Ilu 26

1 Ịhụ onye nzuzu a na-enye nsọpụrụ dịka ịhụ mkpụrụ mmiri ka ọ na-ada nʼoge ọkọchị maọbụ mmiri na-ezo nʼoge owuwe ihe ubi.

Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so a fool does not deserve honor.

2 Dịka nnụnụ nta na-efegharị efegharị, maọbụ dịka eleke na-awụgharị otu a ka ọbụbụ ọnụ na-ekwesighị agaghị ere.

As the sparrow flitters and the swallow darts when they fly, so an undeserved curse does not alight.

3 Ụtarị dịrị ịnyịnya, ịnyịnya ibu ka a na-ekenye mkpụmkpụ igwe nʼọnụ; otu a kwa ka apịpịa dị nye azụ ndị nzuzu.

A whip is for the horse, a bridle is for the donkey and a rod is for the back of fools.

4 A zaghachila onye nzuzu dịka enweghị uche ya si dị, ma ọ bụghị ya gị onwe gị ga-adị ka ya.

Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will become like him.

5 Zaa onye nzuzu dịka enweghị uche ya si dị, ma ọ bụghị ya ọ ga-abụ onye maara ihe nʼanya onwe ya.

Answer a fool and join in on his folly, so he will not become wise in his own eyes.

6 Iziga ozi site nʼaka onye nzuzu dịka mmadụ ibipụ ụkwụ ya maọbụ ịṅụ ihe ike dịka mmiri.

Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

7 Dịka onye ngwụrọ si eji ụkwụ ya eje ije, otu a ka ilu si esite nʼọnụ onye nzuzu apụta.

Like the legs of a paralytic which hang down is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8 Ọ baghị uru inye onye nzuzu nsọpụrụ, nʼihi na ọ gaghị anọgide. Ọ dị ka ịwụ ọkụkọ mmiri nʼazụ.

Like tying a stone in a sling is giving honor to a fool.

9 Dịka ogwu manyere nʼaka onye na-aṅụbiga mmanya oke otu a ka ilu dị nʼọnụ onye nzuzu.

Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

10 Dịka ọgba ụta si agba ụta ya na-enweghị onye o bụ nʼobi, otu a ka ọ dị bụ onye na-enye onye nzuzu maọbụ onye o bụla na-agafe nʼụzọ ọrụ ka o rụọra ya.

Like an archer who wounds all those around him is one who hires a fool or hires anyone who passes by.

11 Dịka nkịta laghachiri ọzọ nʼihe ọ gbọrọ, otu a ka ndị nzuzu dị mgbe ha na-emekwa omume enweghị uche ha.

As a dog returns to his own vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.

12 Ị hụrụ onye mara ihe nʼanya nke onwe ya? Olileanya dị nye onye nzuzu karịa ndị dị otu a.

Do you see someone who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

13 Onye umengwụ na-asị, “Ọdụm nọ nʼokporoụzọ, ọdụm ji oke iwe na-awagharị nọ nʼama niile!”

The lazy person says, “There is a lion on the road! There is a lion between the open places!”

14 Dịka ibo ọnụ ụzọ si emegharị nʼihe nkonye ya, otu a ka onye umengwụ si na-atụgharị onwe ya nʼelu ihe ndina ya.

As the door turns on its hinges, so is the lazy person upon his bed.

15 Onye umengwụ na-amanye aka nʼefere nri ma oke umengwụ a naghị ekwe ka o weghachi ya tinye nʼọnụ ya.

The lazy person puts his hand into the dish and yet he has no strength to lift it up to his mouth.

16 Nʼuche ya, onye umengwụ na-eche na ọ maara ihe karịa ndị ikom asaa na-eji ezi uche azaghachi okwu.

The lazy person is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who respond with good judgment.

17 Onye na-etinye onwe ya nʼesemokwu na-agbasaghị ya dị ka mmadụ na-apụ nʼokporoụzọ dọkpụrụ nkịta ọbụla ọ hụrụ na ntị.

Like one who takes hold of the ears of a dog, is a passerby who becomes angry at a dispute that is not his own.

18 Dịka onye ara na-agba àkụ na-ere ọkụ nke na-eweta ọnwụ,

Like a madman who shoots burning arrows,

19 ka nwoke ahụ bụ nke na-aghọgbu onye agbataobi ya ma sị, “ọ bụ naanị egwuregwu ka m na-egwu.”

is the one who deceives his neighbor and says, “Was I not telling a joke?”

20 Ọkụ na-anyụ mgbe nkụ gwụrụ, otu a kwa esemokwu na-akwụsị mgbe a kwụsịrị ikwu ndị ọzọ okwu nʼazụ.

For lack of wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no gossiper quarreling ceases.

21 Dịka icheku si eme ka nkụ nwuru ọkụ, otu a ka onye na-ese okwu si eme ka ọgụ nwuru ọkụ.

As charcoal is to burning coals and wood is to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

22 Okwu niile nke onye na-agba asịrị na-ekwu dịka iberibe nri nʼatọ ezi ụtọ, ha na-agbadakwa nʼime ime ala afọ.

The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.

23 Dịka ite aja ụrọ nke e ji ọlaọcha na-abaghị uru techie, ka egbugbere ọnụ dị nro nke obi jupụtara nʼihe ọjọọ bụ.

Like the glaze overlaying an earthen vessel so are burning lips and an evil heart.

24 Ndị iro na-eji egbugbere ọnụ ha gbanwee onwe ha, ma nʼime obi ha ọ bụ naanị aghụghọ dị ya.

One who hates others disguises his feelings with his lips and he lays up deceit within himself.

25 Okwu ọnụ ya nwere ike tọọ ụtọ na ntị ma ekwenyerela ha, nʼihi na ihe arụ asaa jupụtara nʼime obi ha.

He will speak graciously, but do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.

26 Ọ bụ ezie na ọ ga na-eme ka ọ hụrụ gị nʼanya, ma iro ya ga-apụta ihe, mmadụ niile ga-ahụkwa ya.

Though his hatred is covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27 Onye na-egwuru ibe ya olulu ga-adaba nʼime ya. Ọzọ, onye na-enuda nkume, ya ka nkume ahụ ga-adagbu.

Whoever digs a pit will fall into it and the stone will roll back on the one who pushed it.

28 Onye ị kpọrọ asị bụ onye ị ga-achọ iwetara ihe mgbu site nʼịgha ụgha. Okwu ọma na-esighị nʼobi mmadụ pụta na-eweta ịla nʼiyi.

A lying tongue hates the people it crushes and a flattering mouth brings about ruin.