Proverbs 20
1 Wine makes men foolish, and strong drink makes men come to blows; and whoever comes into error through these is not wise.
Ndibei nĩ mũnyũrũrania, na njoohi nĩ mũndũ wa ngũĩ; mũndũ ũrĩa ũhĩtithagio nĩcio ti mũũgĩ.
2 The wrath of a king is like the loud cry of a lion: he who makes him angry does wrong against himself.
Mangʼũrĩ ma mũthamaki nĩ ta mũraramo wa mũrũũthi; ũrĩa ũmũrakaragia nĩ muoyo wake ateaga.
3 It is an honour for a man to keep from fighting, but the foolish are ever at war.
Gwĩtheema ngũĩ kũrehagĩra mũndũ gĩtĩĩo, no mũndũ o wothe mũkĩĩgu ahiũhaga kũũgitana.
4 The hater of work will not do his ploughing because of the winter; so at the time of grain-cutting he will be requesting food and will get nothing.
Kĩgũũta gĩticimbaga hĩndĩ ya irĩma; nĩ ũndũ ũcio hĩndĩ ya magetha gĩathiĩ kũmaatha gĩtirĩ kĩndũ kĩonaga.
5 The purpose in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of good sense will get it out.
Muoroto wa ngoro ya mũndũ nĩ ta maaĩ ma ndia ndiku, no mũndũ ũrĩ na ũtaũku nĩamatahaga.
6 Most men make no secret of their kind acts: but where is a man of good faith to be seen?
Andũ aingĩ metuaga marĩ na wendo ũtangĩthira, no mũndũ mwĩhokeku-rĩ, nũũ ũngĩmuona?
7 An upright man goes on in his righteousness: happy are his children after him!
Mũndũ mũthingu atũũraga mũtũũrĩre ũtarĩ ũcuuke; kũrathimwo-rĩ, nĩ ciana ciake iria atigaga.
8 A king on the seat of judging puts to flight all evil with his eyes.
Rĩrĩa mũthamaki aikarĩra gĩtĩ gĩake kĩa ũnene atue ciira, maitho make mathũngũrũraga ũũru wothe.
9 Who is able to say, I have made my heart clean, I am free from my sin?
Nũũ ũngiuga atĩrĩ, “Nĩnjigĩte ngoro yakwa ĩrĩ theru; ndĩ mũtheru, na ndirĩ na mehia”?
10 Unequal weights and unequal measures, they are all disgusting to the Lord.
Mahiga ma ratiri mataiganainie ũritũ, o na ithimi itaiganĩte: cierĩ nĩ indo irĩ magigi harĩ Jehova.
11 Even a child may be judged by his doings, if his work is free from sin and if it is right.
O na kaana kamenyekaga nĩ ũndũ wa ciĩko ciako, gakamenyeka kana mĩtugo yako nĩ mĩtheru, na kana nĩ mĩagĩrĩru.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye are equally the Lord's work.
Matũ marĩa maiguaga na maitho marĩa monaga-rĩ, cierĩ nĩ Jehova waciũmbire.
13 Do not be a lover of sleep, or you will become poor: keep your eyes open, and you will have bread enough.
Tiga kwenda toro, ndũkae gũthĩĩna; ikaraga wĩiguĩte, na nĩũrĩrĩĩaga irio ũkahũũna.
14 A poor thing, a poor thing, says he who is giving money for goods: but when he has gone on his way, then he makes clear his pride in what he has got.
Mũgũri akĩgũra oigaga atĩrĩ, “Kĩndũ gĩkĩ ti kĩega, ti kĩega!” Agacooka agathiĩ akĩĩrahaga ũrĩa oĩ kũgũra.
15 There is gold and a store of corals: but the lips of knowledge are a jewel of great price.
Thahabu nĩ kũrĩ, o na ruru no nyingĩ, no mĩromo ĩrĩa yaragia ũmenyo nĩ ithaga rĩa goro rĩrĩa rĩtonekaga.
