Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and discover what makes sense,
Atĩrĩrĩ, inyuĩ ariũ akwa, ta thikĩrĩriai ũrũtani wa thoguo; njiguai nĩguo mwĩgĩĩre na kũmenya maũndũ.
2 for what I am passing on to you is reliable. Don't reject my teachings.
Tondũ ngũmũhe ũrutani mwega, nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũtigatirike ũrutani wakwa.
3 When I was a son with my father—a tender young boy, my mother's only child—
Rĩrĩa ndaarĩ mwana nyũmba-inĩ ya baba, ndĩ o mũndũ mwĩthĩ, na ndĩ mwana wa mũmwe wa maitũ-rĩ,
4 he was the one who taught me. He told me, “Pay attention to the words I say and keep them in mind; do what I tell you and you will live.
baba nĩandutire, akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, “Wĩgwatĩre ciugo ciakwa na ngoro yaku yothe; rũmia maathani makwa, na nĩũgũtũũra muoyo.
5 Get wisdom, find out what makes sense. Don't forget my words or reject them.
Gĩa na ũũgĩ, gĩa na kũmenya maũndũ; ndũkanariganĩrwo nĩ ciugo ciakwa, kana wahũke kuuma harĩ cio.
6 Don't give up on wisdom for she will keep you safe. Love wisdom and she will protect you.
Ndũkanatirike ũũgĩ, naguo nĩũrĩkũgitagĩra;
7 The first thing in becoming wise is to get wisdom! Whatever else you gain, gain insight.
Ũũgĩ ũkĩrĩte indo ciothe; nĩ ũndũ ũcio wĩgĩĩre na ũũgĩ. Ĩĩ, kaba kũruta indo ciaku ciothe wĩgĩĩre na kũmenya maũndũ.
8 Treasure wisdom, and she will praise you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
Tũũgagĩria ũũgĩ mũno, naguo nĩũrĩkwambararagia; ũhĩmbagĩrie, naguo nĩũrĩgũtĩĩithagia.
9 She will place on your head a wreath of grace; she will present to you a crown of glory.”
Nĩũgagwĩkĩra ithaga rĩa ũtugi mũtwe waku, na ũkũhe thũmbĩ thaka mũno.”
10 Listen, my son, if you accept what I tell you, then you will live a long life.
Thikĩrĩria, wee mũrũ wakwa, na wĩtĩkĩre ũrĩa ngũkwĩra, nĩgeetha mĩaka ya muoyo waku ĩingĩhe.
11 I have explained to you the way of wisdom; I have guided you along the right paths.
Nguonetie njĩra ya ũũgĩ, na ngagũtongoria njĩra-inĩ iria nũngarũ.
12 Nothing will block your way when you walk, you won't stumble when you run.
Rĩrĩa ũgũthiĩ, makinya maku matikahĩngĩcwo; rĩrĩa ũkũhanyũka-rĩ, ndũkahĩngwo.
13 Hold on to these instructions—don't let them go. Protect them, for they are life's foundation.
Rũmia ũrutani wakwa, na ndũkanareke ũkweherere; ũgitagĩre wega, nĩgũkorwo nĩguo muoyo waku.
14 Don't go the way of the wicked or follow the example of those who do evil.
Ndũkanagerere njĩra ya andũ arĩa aaganu, kana ũthiĩre njĩra ya andũ arĩa ooru.
15 Avoid that way completely. Don't go there! Turn away, and walk on.
Mĩĩtheemage, na ndũkanamĩgerere; mĩhutatĩre, na wĩthiĩre na njĩra yaku.
16 Evil people won't rest until they've done something wrong; they can't sleep unless they've tripped someone up.
Nĩgũkorwo andũ arĩa aaganu matingĩkoma nginya meeke ũũru; mooragwo nĩ toro nginya matũme mũndũ ahĩngwo, agwe.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
Marĩĩaga irio iria monete na ũmaramari, na makanyua ndibei matunyanĩte na hinya.
18 The way of life of the good is like the light of the sunrise, glowing brighter and brighter until the full light of day shines out.
Mĩthiĩre ya andũ arĩa athingu ĩhaana ta ũtheri wa gũgĩkĩa, ũrĩa ũthiiaga ũgĩthererũkaga nginya mũthenya barigici.
19 But the way of life of the wicked is like complete darkness; they don't even know what they're tripping over.
No mĩthiĩre ya andũ arĩa aaganu ĩhaana ta nduma ndumanu; o matimenyaga kĩrĩa kĩamahĩnga.
20 My son, pay attention to what I tell you; listen to the words I'm saying.
Mũrũ wakwa, ta thikĩrĩria ũrĩa ngũkwĩra; tega gũtũ ũigue ciugo ciakwa.
21 Don't lose sight of them; think about them deeply,
Ndũkanareke ciehere maitho-inĩ maku, ciigage ngoro-inĩ yaku;
22 for they are life to anyone who finds them, and make the whole body healthy.
nĩgũkorwo nĩcio itũũragia arĩa maciĩgwatĩire muoyo, na igekĩra mwĩrĩ wao wothe ũgima.
23 Most of all, protect your mind, for everything in life flows from it.
Makĩria ya macio mothe, rangagĩra ngoro yaku, nĩgũkorwo nĩyo gĩthima kĩrĩa gĩtherũkaga muoyo.
24 Don't ever lie, and don't say anything dishonest.
Eheria rũnano kanua-inĩ gaku; nacio ndeto cia ũmaramari-rĩ, nĩciikare kũraya na iromo ciaku.
25 Focus on what's ahead of you; look at what's in front of you.
Maitho maku nĩmarorage na mbere, ũcũthagĩrĩrie mbere yaku wega.
26 Pay attention to the path you decide to follow, and you'll be safe wherever you go.
Aragania njĩra iria magũrũ maku marĩthiiagĩra, na ũthiiagĩre o njĩra iria ngiindĩrĩku.
27 Don't deviate to the right or the left, and turn away from evil.
Ndũkanaahũke na mwena wa ũrĩo kana wa ũmotho; eheria kũgũrũ gwaku kuuma ũũru-inĩ.
