< Proverbs 20 >

1 Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a brawler; whoever is led astray by drink is not wise.
Ndibei nĩ mũnyũrũrania, na njoohi nĩ mũndũ wa ngũĩ; mũndũ ũrĩa ũhĩtithagio nĩcio ti mũũgĩ.
2 The fear of a king is like the fear of a young lion that is roaring; the one who makes him angry forfeits his life.
Mangʼũrĩ ma mũthamaki nĩ ta mũraramo wa mũrũũthi; ũrĩa ũmũrakaragia nĩ muoyo wake ateaga.
3 It is an honor for anyone to avoid conflict, but every fool jumps into an argument.
Gwĩtheema ngũĩ kũrehagĩra mũndũ gĩtĩĩo, no mũndũ o wothe mũkĩĩgu ahiũhaga kũũgitana.
4 The lazy person does not plow in autumn; he seeks a crop at harvest time but will have nothing.
Kĩgũũta gĩticimbaga hĩndĩ ya irĩma; nĩ ũndũ ũcio hĩndĩ ya magetha gĩathiĩ kũmaatha gĩtirĩ kĩndũ kĩonaga.
5 The purpose in a human heart is like deep water, but someone with understanding will draw it out.
Muoroto wa ngoro ya mũndũ nĩ ta maaĩ ma ndia ndiku, no mũndũ ũrĩ na ũtaũku nĩamatahaga.
6 Many a person proclaims he is loyal, but who can find one who is faithful?
Andũ aingĩ metuaga marĩ na wendo ũtangĩthira, no mũndũ mwĩhokeku-rĩ, nũũ ũngĩmuona?
7 The righteous person walks in his integrity, and his sons who follow after him will be blessed.
Mũndũ mũthingu atũũraga mũtũũrĩre ũtarĩ ũcuuke; kũrathimwo-rĩ, nĩ ciana ciake iria atigaga.
8 A king who sits on the throne performing the duties of a judge is winnowing with his eyes all the evil that is before him.
Rĩrĩa mũthamaki aikarĩra gĩtĩ gĩake kĩa ũnene atue ciira, maitho make mathũngũrũraga ũũru wothe.
9 Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”?
Nũũ ũngiuga atĩrĩ, “Nĩnjigĩte ngoro yakwa ĩrĩ theru; ndĩ mũtheru, na ndirĩ na mehia”?
10 Differing weights and unequal measures— Yahweh hates them both.
Mahiga ma ratiri mataiganainie ũritũ, o na ithimi itaiganĩte: cierĩ nĩ indo irĩ magigi harĩ Jehova.
11 Even a youth is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
O na kaana kamenyekaga nĩ ũndũ wa ciĩko ciako, gakamenyeka kana mĩtugo yako nĩ mĩtheru, na kana nĩ mĩagĩrĩru.
12 Ears that hear and eyes that see— Yahweh made them both.
Matũ marĩa maiguaga na maitho marĩa monaga-rĩ, cierĩ nĩ Jehova waciũmbire.
13 Do not love sleep or you will come to poverty; open your eyes and you will have plenty to eat.
Tiga kwenda toro, ndũkae gũthĩĩna; ikaraga wĩiguĩte, na nĩũrĩrĩĩaga irio ũkahũũna.
14 “Bad! Bad!” says the buyer, but when he goes away he boasts.
Mũgũri akĩgũra oigaga atĩrĩ, “Kĩndũ gĩkĩ ti kĩega, ti kĩega!” Agacooka agathiĩ akĩĩrahaga ũrĩa oĩ kũgũra.
15 There is gold and an abundance of costly stones, but lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
Thahabu nĩ kũrĩ, o na ruru no nyingĩ, no mĩromo ĩrĩa yaragia ũmenyo nĩ ithaga rĩa goro rĩrĩa rĩtonekaga.
16 Take a garment of one who has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an immoral woman.
Oya nguo ya mũndũ ũrĩa ũngĩrũgamĩrĩra thiirĩ wa mũndũ wa kũngĩ; mĩige ĩrũgamĩrĩre thiirĩ ũcio wa mũndũ wa kũngĩ.
17 Bread gained by deceit tastes sweet, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.
Irio cionekete na njĩra ya kũheenania irĩ cama harĩ mũndũ, no thuutha kanua gake kaiyũraga o mũthanga.
18 Plans are established by advice and only with wise guidance should you wage war.
Mĩbango ĩgaacagĩra nĩ ũndũ wa kũhooya kĩrĩra, ũngĩtua gũthiĩ mbaara-inĩ, heo ũtaaro.
19 A gossip reveals secrets and so you should not associate with people who talk too much.
Mũndũ wa mũhuhu nĩoimagia ndeto cia ndundu nja, nĩ ũndũ ũcio wĩthemage mũndũ waragia mũno.
20 If a person curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be snuffed out in the middle of darkness.
Mũndũ angĩruma ithe kana nyina, tawa wake ũkaahorera nduma-inĩ ĩrĩa ndumanu.
21 An inheritance gained quickly at the beginning will do less good in the end.
Igai rĩrĩa rĩoneka narua kĩambĩrĩria-inĩ, marigĩrĩrio-inĩ rĩtituĩkaga rĩa kĩrathimo.
22 Do not say, “I will pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for Yahweh and he will rescue you.
Ndũkoige atĩrĩ, “Nĩngerĩhĩria ũũru ũyũ!” Eterera Jehova nake nĩegũkũhonokia.
23 Yahweh hates unequal weights and dishonest scales are not good.
Mahiga ma ratiri mataiganainie ũritũ nĩ kĩndũ kĩrĩ magigi harĩ Jehova, nacio ratiri itarĩ cia ma itimũkenagia.
24 A person's steps are directed by Yahweh; how then can he understand his way?
Makinya ma mũndũ matongoragio nĩ Jehova. Mũndũ-rĩ, angĩkĩhota atĩa kũmenya njĩra yake mwene?
25 It is a snare for a person to say rashly, “This thing is holy,” and begin to think about what it means only after making his vow.
Nĩ mũtego harĩ mũndũ kwamũrĩra Ngai kĩndũ na ihenya, acooke gwĩcũũrania ũhoro wa mĩĩhĩtwa yake thuutha-inĩ.
26 A wise king winnows the wicked and he turns a threshing wheel over them.
Mũthamaki mũũgĩ nĩathũngũrũraga andũ arĩa aaganu; ageragĩria kĩgaragari gĩa gũkonyora ngano igũrũ rĩao.
27 The spirit of a person is the lamp of Yahweh, searching all his inmost parts.
Roho wa mũndũ nĩ tawa wa Jehova, ũthuthuuragia o nginya tũturi tũrĩa tũrĩ thĩinĩ mũno.
28 Covenant faithfulness and trustworthiness preserve the king; his throne is made secure by love.
Wendo na wĩhokeku nĩcigitagĩra mũthamaki; ũtugi nĩũtũmaga gĩtĩ gĩake kĩa ũnene kĩrũme.
29 The glory of young men is their strength and the splendor of old people is their gray hair.
Hinya wa andũ ethĩ nĩguo riiri wao, nacio mbuĩ nĩcio riiri wa arĩa akũrũ.
30 Blows that make a wound cleanse away evil and beatings make the innermost parts clean.
Mahũũra na nguraro nĩitheragia ũũru wa mũndũ, nacio iboko itheragia o nginya tũturi twa thĩinĩ mũno.

< Proverbs 20 >