< Proverbs 20 >
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
Ndibei nĩ mũnyũrũrania, na njoohi nĩ mũndũ wa ngũĩ; mũndũ ũrĩa ũhĩtithagio nĩcio ti mũũgĩ.
2 The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.
Mangʼũrĩ ma mũthamaki nĩ ta mũraramo wa mũrũũthi; ũrĩa ũmũrakaragia nĩ muoyo wake ateaga.
3 It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool will quarrel.
Gwĩtheema ngũĩ kũrehagĩra mũndũ gĩtĩĩo, no mũndũ o wothe mũkĩĩgu ahiũhaga kũũgitana.
4 The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.
Kĩgũũta gĩticimbaga hĩndĩ ya irĩma; nĩ ũndũ ũcio hĩndĩ ya magetha gĩathiĩ kũmaatha gĩtirĩ kĩndũ kĩonaga.
5 The intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.
Muoroto wa ngoro ya mũndũ nĩ ta maaĩ ma ndia ndiku, no mũndũ ũrĩ na ũtaũku nĩamatahaga.
6 Many a man proclaims his loving devotion, but who can find a trustworthy man?
Andũ aingĩ metuaga marĩ na wendo ũtangĩthira, no mũndũ mwĩhokeku-rĩ, nũũ ũngĩmuona?
7 The righteous man walks with integrity; blessed are his children after him.
Mũndũ mũthingu atũũraga mũtũũrĩre ũtarĩ ũcuuke; kũrathimwo-rĩ, nĩ ciana ciake iria atigaga.
8 A king who sits on a throne to judge sifts out all evil with his eyes.
Rĩrĩa mũthamaki aikarĩra gĩtĩ gĩake kĩa ũnene atue ciira, maitho make mathũngũrũraga ũũru wothe.
9 Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?
Nũũ ũngiuga atĩrĩ, “Nĩnjigĩte ngoro yakwa ĩrĩ theru; ndĩ mũtheru, na ndirĩ na mehia”?
10 Differing weights and unequal measures — both are detestable to the LORD.
Mahiga ma ratiri mataiganainie ũritũ, o na ithimi itaiganĩte: cierĩ nĩ indo irĩ magigi harĩ Jehova.
11 Even a young man is known by his actions— whether his conduct is pure and upright.
O na kaana kamenyekaga nĩ ũndũ wa ciĩko ciako, gakamenyeka kana mĩtugo yako nĩ mĩtheru, na kana nĩ mĩagĩrĩru.
12 Ears that hear and eyes that see— the LORD has made them both.
Matũ marĩa maiguaga na maitho marĩa monaga-rĩ, cierĩ nĩ Jehova waciũmbire.
13 Do not love sleep, or you will grow poor; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of food.
Tiga kwenda toro, ndũkae gũthĩĩna; ikaraga wĩiguĩte, na nĩũrĩrĩĩaga irio ũkahũũna.
14 “Worthless, worthless!” says the buyer, but on the way out, he gloats.
Mũgũri akĩgũra oigaga atĩrĩ, “Kĩndũ gĩkĩ ti kĩega, ti kĩega!” Agacooka agathiĩ akĩĩrahaga ũrĩa oĩ kũgũra.
15 There is an abundance of gold and rubies, but lips of knowledge are a rare treasure.
Thahabu nĩ kũrĩ, o na ruru no nyingĩ, no mĩromo ĩrĩa yaragia ũmenyo nĩ ithaga rĩa goro rĩrĩa rĩtonekaga.
16 Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.
Oya nguo ya mũndũ ũrĩa ũngĩrũgamĩrĩra thiirĩ wa mũndũ wa kũngĩ; mĩige ĩrũgamĩrĩre thiirĩ ũcio wa mũndũ wa kũngĩ.
17 Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel.
Irio cionekete na njĩra ya kũheenania irĩ cama harĩ mũndũ, no thuutha kanua gake kaiyũraga o mũthanga.
18 Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance.
Mĩbango ĩgaacagĩra nĩ ũndũ wa kũhooya kĩrĩra, ũngĩtua gũthiĩ mbaara-inĩ, heo ũtaaro.
19 He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid the one who babbles with his lips.
Mũndũ wa mũhuhu nĩoimagia ndeto cia ndundu nja, nĩ ũndũ ũcio wĩthemage mũndũ waragia mũno.
20 Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in deepest darkness.
Mũndũ angĩruma ithe kana nyina, tawa wake ũkaahorera nduma-inĩ ĩrĩa ndumanu.
21 An inheritance gained quickly will not be blessed in the end.
Igai rĩrĩa rĩoneka narua kĩambĩrĩria-inĩ, marigĩrĩrio-inĩ rĩtituĩkaga rĩa kĩrathimo.
22 Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.
Ndũkoige atĩrĩ, “Nĩngerĩhĩria ũũru ũyũ!” Eterera Jehova nake nĩegũkũhonokia.
23 Unequal weights are detestable to the LORD, and dishonest scales are no good.
Mahiga ma ratiri mataiganainie ũritũ nĩ kĩndũ kĩrĩ magigi harĩ Jehova, nacio ratiri itarĩ cia ma itimũkenagia.
24 A man’s steps are from the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way?
Makinya ma mũndũ matongoragio nĩ Jehova. Mũndũ-rĩ, angĩkĩhota atĩa kũmenya njĩra yake mwene?
25 It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.
Nĩ mũtego harĩ mũndũ kwamũrĩra Ngai kĩndũ na ihenya, acooke gwĩcũũrania ũhoro wa mĩĩhĩtwa yake thuutha-inĩ.
26 A wise king separates out the wicked and drives the threshing wheel over them.
Mũthamaki mũũgĩ nĩathũngũrũraga andũ arĩa aaganu; ageragĩria kĩgaragari gĩa gũkonyora ngano igũrũ rĩao.
27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, searching out his inmost being.
Roho wa mũndũ nĩ tawa wa Jehova, ũthuthuuragia o nginya tũturi tũrĩa tũrĩ thĩinĩ mũno.
28 Loving devotion and faithfulness preserve a king; by these he maintains his throne.
Wendo na wĩhokeku nĩcigitagĩra mũthamaki; ũtugi nĩũtũmaga gĩtĩ gĩake kĩa ũnene kĩrũme.
29 The glory of young men is their strength, and gray hair is the splendor of the old.
Hinya wa andũ ethĩ nĩguo riiri wao, nacio mbuĩ nĩcio riiri wa arĩa akũrũ.
30 Lashes and wounds scour evil, and beatings cleanse the inmost parts.
Mahũũra na nguraro nĩitheragia ũũru wa mũndũ, nacio iboko itheragia o nginya tũturi twa thĩinĩ mũno.