< Proverbs 17 >

1 Better is a piece of dry bread, and quiet therewith, than a house full of the sacrifices of contention.
Nĩ kaba kĩenyũ kĩũmũ kĩa mũgate kũndũ kũrĩ na thayũ na ũhooreri, gũkĩra nyũmba ĩiyũrĩte ndĩa no ĩrĩ na ngũĩ.
2 An intelligent servant will have rule over a son that bringeth shame, and among the brothers will he have part of the inheritance.
Ndungata ĩrĩ na ũũgĩ ĩgaatuĩka ya gwatha mũriũ wa mwene yo ũrĩa ũrehaga njono, na nĩĩkegwatĩra igai ĩrĩ ta ũmwe wa ariũ a mwathi wayo.
3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but the Lord probeth the hearts.
Nyũngũ nĩ ya gũthererio betha, na kĩrugutĩro nĩ gĩa gũthererio thahabu, no Jehova nĩwe ũgeragia ngoro cia andũ.
4 An evil-doer listeneth to unjust lips: falsehood giveth ear to a tongue that bringeth destruction.
Mũndũ mwaganu athikagĩrĩria mĩromo ĩrĩa yaragia waganu; nake mũndũ wa maheeni athikagĩrĩria rũrĩmĩ rũrĩa rwaragia maũndũ ma gũthũkia.
5 Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker: he that is glad at calamities will not remain unpunished.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũthekagĩrĩra athĩĩni nĩkũmena amenaga Ũrĩa wamombire; mũndũ ũrĩa ũkenagĩra mũtino ndakaaga kũherithio.
6 The crown of old men are children's children; and the ornament of children are their fathers.
Ciana cia ciana nĩ thũmbĩ harĩ andũ arĩa akũrũ, nao aciari nĩo riiri wa ciana ciao.
7 High-toned language is not seemly to a worthless fool: and yet much less the language of falsehood to a noble.
Mĩario ya bata ndĩagĩrĩire kanua ka mũndũ mũkĩĩgu, na makĩria mĩario ya maheeni ndĩagĩrĩire mũndũ ũrĩa wathanaga!
8 As a precious stone appeareth a bribe in the eyes of him that obtaineth it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
Ihaki rĩhaana ta ihiga rĩa kũrehe mũnyaka kũrĩ ũrĩa ũhakanaga; kũrĩa guothe athiiaga nĩagaacagĩra.
9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth confident friends.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhumbagĩra ihĩtia nĩ wendo acaragia, no ũrĩa ũcookagĩra ũhoro atigithanagia andũ marĩ ũrata mũnene.
10 A reproof penetrateth more deeply into a wise man, than a hundred stripes into a fool.
Kũrũithio nĩgũkenagia mũndũ ũrĩa ũkũũranaga maũndũ gũkĩra iboko igana harĩ mũndũ mũkĩĩgu.
11 Only rebellion doth a bad man seek: therefore a cruel messenger will be sent out against him.
Mũndũ mũũru arongooragia o ũremi; nĩ ũndũ ũcio nĩagatũmĩrwo mũnene ũtarĩ tha amũũkĩrĩre.
12 A man may meet a she-bear robbed of her whelps, but not a fool in his folly.
Nĩ kaba gũcemania na nduba ĩtunyĩtwo ciana ciayo gũkĩra gũcemania na mũndũ mũkĩĩgu na ũrimũ wake.
13 Whoso bestoweth evil in return for good—evil shall not depart from his house.
Mũndũ angĩrĩha wega na ũũru, ũũru ndũkeehera nyũmba-inĩ yake.
14 As one letteth loose [a stream] of water, so is the beginning of strife: therefore before it be enkindled, leave off the contest.
Kwambĩrĩria haaro nĩ ta kũhingũrĩra maaĩ mahingĩrĩrie; nĩ ũndũ ũcio tiganaga na ũhoro ũcio ngarari itaanagĩa.
