< Proverbs 20 >

1 Wine is a mocker, and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
Ndibei nĩ mũnyũrũrania, na njoohi nĩ mũndũ wa ngũĩ; mũndũ ũrĩa ũhĩtithagio nĩcio ti mũũgĩ.
2 The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.
Mangʼũrĩ ma mũthamaki nĩ ta mũraramo wa mũrũũthi; ũrĩa ũmũrakaragia nĩ muoyo wake ateaga.
3 It is an honor for a person to keep away from strife, but every fool quarrels.
Gwĩtheema ngũĩ kũrehagĩra mũndũ gĩtĩĩo, no mũndũ o wothe mũkĩĩgu ahiũhaga kũũgitana.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
Kĩgũũta gĩticimbaga hĩndĩ ya irĩma; nĩ ũndũ ũcio hĩndĩ ya magetha gĩathiĩ kũmaatha gĩtirĩ kĩndũ kĩonaga.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
Muoroto wa ngoro ya mũndũ nĩ ta maaĩ ma ndia ndiku, no mũndũ ũrĩ na ũtaũku nĩamatahaga.
6 Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?
Andũ aingĩ metuaga marĩ na wendo ũtangĩthira, no mũndũ mwĩhokeku-rĩ, nũũ ũngĩmuona?
7 A righteous man walks in integrity; blessed are his children after him.
Mũndũ mũthingu atũũraga mũtũũrĩre ũtarĩ ũcuuke; kũrathimwo-rĩ, nĩ ciana ciake iria atigaga.
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.
Rĩrĩa mũthamaki aikarĩra gĩtĩ gĩake kĩa ũnene atue ciira, maitho make mathũngũrũraga ũũru wothe.
9 Who can say, "I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin?"
Nũũ ũngiuga atĩrĩ, “Nĩnjigĩte ngoro yakwa ĩrĩ theru; ndĩ mũtheru, na ndirĩ na mehia”?
10 Differing weights and differing measures, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
Mahiga ma ratiri mataiganainie ũritũ, o na ithimi itaiganĩte: cierĩ nĩ indo irĩ magigi harĩ Jehova.
11 Even a child makes himself known by his doings, whether his work is pure, and whether it is right.
O na kaana kamenyekaga nĩ ũndũ wa ciĩko ciako, gakamenyeka kana mĩtugo yako nĩ mĩtheru, na kana nĩ mĩagĩrĩru.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, The LORD has made even both of them.
Matũ marĩa maiguaga na maitho marĩa monaga-rĩ, cierĩ nĩ Jehova waciũmbire.
13 Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.
Tiga kwenda toro, ndũkae gũthĩĩna; ikaraga wĩiguĩte, na nĩũrĩrĩĩaga irio ũkahũũna.
14 "It's no good, it's no good," says the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.
Mũgũri akĩgũra oigaga atĩrĩ, “Kĩndũ gĩkĩ ti kĩega, ti kĩega!” Agacooka agathiĩ akĩĩrahaga ũrĩa oĩ kũgũra.
15 There is gold and abundance of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.
Thahabu nĩ kũrĩ, o na ruru no nyingĩ, no mĩromo ĩrĩa yaragia ũmenyo nĩ ithaga rĩa goro rĩrĩa rĩtonekaga.
16 Take the garment of one who puts up collateral for a stranger; and hold him in pledge for a wayward woman.
Oya nguo ya mũndũ ũrĩa ũngĩrũgamĩrĩra thiirĩ wa mũndũ wa kũngĩ; mĩige ĩrũgamĩrĩre thiirĩ ũcio wa mũndũ wa kũngĩ.
17 Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.
Irio cionekete na njĩra ya kũheenania irĩ cama harĩ mũndũ, no thuutha kanua gake kaiyũraga o mũthanga.
18 Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war.
Mĩbango ĩgaacagĩra nĩ ũndũ wa kũhooya kĩrĩra, ũngĩtua gũthiĩ mbaara-inĩ, heo ũtaaro.
19 He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore do not keep company with him who opens wide his lips.
Mũndũ wa mũhuhu nĩoimagia ndeto cia ndundu nja, nĩ ũndũ ũcio wĩthemage mũndũ waragia mũno.
20 Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.
Mũndũ angĩruma ithe kana nyina, tawa wake ũkaahorera nduma-inĩ ĩrĩa ndumanu.
21 An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning, won't be blessed in the end.
Igai rĩrĩa rĩoneka narua kĩambĩrĩria-inĩ, marigĩrĩrio-inĩ rĩtituĩkaga rĩa kĩrathimo.
22 Do not say, "I will pay back evil." Wait for the LORD, and he will save you.
Ndũkoige atĩrĩ, “Nĩngerĩhĩria ũũru ũyũ!” Eterera Jehova nake nĩegũkũhonokia.
23 The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are no good.
Mahiga ma ratiri mataiganainie ũritũ nĩ kĩndũ kĩrĩ magigi harĩ Jehova, nacio ratiri itarĩ cia ma itimũkenagia.
24 A man's steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way?
Makinya ma mũndũ matongoragio nĩ Jehova. Mũndũ-rĩ, angĩkĩhota atĩa kũmenya njĩra yake mwene?
25 It is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication, then later to consider his vows.
Nĩ mũtego harĩ mũndũ kwamũrĩra Ngai kĩndũ na ihenya, acooke gwĩcũũrania ũhoro wa mĩĩhĩtwa yake thuutha-inĩ.
26 A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them.
Mũthamaki mũũgĩ nĩathũngũrũraga andũ arĩa aaganu; ageragĩria kĩgaragari gĩa gũkonyora ngano igũrũ rĩao.
27 The spirit of man is the LORD's lamp, searching all his innermost parts.
Roho wa mũndũ nĩ tawa wa Jehova, ũthuthuuragia o nginya tũturi tũrĩa tũrĩ thĩinĩ mũno.
28 Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love.
Wendo na wĩhokeku nĩcigitagĩra mũthamaki; ũtugi nĩũtũmaga gĩtĩ gĩake kĩa ũnene kĩrũme.
29 The glory of young men is their strength. The splendor of old men is their gray hair.
Hinya wa andũ ethĩ nĩguo riiri wao, nacio mbuĩ nĩcio riiri wa arĩa akũrũ.
30 Wounding blows cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the innermost parts.
Mahũũra na nguraro nĩitheragia ũũru wa mũndũ, nacio iboko itheragia o nginya tũturi twa thĩinĩ mũno.

< Proverbs 20 >