< Proverbs 18 >

1 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh [and] intermeddleth with all wisdom.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũtendaga gũtũũrania na andũ arũmagĩrĩra o merirĩria make; ningĩ areganaga na matua mothe ma ũũgĩ ũrĩa mũkinyanĩru.
2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may reveal itself.
Mũndũ mũkĩĩgu ndakenagĩra ũtaũku, no akenagĩra kwaria woni wake mwene.
3 When the wicked cometh, [then] cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.
Rĩrĩa waganu woka, ũrehaga ũirano, nacio njono irehaga thoni.
4 The words of a man's mouth [are as] deep waters, [and] the well-spring of wisdom [as] a flowing brook.
Ciugo cia kanua ka mũndũ nĩ ta ndia ndiku, no gĩthima kĩa ũũgĩ nĩ karũũĩ gatherũkaga.
5 [It is] not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
Ti wega gũtĩĩra andũ arĩa aaganu maũthĩ, kana kuogomia kĩhooto kĩa arĩa matehĩtie.
6 A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
Mĩromo ya mũndũ mũkĩĩgu ĩmũrehagĩra ngũĩ, nako kanua gake geetagia rũthanju.
7 A fool's mouth [is] his destruction, and his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
Kanua ka mũndũ mũkĩĩgu nĩko kamũthũkagĩria maũndũ, nayo mĩromo yake nĩ mũtego wa ngoro yake.
8 The words of a tale-bearer [are] as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Ndeto cia mũndũ wa mũhuhu nĩ ta twenyũ twega twa irio; tũmerũkaga nginya tũturi-inĩ twa nda tũrĩa tũrĩ thĩinĩ mũno.
9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
Mũndũ kĩgũũta wĩra-inĩ wake nĩ wa nyina na ũrĩa wanangaga.
10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
Rĩĩtwa rĩa Jehova nĩ mũthiringo ũrĩ hinya; arĩa athingu moragĩra ho, nao magaikara marĩ agitĩre.
11 The rich man's wealth [is] his strong city, and as a high wall in his own conceit.
Ũtonga wa andũ arĩa atongu nĩguo itũũra rĩao rĩa hinya; meciiragia nĩ rũthingo rũtangĩhaicĩka.
12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honor [is] humility.
Mbere ya mwanangĩko, ngoro ya mũndũ ĩkoragwo na mwĩtĩĩo, no kwĩnyiihia nĩkuo gũtongoragia gĩtĩĩo.
13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth [it], it [is] folly and shame to him.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũcookagia ũhoro mbere ya kũũthikĩrĩria, ũndũ ũcio nĩ ũrimũ na thoni ciake.
14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
Roho wa mũndũ nĩguo ũmũũmagĩrĩria rĩrĩa arĩ mũrũaru, no roho mũthuthĩku nũũ ũngĩhota kũwĩtiiria?
15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
Ngoro ya mũndũ mũkũũrani maũndũ nĩĩgĩagĩra ũmenyo; matũ ma arĩa oogĩ nĩmaũcaragĩrĩria.
16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
Kĩheo mũndũ aheanĩte kĩmuonagia njĩra ya kũhĩtũkĩra, gĩkamũkinyia harĩ andũ arĩa anene.
17 [He that is] first in his own cause [seemeth] just; but his neighbor cometh and searcheth him.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũrehaga ciira wake mbere onekaga taarĩ we na ma, o nginya rĩrĩa mũndũ ũrĩa maraciira nake ooka kũmũũria ciũria.
18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
Ũcuuki wa mĩtĩ nĩũniinaga ngarari, na ũgateithũrana andũ eerĩ njamba.
19 A brother offended [is harder to be won] than a strong city: and [their] contentions [are] 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 A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; [and] with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
Nda ya mũndũ nĩĩhũũnagio nĩ maciaro ma kanua gake; nĩaiganagwo nĩ magetha ma mĩromo yake.
21 Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit of it.
Rũrĩmĩ rũrĩ na hinya wa gwathĩrĩra mũndũ muoyo kana gĩkuũ, no arĩa marwendete no marĩĩage maciaro maaruo.
22 [Whoever] findeth a wife findeth a good [thing], and obtaineth favor from the LORD.
Mũndũ ũrĩa wĩgĩĩagĩra na mũtumia nĩegĩagĩra na kĩndũ kĩega, na nĩgũtugwo atugĩtwo nĩ Jehova.
23 The poor useth entreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
Mũndũ mũthĩĩni athaithanaga aiguĩrwo tha, no gĩtonga gĩcookagia ũhoro na ũũru.
24 A man [that hath] friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend [that] sticketh 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 >