Proverbs 22
1 A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold—good grace.
Rĩĩtwa rĩega nĩrĩakwĩrirĩrio gũkĩra ũtonga mũnene; gũtĩĩka nĩ kwega gũkĩra betha kana thahabu.
2 Rich and poor have met together, YHWH [is] the Maker of them all.
Andũ arĩa atongu na arĩa athĩĩni harĩ ũndũ ũmwe ũmanyiitithanĩtie; Jehova nĩwe Mũmbi wao othe.
3 The prudent has seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.
Mũndũ mũbaarĩrĩri onaga ũgwati akehitha, no arĩa matarĩ ũũgĩ mathiiaga o na mbere nao magatoonya thĩĩna-inĩ.
4 The end of humility [is] the fear of YHWH, riches, and honor, and life.
Kwĩnyiihia na gwĩtigĩra Jehova kũrehaga ũtonga, na gĩtĩĩo, na muoyo.
5 Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the perverse, Whoever is keeping his soul is far from them.
Njĩra cia andũ arĩa aaganu irĩ mĩigua na mĩtego, no ũrĩa ũgitagĩra ngoro yake aikaraga kũraya nacio.
6 Give instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he does not turn from it.
Menyeria mwana njĩra ĩrĩa agĩrĩirwo nĩkũgera, na ndarĩ hĩndĩ akaamiuma o na aakũra.
7 The rich rules over the poor, And a servant [is] the borrower to the lender.
Andũ arĩa atongu nĩ mathaga arĩa athĩĩni, na ũrĩa ũkombaga nĩ ndungata ya mũmũkoomberi.
8 Whoever is sowing perverseness reaps sorrow, And the rod of his anger wears out.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhaandaga waganu agethaga thĩĩna, naruo rũthanju rwa marakara make nĩrũkanangwo.
9 The good of eye—he is blessed, For he has given of his bread to the poor.
Mũndũ mũtaana we mwene nĩakarathimwo, tondũ nĩagayagĩra arĩa athĩĩni irio ciake.
10 Cast out a scorner—and contention goes out, And strife and shame cease.
Ingata mũnyũrũrania, nayo ngũĩ nĩĩgũkweherera; inegene na irumi o nacio nĩcigũthira.
11 Whoever is loving cleanness of heart, His lips [are] grace, A king [is] his friend.
Mũndũ ũrĩa wendaga ngoro theru na akaaragia maũndũ ma ũtugi, mũthamaki nĩagatuĩka mũrata wake.
12 The eyes of YHWH have kept knowledge, And He overthrows the words of the treacherous.
Maitho ma Jehova nĩmamenyagĩrĩra ũmenyo, no nĩathaahagia ciugo cia ũrĩa ũtarĩ mwĩhokeku.
13 The slothful has said, “A lion [is] outside, I am slain in the midst of the broad places.”
Kĩgũũta kiugaga, “Nja kũrĩ na mũrũũthi!” Kana gĩkoiga atĩrĩ, “Nĩngũũragĩrwo njĩra-inĩ!”
14 The mouth of strange women [is] a deep pit, The abhorred of YHWH falls there.
Kanua ka mũtumia mũtharia nĩ irima iriku, nake ũrĩa werekeirio mangʼũrĩ ma Jehova agũũaga thĩinĩ wa rĩo.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of discipline puts it far from him.
Ngoro ya mwana yohanĩtio na ũrimũ, no rũthanju rwa kũmũherithia nĩrũkaũingata kũraya nake.
16 He [who] is oppressing the poor to multiply his [riches], Is giving to the rich—only to want.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhinyagĩrĩria arĩa athĩĩni nĩguo eyongerere ũtonga, na ũrĩa ũheaga itonga iheo, eerĩ nĩmagathĩĩna.
17 Incline your ear, and hear words of the wise, And set your heart to my knowledge,
Tega matũ, na ũthikĩrĩrie mĩario ya andũ arĩa oogĩ; nyiita na ngoro yaku maũndũ marĩa ngũrutana,
18 For they are pleasant when you keep them in your heart, They are prepared together for your lips.
tondũ nĩ ũndũ mwega hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ũkũmaiga ngoro-inĩ yaku, na ũkoragwo namo mothe mĩromo-inĩ yaku.
19 That your trust may be in YHWH, I caused you to know today, even you.
Ndaakũmenyithia mo nĩgeetha mwĩhoko waku ũkoragwo harĩ Jehova, wee nĩwe ngũruta maũndũ macio ũmũthĩ, ĩĩ wee nĩwe ngũruta.
20 Have I not written to you three times With counsels and knowledge?
Githĩ ndikwandĩkĩire thimo mĩrongo ĩtatũ, thimo cia ũtaarani na ũmenyo,
21 To cause you to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending you.
ngakũruta ciugo cia ma na cia kwĩhokeka, nĩgeetha ũkaahota kũhe ũrĩa ũgũtũmĩte macookio mega?
22 Do not rob the poor because he [is] poor, And do not bruise the afflicted in the gate.
Ndũkanatunye arĩa athĩĩni indo ciao tondũ wa ũthĩĩni wao, na ndũkanahinyĩrĩrie arĩa abatari ciira-inĩ,
23 For YHWH pleads their cause, And has spoiled the soul of their spoilers.
nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩakamaciirĩrĩra, na nĩagatunya arĩa mamatunyaga indo ciao.
24 Do not show yourself friendly with an angry man, And do not go in with a man of fury,
Ndũkanagĩe ũrata na mũndũ ũrĩa ũrĩ marakara mahiũ, ndũkanagĩe thiritũ na mũndũ ũrĩa ũhiũhaga kũrakara,
25 Lest you learn his paths, And have received a snare to your soul.
tondũ wahota kwĩruta mĩthiĩre yake, na ũnyiitwo nĩ mũtego.
26 Do not be among those striking hands, Among sureties [for] burdens.
Ndũgatuĩke mũndũ wa kũiga kĩndũ gĩa kũrũgamĩrĩra thiirĩ, kana ũtuĩke wee nĩwe wa kũrũgamagĩrĩra mathiirĩ ma andũ angĩ;
27 If you have nothing to pay, Why does he take your bed from under you?
ũngĩkaaga kĩndũ gĩa kũrĩha nakĩo-rĩ, ũgaatunywo ũrĩrĩ waku o ũũkomeire.
28 Do not remove a border of ancient times, That your fathers have made.
Ndũkaneherie ihiga rĩa tene rĩa mũhaka rĩrĩa rĩahaandirwo nĩ maithe manyu ma tene.
29 Have you seen a man speedy in his business? He stations himself before kings, He does not station himself before obscure men!
Nĩwonaga mũndũ mũũgĩ na wĩra wake? Ũcio agatungata o na mbere ya athamaki; ndagatungata mbere ya andũ matooĩkaine.
