Proverbs 22
1 A good name is more to be desired than great wealth, and to be respected is better than silver and gold.
Rĩĩtwa rĩega nĩrĩakwĩrirĩrio gũkĩra ũtonga mũnene; gũtĩĩka nĩ kwega gũkĩra betha kana thahabu.
2 The man of wealth and the poor man come face to face: the Lord is the maker of them all.
Andũ arĩa atongu na arĩa athĩĩni harĩ ũndũ ũmwe ũmanyiitithanĩtie; Jehova nĩwe Mũmbi wao othe.
3 The sharp man sees the evil and takes cover: the simple go straight on and get into trouble.
Mũndũ mũbaarĩrĩri onaga ũgwati akehitha, no arĩa matarĩ ũũgĩ mathiiaga o na mbere nao magatoonya thĩĩna-inĩ.
4 The reward of a gentle spirit and the fear of the Lord is wealth and honour and life.
Kwĩnyiihia na gwĩtigĩra Jehova kũrehaga ũtonga, na gĩtĩĩo, na muoyo.
5 Thorns and nets are in the way of the twisted: he who keeps watch over his soul will be far from them.
Njĩra cia andũ arĩa aaganu irĩ mĩigua na mĩtego, no ũrĩa ũgitagĩra ngoro yake aikaraga kũraya nacio.
6 If a child is trained up in the right way, even when he is old he will not be turned away from it.
Menyeria mwana njĩra ĩrĩa agĩrĩirwo nĩkũgera, na ndarĩ hĩndĩ akaamiuma o na aakũra.
7 The man of wealth has rule over the poor, and he who gets into debt is a servant to his creditor.
Andũ arĩa atongu nĩ mathaga arĩa athĩĩni, na ũrĩa ũkombaga nĩ ndungata ya mũmũkoomberi.
8 By planting the seed of evil a man will get in the grain of sorrow, and the rod of his wrath will be broken.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhaandaga waganu agethaga thĩĩna, naruo rũthanju rwa marakara make nĩrũkanangwo.
9 He who is kind will have a blessing, for he gives of his bread to the poor.
Mũndũ mũtaana we mwene nĩakarathimwo, tondũ nĩagayagĩra arĩa athĩĩni irio ciake.
10 Send away the man of pride, and argument will go out; truly fighting and shame will come to an end.
Ingata mũnyũrũrania, nayo ngũĩ nĩĩgũkweherera; inegene na irumi o nacio nĩcigũthira.
11 He whose heart is clean is dear to the Lord; for the grace of his lips the king will be his friend.
Mũndũ ũrĩa wendaga ngoro theru na akaaragia maũndũ ma ũtugi, mũthamaki nĩagatuĩka mũrata wake.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep knowledge, but by him the acts of the false man will be overturned.
Maitho ma Jehova nĩmamenyagĩrĩra ũmenyo, no nĩathaahagia ciugo cia ũrĩa ũtarĩ mwĩhokeku.
13 The hater of work says, There is a lion outside: I will be put to death in the streets.
Kĩgũũta kiugaga, “Nja kũrĩ na mũrũũthi!” Kana gĩkoiga atĩrĩ, “Nĩngũũragĩrwo njĩra-inĩ!”
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep hole: he with whom the Lord is angry will go down into it.
Kanua ka mũtumia mũtharia nĩ irima iriku, nake ũrĩa werekeirio mangʼũrĩ ma Jehova agũũaga thĩinĩ wa rĩo.
15 Foolish ways are deep-seated in the heart of a child, but the rod of punishment will send them far from him.
Ngoro ya mwana yohanĩtio na ũrimũ, no rũthanju rwa kũmũherithia nĩrũkaũingata kũraya nake.
16 He who is cruel to the poor for the purpose of increasing his profit, and he who gives to the man of wealth, will only come to be in need.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhinyagĩrĩria arĩa athĩĩni nĩguo eyongerere ũtonga, na ũrĩa ũheaga itonga iheo, eerĩ nĩmagathĩĩna.
17 Let your ear be bent down for hearing my words, and let your heart give thought to knowledge.
Tega matũ, na ũthikĩrĩrie mĩario ya andũ arĩa oogĩ; nyiita na ngoro yaku maũndũ marĩa ngũrutana,
18 For it is a delight to keep them in your heart, to have them ready on your lips.
tondũ nĩ ũndũ mwega hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ũkũmaiga ngoro-inĩ yaku, na ũkoragwo namo mothe mĩromo-inĩ yaku.
19 So that your faith may be in the Lord, I have made them clear to you this day, even to you.
Ndaakũmenyithia mo nĩgeetha mwĩhoko waku ũkoragwo harĩ Jehova, wee nĩwe ngũruta maũndũ macio ũmũthĩ, ĩĩ wee nĩwe ngũruta.
20 Have I not put in writing for you thirty sayings, with wise suggestions and knowledge,
Githĩ ndikwandĩkĩire thimo mĩrongo ĩtatũ, thimo cia ũtaarani na ũmenyo,
21 To make you see how certain are true words, so that you may give a true answer to those who put questions to you?
ngakũruta ciugo cia ma na cia kwĩhokeka, nĩgeetha ũkaahota kũhe ũrĩa ũgũtũmĩte macookio mega?
22 Do not take away the property of the poor man because he is poor, or be cruel to the crushed ones when they come before the judge:
Ndũkanatunye arĩa athĩĩni indo ciao tondũ wa ũthĩĩni wao, na ndũkanahinyĩrĩrie arĩa abatari ciira-inĩ,
23 For the Lord will give support to their cause, and take the life of those who take their goods.
nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩakamaciirĩrĩra, na nĩagatunya arĩa mamatunyaga indo ciao.
24 Do not be friends with a man who is given to wrath; do not go in the company of an angry man:
Ndũkanagĩe ũrata na mũndũ ũrĩa ũrĩ marakara mahiũ, ndũkanagĩe thiritũ na mũndũ ũrĩa ũhiũhaga kũrakara,
25 For fear of learning his ways and making a net ready for your soul.
tondũ wahota kwĩruta mĩthiĩre yake, na ũnyiitwo nĩ mũtego.
26 Be not one of those who give their hands in an agreement, or of those who make themselves responsible for debts:
Ndũgatuĩke mũndũ wa kũiga kĩndũ gĩa kũrũgamĩrĩra thiirĩ, kana ũtuĩke wee nĩwe wa kũrũgamagĩrĩra mathiirĩ ma andũ angĩ;
27 If you have nothing with which to make payment, he will take away your bed from under you.
ũngĩkaaga kĩndũ gĩa kũrĩha nakĩo-rĩ, ũgaatunywo ũrĩrĩ waku o ũũkomeire.
28 Let not the old landmark be moved which your fathers have put in place.
Ndũkaneherie ihiga rĩa tene rĩa mũhaka rĩrĩa rĩahaandirwo nĩ maithe manyu ma tene.
29 Have you seen a man who is expert in his business? he will take his place before kings; his place will not be among low persons.
Nĩwonaga mũndũ mũũgĩ na wĩra wake? Ũcio agatungata o na mbere ya athamaki; ndagatungata mbere ya andũ matooĩkaine.