16 Take a man's clothing if he makes himself responsible for a strange man, and get an undertaking from him who gives his word for strange men.
Oya nguo ya mũndũ ũrĩa ũngĩrũgamĩrĩra thiirĩ wa mũndũ wa kũngĩ; mĩige ĩrũgamĩrĩre thiirĩ ũcio wa mũndũ wa kũngĩ.
17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but after, his mouth will be full of sand.
Irio cionekete na njĩra ya kũheenania irĩ cama harĩ mũndũ, no thuutha kanua gake kaiyũraga o mũthanga.
18 Every purpose is put into effect by wise help: and by wise guiding make war.
Mĩbango ĩgaacagĩra nĩ ũndũ wa kũhooya kĩrĩra, ũngĩtua gũthiĩ mbaara-inĩ, heo ũtaaro.
19 He who goes about talking of the business of others gives away secrets: so have nothing to do with him whose lips are open wide.
Mũndũ wa mũhuhu nĩoimagia ndeto cia ndundu nja, nĩ ũndũ ũcio wĩthemage mũndũ waragia mũno.
20 If anyone puts a curse on his father or his mother, his light will be put out in the blackest night.
Mũndũ angĩruma ithe kana nyina, tawa wake ũkaahorera nduma-inĩ ĩrĩa ndumanu.
21 A heritage may be got quickly at first, but the end of it will not be a blessing.
Igai rĩrĩa rĩoneka narua kĩambĩrĩria-inĩ, marigĩrĩrio-inĩ rĩtituĩkaga rĩa kĩrathimo.
22 Do not say, I will give punishment for evil: go on waiting for the Lord, and he will be your saviour.
Ndũkoige atĩrĩ, “Nĩngerĩhĩria ũũru ũyũ!” Eterera Jehova nake nĩegũkũhonokia.
23 Unequal weights are disgusting to the Lord, and false scales are not good.
Mahiga ma ratiri mataiganainie ũritũ nĩ kĩndũ kĩrĩ magigi harĩ Jehova, nacio ratiri itarĩ cia ma itimũkenagia.
24 A man's steps are of the Lord; how then may a man have knowledge of his way?
Makinya ma mũndũ matongoragio nĩ Jehova. Mũndũ-rĩ, angĩkĩhota atĩa kũmenya njĩra yake mwene?
25 It is a danger to a man to say without thought, It is holy, and, after taking his oaths, to be questioning if it is necessary to keep them.
Nĩ mũtego harĩ mũndũ kwamũrĩra Ngai kĩndũ na ihenya, acooke gwĩcũũrania ũhoro wa mĩĩhĩtwa yake thuutha-inĩ.
26 A wise king puts evil-doers to flight, and makes their evil-doing come back on them.
Mũthamaki mũũgĩ nĩathũngũrũraga andũ arĩa aaganu; ageragĩria kĩgaragari gĩa gũkonyora ngano igũrũ rĩao.
27 The Lord keeps watch over the spirit of man, searching all the deepest parts of the body.
Roho wa mũndũ nĩ tawa wa Jehova, ũthuthuuragia o nginya tũturi tũrĩa tũrĩ thĩinĩ mũno.
28 Mercy and good faith keep the king safe, and the seat of his power is based on upright acts.
Wendo na wĩhokeku nĩcigitagĩra mũthamaki; ũtugi nĩũtũmaga gĩtĩ gĩake kĩa ũnene kĩrũme.
29 The glory of young men is their strength, and the honour of old men is their grey hairs.
Hinya wa andũ ethĩ nĩguo riiri wao, nacio mbuĩ nĩcio riiri wa arĩa akũrũ.
30 By the wounds of the rod evil is taken away, and blows make clean the deepest parts of the body.
Mahũũra na nguraro nĩitheragia ũũru wa mũndũ, nacio iboko itheragia o nginya tũturi twa thĩinĩ mũno.
