Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend that you may know prudence.
Ụmụ m ndị ikom, geenụ ntị na ndụmọdụ nke nna unu, lezienụ anya ka unu nwee nghọta.
2 I will give you a good gift, forsake not my law.
Ṅaanụ ntị, nwee uche, nʼihi na ọ bụ ezi ozizi ka m na-ezi unu; ya mere, unu ahapụkwala iwu m.
3 For I also was my father’s son, tender and as an only son in the sight of my mother:
Mgbe m bụ nwantakịrị nʼụlọ nna m, mgbe m ka dị ntakịrị, bụrụkwa naanị otu nwa nne m ji,
4 And he taught me, and said: Let thy heart receive my words, keep my commandments, and thou shalt live.
ọ ziri m ihe, sịkwa m, “Ka obi gị jidesie okwu m niile ike, debe nʼiwu niile, ị ga-adịkwa ndụ.
5 Get wisdom, get prudence: forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Nweta amamihe, nwetakwa nghọta, echezọkwala okwu m, maọbụ site na ya wezuga onwe gị.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall keep thee: love her, and she shall preserve thee.
Ahapụla amamihe, ọ ga-echebe gị, hụ ya nʼanya, nʼihi na ọ ga-eduzi gị.
7 The beginning of wisdom, get wisdom, and with all thy possession purchase prudence.
Mmalite amamihe bụ nke a, nweta amamihe, ihe ọbụla o ga-efu gị, nweta nghọta.
8 Take hold on her, and she shall exalt thee: thou shalt be glorified by her, when thou shalt embrace her.
Ọ bụrụ na i bulie amamihe elu, o ga-ebulikwa gị elu. Jidesie ya ike, ọ ga-ewetara gị oke nsọpụrụ.
9 She shall give to thy head increase of graces, and protect thee with a noble crown.
Ọ ga-eji okpueze okoko osisi chọọ isi gị mma nyekwa gị okpueze mara mma nʼisi gị.”
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my words, that years of life may be multiplied to thee.
Nwa m, ṅaa m ntị, meekwa ihe m gwara gị; ị ga-enwekwa ndụ ogologo.
11 I will shew thee the way of wisdom, I will lead thee by the paths of equity:
M ga-edu gị nʼụzọ nke amamihe, duokwa gị nʼụzọ ziri ezi.
12 Which when thou shalt have entered, thy steps shall not be straitened, and when thou runnest thou shalt not meet a stumblingblock.
Ọ bụrụ na i bie ụdị ndụ dị otu a, ihe agaghị akpọ gị nʼụkwụ nʼije gị, ị gaghị asụkwa ngọngọ mgbe ị na-agba ọsọ.
13 Take hold on instruction, leave it not: keep it, because it is thy life.
Mee ihe niile m gwara gị, echefukwala ha, nʼihi na ọ ga-eduba gị na ndụ zuruoke.
14 Be not delighted in the paths of the wicked, neither let the way of evil men please thee.
Emela dịka ndị na-emebi iwu. Esokwala ụzọ ha.
15 Flee from it, pass not by it: go aside, and forsake it.
Zeere ha, ejekwala nʼụzọ ha; chepu ihu gị nʼụzọ ahụ,
16 For they sleep not except they have done evil: and their sleep is taken away unless they have made some to fall.
nʼihi na ndị na-emebi iwu adịghị arahụ ụra tutu ha emee arụ nke ụbọchị ahụ. Ha anaghị ezu ike tutu ha emee ka otu onye maa nʼọnya.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of iniquity.
Ha na-eri ihe oriri nke mmebi iwu, na-aṅụkwa ihe ọṅụṅụ nke ọgbaaghara.
18 But the path of the just, as a shining light, goeth forwards and increaseth even to perfect day.
Ma ụzọ ndị ezi omume dị ka anyanwụ na-awa nʼisi ụtụtụ, nke na-enwuwakwa dịka ìhè nʼetiti ehihie ụbọchị.
19 The way of the wicked is darksome: they know not where they fall.
Ma ụzọ onye na-emebi iwu dị ka itiri nke ọchịchịrị, ha anaghị ama ihe na-eme ka ha sụọ ngọngọ.
20 My son, hearken to my words, and incline thy ear to my sayings.
Gee ntị nwa m, nʼihe m na-ekwu. Gee ntị nke ọma.
21 Let them not depart from thy eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart:
Doo ihe ndị a nʼuche gị mgbe niile; ka ha bamiekwa nʼime obi gị,
22 For they are life to those that find them, and health to all flesh.
nʼihi na ha bụ ndụ nye ndị chọtara ha, bụrụkwa ahụ ike nye mmadụ.
23 With all watchfulness keep thy heart, because life issueth out from it.
Nke ka nke, lezie echiche uche gị niile anya, nʼihi na ha na-emetụta ndụ gị niile.
24 Remove from thee a froward mouth, and let detracting lips be far from thee.
Ka ụgha ọbụla ghara isi gị nʼọnụ pụta; kpọọ ịgha ụgha niile na okwu rụrụ arụ niile asị.
25 Let thy eyes look straight on, and let thy eyelids go before thy steps.
Legide anya nʼihu ime ihe bụ eziokwu; atụgharịkwala isi gị ile ihe ọbụla.
26 Make straight the path for thy feet, and all thy ways shall be established.
Leruo ije ụkwụ gị anya, doziekwa ụzọ gị niile ka ọ guzozie.
27 Decline not to the right hand, nor to the left: turn away thy foot from evil. For the Lord knoweth the ways that are on the right hand: but those are perverse which are on the left hand. But he will make thy courses straight, he will bring forward thy ways in peace.
Ewezugala onwe gị site nʼaka nri maọbụ nʼaka ekpe; si nʼihe ọjọọ wezuga ụkwụ gị.
