụ ilu Solomọn nwa Devid, eze Izrel.
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, the king of Israel.
2 Ọ bụ maka amamihe na ntụziaka, maka ịghọta okwu niile kwesiri ịghọta nke ọma,
These proverbs are to teach wisdom and instruction, to teach words of insight,
3 nʼihi inweta ntụziaka nʼinwe uche, ime ezi omume na ikpe ziri ezi nke aghụghọ na-adịghị.
that you may receive instruction in order to live by doing what is right, just, and fair.
4 Nʼihi ime ka ndị na-enweghị uche nwee ezi uche, ka ndị na-eto eto nweta ihe ọmụma na izuzu ọma.
These proverbs are also to give wisdom to the naive, and to give knowledge and discretion to young people.
5 Ka onye maara ihe gee ntị, tụkwasịkwa ihe nʼihe ọ maara, ka ndị nwere nghọta nwetakwa ezi ndụmọdụ.
Let wise people listen and increase their learning, and let discerning people get guidance,
6 Ka ha ghọta ilu niile na okwu niile na-esi nʼọnụ ndị maara ihe.
to understand proverbs, sayings, and words of wise people and their 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 Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge— fools 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 your father and do not lay aside the rules of your mother;
9 Nʼihi na okpu amara ka ha ga-abụrụ isi gị, bụrụkwa ihe ịnya nʼolu nye gị.
they will be a graceful wreath for your head and pendants hanging from your neck.
10 Nwa m, ọ bụrụ na ndị mmehie ara gị ụra, ekwenyerela ha, Ekwela!
My son, if sinners try to entice you into their sin, refuse to follow 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 say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us hide and attack innocent people for no reason.
Let us swallow them up alive, like Sheol takes away those who are healthy, and make them like those who fall into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 Anyị ga-enwetakwa ọtụtụ ihe dị oke ọnụahịa, nke anyị ga-akwaju nʼụlọ anyị.
We shall find all kinds of valuable things; we will fill our houses with what we steal from others.
14 Soro anyị fee nza gị ka anyị nwaa ike anyị, ihe ọbụla kwa anyị nwetara, anyị na gị ga-ekekọta ya ọnụ.”
Throw in your lot with us; we will all have one purse together.”
15 Nwa m, ejela ije nʼụzọ ndị dị otu a, a zọọkwala ụkwụ nʼokporoụzọ ha;
My son, do not walk down that road with them; do not let your foot touch where they walk;
16 nʼihi na ụkwụ ha na-agba ọsọ ime ihe ọjọọ, na-emekwa ngwangwa iwufu ọbara.
their feet run to evil and they hurry to shed blood.
17 Ọ bụ ihe abaghị uru ịgbasa ụgbụ, nʼebe nnụnụ ọbụla na-ahụ ya anya.
For it is useless to spread the net in the sight of any bird.
18 Ma ndị a na-esi ọnya nke na-ama ha. Ha onwe ha ka ọnya ahụ ga-ejide.
These men lie in wait for their own blood— they set an ambush 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 everyone who gains riches by injustice; unjust gain takes away the lives of those who hold on to it.
20 Amamihe na-eti mkpu nʼezi ka mmadụ nụ. Olu ya na-ada ụda nʼama.
Wisdom cries aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the open 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.
at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, at the entrance of the city gates she speaks,
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, you naive people, will you love being naive? How long, you mockers, will you delight in mockery, and how long, you fools, will you 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.
Pay attention to my correction; I will pour out my thoughts to you; I will make my words known to 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,
I have called, and you have refused to listen; I reached out with my hand, but there was no one who paid attention.
25 ebe ọ bụ na unu akpọla ndụmọdụ m asị, jụkwa ịnabata ịba mba m nye unu,
But you have ignored all my instruction and paid no attention to my correction.
26 ụbọchị unu ga-adaba na mmekpa ahụ, aga m achị ọchị. Mgbe ihe egwu bịakwasịrị unu, aga m akwa unu emo.
I will laugh at your calamity, I will mock you when the terror comes—
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 fearful dread comes like a storm and disaster sweeps over you like 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 they will call upon me, and I will not answer; they will desperately call for me, but they will not find me.
29 Nʼihi na unu mechiri anya unu nʼebe ihe ọmụma dị, unu atụghị egwu Onyenwe anyị.
Because they hate knowledge and did not choose the fear of Yahweh,
30 Unu aṅaghị ntị na ndụmọdụ m. Unu lelịrị ịba mba m anya.
they would not follow my instruction, and they despised all my correction.
31 Ihe niile unu kụrụ ka unu ga-aghọta. Ọ bụkwa ụzọ unu na ndụmọdụ unu ga-eju unu afọ.
They will eat the fruit of their ways, and with the fruit of their schemes they will be filled.
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 naive are killed when they turn away, and the indifference of fools will 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 whoever listens to me will live in safety and will rest secure with no fear of disaster.”
