Proverbs 17
1 Better is a dry morsel with quietness, than a house full of feasting with strife.
Nĩ kaba kĩenyũ kĩũmũ kĩa mũgate kũndũ kũrĩ na thayũ na ũhooreri, gũkĩra nyũmba ĩiyũrĩte ndĩa no ĩrĩ na ngũĩ.
2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame, and shall have a part in the inheritance amongst the brothers.
Ndungata ĩrĩ na ũũgĩ ĩgaatuĩka ya gwatha mũriũ wa mwene yo ũrĩa ũrehaga njono, na nĩĩkegwatĩra igai ĩrĩ ta ũmwe wa ariũ a mwathi wayo.
3 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the hearts.
Nyũngũ nĩ ya gũthererio betha, na kĩrugutĩro nĩ gĩa gũthererio thahabu, no Jehova nĩwe ũgeragia ngoro cia andũ.
4 An evildoer heeds wicked lips. A liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
Mũndũ mwaganu athikagĩrĩria mĩromo ĩrĩa yaragia waganu; nake mũndũ wa maheeni athikagĩrĩria rũrĩmĩ rũrĩa rwaragia maũndũ ma gũthũkia.
5 Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker. He who is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũthekagĩrĩra athĩĩni nĩkũmena amenaga Ũrĩa wamombire; mũndũ ũrĩa ũkenagĩra mũtino ndakaaga kũherithio.
6 Children’s children are the crown of old men; the glory of children is their parents.
Ciana cia ciana nĩ thũmbĩ harĩ andũ arĩa akũrũ, nao aciari nĩo riiri wa ciana ciao.
7 Excellent speech isn’t fitting for a fool, much less do lying lips fit a prince.
Mĩario ya bata ndĩagĩrĩire kanua ka mũndũ mũkĩĩgu, na makĩria mĩario ya maheeni ndĩagĩrĩire mũndũ ũrĩa wathanaga!
8 A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns, he prospers.
Ihaki rĩhaana ta ihiga rĩa kũrehe mũnyaka kũrĩ ũrĩa ũhakanaga; kũrĩa guothe athiiaga nĩagaacagĩra.
9 He who covers an offence promotes love; but he who repeats a matter separates best friends.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhumbagĩra ihĩtia nĩ wendo acaragia, no ũrĩa ũcookagĩra ũhoro atigithanagia andũ marĩ ũrata mũnene.
10 A rebuke enters deeper into one who has understanding than a hundred lashes into a fool.
Kũrũithio nĩgũkenagia mũndũ ũrĩa ũkũũranaga maũndũ gũkĩra iboko igana harĩ mũndũ mũkĩĩgu.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion; therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
Mũndũ mũũru arongooragia o ũremi; nĩ ũndũ ũcio nĩagatũmĩrwo mũnene ũtarĩ tha amũũkĩrĩre.
12 Let a bear robbed of her cubs meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
Nĩ kaba gũcemania na nduba ĩtunyĩtwo ciana ciayo gũkĩra gũcemania na mũndũ mũkĩĩgu na ũrimũ wake.
13 Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
Mũndũ angĩrĩha wega na ũũru, ũũru ndũkeehera nyũmba-inĩ yake.
14 The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam, therefore stop contention before quarrelling breaks out.
Kwambĩrĩria haaro nĩ ta kũhingũrĩra maaĩ mahingĩrĩrie; nĩ ũndũ ũcio tiganaga na ũhoro ũcio ngarari itaanagĩa.
15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
Gũtuĩra mũndũ mwaganu atĩ ndehĩtie na gũtuĩra ũrĩa ũtehĩtie atĩ nĩ mwĩhia, maũndũ macio meerĩ nĩ marĩ magigi harĩ Jehova.
16 Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, since he has no understanding?
Mbeeca nĩ cia bata ũrĩkũ irĩ guoko-inĩ kwa mũndũ mũkĩĩgu, na ndangĩhota kũgũra ũũgĩ, na ndarĩ ngoro ya kwenda gũtaũkĩrwo?
17 A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.
Mũrata wa mũndũ amwendaga hĩndĩ ciothe, nake mũrũ wa nyina na mũndũ aciaragwo nĩ ũndũ wa hĩndĩ ya thĩĩna.
18 A man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes collateral in the presence of his neighbour.
Mũndũ ũtooĩ gũkũũrana maũndũ atuĩkaga wa kũrĩha thiirĩ wa mũndũ ũngĩ o na akaiga kĩndũ gĩa kũrũgamĩrĩra thiirĩ wa mũndũ wa itũũra rĩake.
19 He who loves disobedience loves strife. One who builds a high gate seeks destruction.
Mũndũ ũrĩa wendete haaro nĩ mehia endete; na mũndũ ũrĩa wakaga kĩhingo kĩraihu na igũrũ eĩtagĩria wanangĩki.
20 One who has a perverse heart doesn’t find prosperity, and one who has a deceitful tongue falls into trouble.
Mũndũ ũrĩ ngoro ya ũremi ndagaacagĩra; nake mũndũ ũrĩa ũrĩ rũrĩmĩ rwa kũheenania agũũaga thĩĩna-inĩ.
21 He who becomes the father of a fool grieves. The father of a fool has no joy.
Kũgĩa na mũriũ mũkĩĩgu kũrehaga ihooru; ithe wa mũndũ mũkĩĩgu ndarĩ hĩndĩ akenaga.
22 A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Ngoro ngenu nĩ ndawa njega, no roho mũthuthĩku ũngʼaragia mahĩndĩ.
23 A wicked man receives a bribe in secret, to pervert the ways of justice.
Mũndũ mwaganu amũkagĩra ihaki na hitho, nĩguo ogomie ciira wa kĩhooto.
24 Wisdom is before the face of one who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
Mũndũ ũkũũranaga maũndũ aikaraga arorete o ũũgĩ, no maitho ma mũndũ mũkĩĩgu morũũraga nginya ituri cia thĩ.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him.
Mwana mũkĩĩgu arehagĩra ithe kĩeha, na marũrũ kũrĩ nyina ũrĩa wamũciarire.
26 Also to punish the righteous is not good, nor to flog officials for their integrity.
Ti wega kũherithia mũndũ ũtekĩte mahĩtia, kana kũhũũra anene nĩ ũndũ wa ũrũngĩrĩru wao.
27 He who spares his words has knowledge. He who is even tempered is a man of understanding.
Mũndũ ũrĩ na ũmenyo aragia ciugo athimĩte, nake mũndũ ũrĩ na ũtaũku aikaraga ahooreire.
28 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise. When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning.
O na mũndũ mũkĩĩgu angĩkira nĩonagwo arĩ mũũgĩ, na akoneka arĩ mũtaũku angĩtumia kanua.
