< Proverbs 18 >

1 One who isolates himself seeks his own desire and he quarrels with all sound judgment.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũtendaga gũtũũrania na andũ arũmagĩrĩra o merirĩria make; ningĩ areganaga na matua mothe ma ũũgĩ ũrĩa mũkinyanĩru.
2 A fool finds no pleasure in understanding, but only in revealing what is in his own heart.
Mũndũ mũkĩĩgu ndakenagĩra ũtaũku, no akenagĩra kwaria woni wake mwene.
3 When a wicked person comes, contempt comes with him— along with shame and reproach.
Rĩrĩa waganu woka, ũrehaga ũirano, nacio njono irehaga thoni.
4 The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a flowing stream.
Ciugo cia kanua ka mũndũ nĩ ta ndia ndiku, no gĩthima kĩa ũũgĩ nĩ karũũĩ gatherũkaga.
5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked person, nor to deny justice to the righteous person.
Ti wega gũtĩĩra andũ arĩa aaganu maũthĩ, kana kuogomia kĩhooto kĩa arĩa matehĩtie.
6 A fool's lips bring him conflict and his mouth invites a beating.
Mĩromo ya mũndũ mũkĩĩgu ĩmũrehagĩra ngũĩ, nako kanua gake geetagia rũthanju.
7 A fool's mouth is his ruin and he ensnares himself with his lips.
Kanua ka mũndũ mũkĩĩgu nĩko kamũthũkagĩria maũndũ, nayo mĩromo yake nĩ mũtego wa ngoro yake.
8 The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels and they go down into the inner parts of the body.
Ndeto cia mũndũ wa mũhuhu nĩ ta twenyũ twega twa irio; tũmerũkaga nginya tũturi-inĩ twa nda tũrĩa tũrĩ thĩinĩ mũno.
9 Also, one who is slack in his work is a brother to the one who destroys the most.
Mũndũ kĩgũũta wĩra-inĩ wake nĩ wa nyina na ũrĩa wanangaga.
10 The name of Yahweh is a strong tower; the righteous person runs into it and is safe.
Rĩĩtwa rĩa Jehova nĩ mũthiringo ũrĩ hinya; arĩa athingu moragĩra ho, nao magaikara marĩ agitĩre.
11 The wealth of the rich is his fortified city and in his imagination it is like a high wall.
Ũtonga wa andũ arĩa atongu nĩguo itũũra rĩao rĩa hinya; meciiragia nĩ rũthingo rũtangĩhaicĩka.
12 Before his downfall a person's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.
Mbere ya mwanangĩko, ngoro ya mũndũ ĩkoragwo na mwĩtĩĩo, no kwĩnyiihia nĩkuo gũtongoragia gĩtĩĩo.
13 One who answers before listening— it is his folly and shame.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũcookagia ũhoro mbere ya kũũthikĩrĩria, ũndũ ũcio nĩ ũrimũ na thoni ciake.
14 A person's spirit will survive sickness, but a broken spirit who can bear it?
Roho wa mũndũ nĩguo ũmũũmagĩrĩria rĩrĩa arĩ mũrũaru, no roho mũthuthĩku nũũ ũngĩhota kũwĩtiiria?
15 The heart of the intelligent acquires knowledge and the hearing of the wise seeks it out.
Ngoro ya mũndũ mũkũũrani maũndũ nĩĩgĩagĩra ũmenyo; matũ ma arĩa oogĩ nĩmaũcaragĩrĩria.
16 A man's gift may open the way and bring him before an important person.
Kĩheo mũndũ aheanĩte kĩmuonagia njĩra ya kũhĩtũkĩra, gĩkamũkinyia harĩ andũ arĩa anene.
17 The first to plead his case seems right until his opponent comes and questions him.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũrehaga ciira wake mbere onekaga taarĩ we na ma, o nginya rĩrĩa mũndũ ũrĩa maraciira nake ooka kũmũũria ciũria.
18 Casting the lot settles disputes and separates strong opponents.
Ũcuuki wa mĩtĩ nĩũniinaga ngarari, na ũgateithũrana andũ eerĩ njamba.
19 An offended brother is harder to be won than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
Mũndũ mũrakarie nĩ mũrũ wa nyina nĩ hinya kwĩiguithania nake gũkĩra kwĩgwatĩra itũũra inene rĩirigĩre, nacio ngarari nĩ ta mĩgĩĩko ĩrĩa ĩhingaga njeera.
20 From the fruit of his mouth one's stomach is filled; with the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.
Nda ya mũndũ nĩĩhũũnagio nĩ maciaro ma kanua gake; nĩaiganagwo nĩ magetha ma mĩromo yake.
21 Death and life are controlled by the tongue, and those who love the tongue will eat its fruit.
Rũrĩmĩ rũrĩ na hinya wa gwathĩrĩra mũndũ muoyo kana gĩkuũ, no arĩa marwendete no marĩĩage maciaro maaruo.
22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing and receives favor from Yahweh.
Mũndũ ũrĩa wĩgĩĩagĩra na mũtumia nĩegĩagĩra na kĩndũ kĩega, na nĩgũtugwo atugĩtwo nĩ Jehova.
23 A poor person pleads for mercy, but a rich person answers harshly.
Mũndũ mũthĩĩni athaithanaga aiguĩrwo tha, no gĩtonga gĩcookagia ũhoro na ũũru.
24 The one who claims many friends is brought to ruin by them, but there is a friend who comes closer than a brother.
Mũndũ mũceeri na andũ aingĩ aahota kwĩyũnũhithia, no nĩ kũrĩ mũrata ũnyiitanaga na mũndũ gũkĩra mũrũ wa nyina na mũndũ.

< Proverbs 18 >