< Proverbs 22 >
1 A good name is to be chosen over great riches and favor is better than silver and gold.
Rĩĩtwa rĩega nĩrĩakwĩrirĩrio gũkĩra ũtonga mũnene; gũtĩĩka nĩ kwega gũkĩra betha kana thahabu.
2 Rich and poor people have this in common— Yahweh is the maker of all of them.
Andũ arĩa atongu na arĩa athĩĩni harĩ ũndũ ũmwe ũmanyiitithanĩtie; Jehova nĩwe Mũmbi wao othe.
3 A prudent man sees trouble and hides himself, but the naive go on and suffer because of it.
Mũndũ mũbaarĩrĩri onaga ũgwati akehitha, no arĩa matarĩ ũũgĩ mathiiaga o na mbere nao magatoonya thĩĩna-inĩ.
4 The reward for humility and fear of Yahweh is riches, honor, and life.
Kwĩnyiihia na gwĩtigĩra Jehova kũrehaga ũtonga, na gĩtĩĩo, na muoyo.
5 Thorns and snares lie in the path of the perverse; whoever guards his life will keep far from them.
Njĩra cia andũ arĩa aaganu irĩ mĩigua na mĩtego, no ũrĩa ũgitagĩra ngoro yake aikaraga kũraya nacio.
6 Teach a child the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn away from that instruction.
Menyeria mwana njĩra ĩrĩa agĩrĩirwo nĩkũgera, na ndarĩ hĩndĩ akaamiuma o na aakũra.
7 Rich people rule over poor people and one who borrows is a slave to the one who lends.
Andũ arĩa atongu nĩ mathaga arĩa athĩĩni, na ũrĩa ũkombaga nĩ ndungata ya mũmũkoomberi.
8 He who sows injustice will reap trouble and the rod of his fury will fade away.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhaandaga waganu agethaga thĩĩna, naruo rũthanju rwa marakara make nĩrũkanangwo.
9 The one who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
Mũndũ mũtaana we mwene nĩakarathimwo, tondũ nĩagayagĩra arĩa athĩĩni irio ciake.
10 Drive away the mocker, and out goes strife; disputes and insults will cease.
Ingata mũnyũrũrania, nayo ngũĩ nĩĩgũkweherera; inegene na irumi o nacio nĩcigũthira.
11 The one who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious, he will have the king for his friend.
Mũndũ ũrĩa wendaga ngoro theru na akaaragia maũndũ ma ũtugi, mũthamaki nĩagatuĩka mũrata wake.
12 The eyes of Yahweh keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the treacherous.
Maitho ma Jehova nĩmamenyagĩrĩra ũmenyo, no nĩathaahagia ciugo cia ũrĩa ũtarĩ mwĩhokeku.
13 The lazy person says, “There is a lion in the street! I will be killed in the open places.”
Kĩgũũta kiugaga, “Nja kũrĩ na mũrũũthi!” Kana gĩkoiga atĩrĩ, “Nĩngũũragĩrwo njĩra-inĩ!”
14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; Yahweh's anger is stirred up against anyone who falls into it.
Kanua ka mũtumia mũtharia nĩ irima iriku, nake ũrĩa werekeirio mangʼũrĩ ma Jehova agũũaga thĩinĩ wa rĩo.
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far away.
Ngoro ya mwana yohanĩtio na ũrimũ, no rũthanju rwa kũmũherithia nĩrũkaũingata kũraya nake.
16 The one who oppresses poor people to increase his wealth, or gives to rich people, will come to poverty.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhinyagĩrĩria arĩa athĩĩni nĩguo eyongerere ũtonga, na ũrĩa ũheaga itonga iheo, eerĩ nĩmagathĩĩna.
17 Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise and apply your heart to my knowledge,
Tega matũ, na ũthikĩrĩrie mĩario ya andũ arĩa oogĩ; nyiita na ngoro yaku maũndũ marĩa ngũrutana,
18 for it will be pleasant for you if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.
tondũ nĩ ũndũ mwega hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ũkũmaiga ngoro-inĩ yaku, na ũkoragwo namo mothe mĩromo-inĩ yaku.
19 So your trust may be in Yahweh, I teach them to you today—even to you.
Ndaakũmenyithia mo nĩgeetha mwĩhoko waku ũkoragwo harĩ Jehova, wee nĩwe ngũruta maũndũ macio ũmũthĩ, ĩĩ wee nĩwe ngũruta.
20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings of instruction and knowledge,
Githĩ ndikwandĩkĩire thimo mĩrongo ĩtatũ, thimo cia ũtaarani na ũmenyo,
21 to teach you truth in these trustworthy words, so you may give trustworthy answers to those who sent 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, or crush the needy at the gate,
Ndũkanatunye arĩa athĩĩni indo ciao tondũ wa ũthĩĩni wao, na ndũkanahinyĩrĩrie arĩa abatari ciira-inĩ,
23 for Yahweh will plead their case, and he will rob of life those who robbed them.
nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩakamaciirĩrĩra, na nĩagatunya arĩa mamatunyaga indo ciao.
24 Do not make a friend of someone who is ruled by anger and you must not go with one who rages,
Ndũkanagĩe ũrata na mũndũ ũrĩa ũrĩ marakara mahiũ, ndũkanagĩe thiritũ na mũndũ ũrĩa ũhiũhaga kũrakara,
25 or you will learn his ways and you will take bait for your soul.
tondũ wahota kwĩruta mĩthiĩre yake, na ũnyiitwo nĩ mũtego.
26 Do not be one who strikes hands in making a pledge, or who puts up security for debts.
Ndũgatuĩke mũndũ wa kũiga kĩndũ gĩa kũrũgamĩrĩra thiirĩ, kana ũtuĩke wee nĩwe wa kũrũgamagĩrĩra mathiirĩ ma andũ angĩ;
27 If you lack the means to pay, what could stop someone from taking away your bed from under you?
ũngĩkaaga kĩndũ gĩa kũrĩha nakĩo-rĩ, ũgaatunywo ũrĩrĩ waku o ũũkomeire.
28 Do not remove the ancient boundary stone that your fathers have set.
Ndũkaneherie ihiga rĩa tene rĩa mũhaka rĩrĩa rĩahaandirwo nĩ maithe manyu ma tene.
29 Do you see a man skilled at his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before common people.
Nĩwonaga mũndũ mũũgĩ na wĩra wake? Ũcio agatungata o na mbere ya athamaki; ndagatungata mbere ya andũ matooĩkaine.