15 He that declareth the wicked innocent, and he that condemneth the righteous, yea, both of them are equally an abomination to the Lord.
Gũtuĩra mũndũ mwaganu atĩ ndehĩtie na gũtuĩra ũrĩa ũtehĩtie atĩ nĩ mwĩhia, maũndũ macio meerĩ nĩ marĩ magigi harĩ Jehova.
16 Wherefore is the purchase-money in the hand of a fool to acquire wisdom, seeing he hath no sense?
Mbeeca nĩ cia bata ũrĩkũ irĩ guoko-inĩ kwa mũndũ mũkĩĩgu, na ndangĩhota kũgũra ũũgĩ, na ndarĩ ngoro ya kwenda gũtaũkĩrwo?
17 A friend loveth at all times, and as a brother is he born for [the time of] distress.
Mũrata wa mũndũ amwendaga hĩndĩ ciothe, nake mũrũ wa nyina na mũndũ aciaragwo nĩ ũndũ wa hĩndĩ ya thĩĩna.
18 A man void of sense pledgeth his hand, and becometh surety for his friend.
Mũndũ ũtooĩ gũkũũrana maũndũ atuĩkaga wa kũrĩha thiirĩ wa mũndũ ũngĩ o na akaiga kĩndũ gĩa kũrũgamĩrĩra thiirĩ wa mũndũ wa itũũra rĩake.
19 He loveth transgression that loveth quarrel; and he that maketh high his door seeketh destruction.
Mũndũ ũrĩa wendete haaro nĩ mehia endete; na mũndũ ũrĩa wakaga kĩhingo kĩraihu na igũrũ eĩtagĩria wanangĩki.
20 He that hath a froward heart will not find happiness; and he that hath a perverse tongue will fall into evil.
Mũndũ ũrĩ ngoro ya ũremi ndagaacagĩra; nake mũndũ ũrĩa ũrĩ rũrĩmĩ rwa kũheenania agũũaga thĩĩna-inĩ.
21 He that begetteth a fool [doth it] to his sorrow; and the father of a worthless fool cannot have any joy.
Kũgĩa na mũriũ mũkĩĩgu kũrehaga ihooru; ithe wa mũndũ mũkĩĩgu ndarĩ hĩndĩ akenaga.
22 A merry heart causeth a healthy appearance of the countenance, but a depressed spirit drieth up the bones.
Ngoro ngenu nĩ ndawa njega, no roho mũthuthĩku ũngʼaragia mahĩndĩ.
23 A wicked man taketh a bribe out of the bosom, to pervert the paths of justice.
Mũndũ mwaganu amũkagĩra ihaki na hitho, nĩguo ogomie ciira wa kĩhooto.
24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are at the ends of the earth.
Mũndũ ũkũũranaga maũndũ aikaraga arorete o ũũgĩ, no maitho ma mũndũ mũkĩĩgu morũũraga nginya ituri cia thĩ.
25 A foolish son is a vexation to his father, and bitterness to her that hath born him.
Mwana mũkĩĩgu arehagĩra ithe kĩeha, na marũrũ kũrĩ nyina ũrĩa wamũciarire.
26 To punish the just with a fine even is not good, nor to strike the noble [-hearted] for [their] equity.
Ti wega kũherithia mũndũ ũtekĩte mahĩtia, kana kũhũũra anene nĩ ũndũ wa ũrũngĩrĩru wao.
27 He that holdeth back his speeches hath knowledge; and he that is sparing of his spirit is a man of understanding.
Mũndũ ũrĩ na ũmenyo aragia ciugo athimĩte, nake mũndũ ũrĩ na ũtaũku aikaraga ahooreire.
28 Even a fool, when he keepeth silence, is counted wise: he that shutteth his lips [is esteemed] a man of understanding.
O na mũndũ mũkĩĩgu angĩkira nĩonagwo arĩ mũũgĩ, na akoneka arĩ mũtaũku angĩtumia kanua.

< Proverbs 17 >