Proverbs 4
1 Hear, you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Atĩrĩrĩ, inyuĩ ariũ akwa, ta thikĩrĩriai ũrũtani wa thoguo; njiguai nĩguo mwĩgĩĩre na kũmenya maũndũ.
2 For I give you a good gift; forsake you not my law.
Tondũ ngũmũhe ũrutani mwega, nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũtigatirike ũrutani wakwa.
3 For I also was a son obedient to [my] father, and loved in the sight of [my] mother:
Rĩrĩa ndaarĩ mwana nyũmba-inĩ ya baba, ndĩ o mũndũ mwĩthĩ, na ndĩ mwana wa mũmwe wa maitũ-rĩ,
4 who spoke and instructed me, [saying], Let our speech be fixed in your heart, keep [our] commandments, forget them not:
baba nĩandutire, akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, “Wĩgwatĩre ciugo ciakwa na ngoro yaku yothe; rũmia maathani makwa, na nĩũgũtũũra muoyo.
5 and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.
Gĩa na ũũgĩ, gĩa na kũmenya maũndũ; ndũkanariganĩrwo nĩ ciugo ciakwa, kana wahũke kuuma harĩ cio.
6 And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to you: love it, and it shall keep you.
Ndũkanatirike ũũgĩ, naguo nĩũrĩkũgitagĩra;
Ũũgĩ ũkĩrĩte indo ciothe; nĩ ũndũ ũcio wĩgĩĩre na ũũgĩ. Ĩĩ, kaba kũruta indo ciaku ciothe wĩgĩĩre na kũmenya maũndũ.
8 Secure it, and it shall exalt you: honour it, that it may embrace you;
Tũũgagĩria ũũgĩ mũno, naguo nĩũrĩkwambararagia; ũhĩmbagĩrie, naguo nĩũrĩgũtĩĩithagia.
9 that it may give to your head a crown of graces, and may cover you with a crown of delight.
Nĩũgagwĩkĩra ithaga rĩa ũtugi mũtwe waku, na ũkũhe thũmbĩ thaka mũno.”
10 Hear, [my] son, and receive my words; and the years of your life shall be increased, that the resources of your life may be many.
Thikĩrĩria, wee mũrũ wakwa, na wĩtĩkĩre ũrĩa ngũkwĩra, nĩgeetha mĩaka ya muoyo waku ĩingĩhe.
11 For I teach you the ways of wisdom; and I cause you to go in right paths.
Nguonetie njĩra ya ũũgĩ, na ngagũtongoria njĩra-inĩ iria nũngarũ.
12 For when you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not be distressed.
Rĩrĩa ũgũthiĩ, makinya maku matikahĩngĩcwo; rĩrĩa ũkũhanyũka-rĩ, ndũkahĩngwo.
13 Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for yourself for your life.
Rũmia ũrutani wakwa, na ndũkanareke ũkweherere; ũgitagĩre wega, nĩgũkorwo nĩguo muoyo waku.
14 Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors.
Ndũkanagerere njĩra ya andũ arĩa aaganu, kana ũthiĩre njĩra ya andũ arĩa ooru.
15 In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not there; but turn from them, and pass away.
Mĩĩtheemage, na ndũkanamĩgerere; mĩhutatĩre, na wĩthiĩre na njĩra yaku.
16 For they can’t sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not.
Nĩgũkorwo andũ arĩa aaganu matingĩkoma nginya meeke ũũru; mooragwo nĩ toro nginya matũme mũndũ ahĩngwo, agwe.
17 For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.
Marĩĩaga irio iria monete na ũmaramari, na makanyua ndibei matunyanĩte na hinya.
18 But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.
Mĩthiĩre ya andũ arĩa athingu ĩhaana ta ũtheri wa gũgĩkĩa, ũrĩa ũthiiaga ũgĩthererũkaga nginya mũthenya barigici.
19 But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.
No mĩthiĩre ya andũ arĩa aaganu ĩhaana ta nduma ndumanu; o matimenyaga kĩrĩa kĩamahĩnga.
20 [My] son, attend to my speech; and apply your ear to my words:
Mũrũ wakwa, ta thikĩrĩria ũrĩa ngũkwĩra; tega gũtũ ũigue ciugo ciakwa.
21 that your fountains may not fail you; keep them in [your] heart.
Ndũkanareke ciehere maitho-inĩ maku, ciigage ngoro-inĩ yaku;
22 For they are life to those that find them, and health to all [their] flesh.
nĩgũkorwo nĩcio itũũragia arĩa maciĩgwatĩire muoyo, na igekĩra mwĩrĩ wao wothe ũgima.
23 Keep your heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life.
Makĩria ya macio mothe, rangagĩra ngoro yaku, nĩgũkorwo nĩyo gĩthima kĩrĩa gĩtherũkaga muoyo.
24 Remove from you a froward mouth, and put far away from you unjust lips.
Eheria rũnano kanua-inĩ gaku; nacio ndeto cia ũmaramari-rĩ, nĩciikare kũraya na iromo ciaku.
25 Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids assent [to] just [things].
Maitho maku nĩmarorage na mbere, ũcũthagĩrĩrie mbere yaku wega.
26 Make straight paths for your feet, and order your ways aright.
Aragania njĩra iria magũrũ maku marĩthiiagĩra, na ũthiiagĩre o njĩra iria ngiindĩrĩku.
27 Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away your foot from an evil way.
Ndũkanaahũke na mwena wa ũrĩo kana wa ũmotho; eheria kũgũrũ gwaku kuuma ũũru-inĩ.
