Proverbs 22
1 A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favour is better than silver and gold.
Rĩĩtwa rĩega nĩrĩakwĩrirĩrio gũkĩra ũtonga mũnene; gũtĩĩka nĩ kwega gũkĩra betha kana thahabu.
2 The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is the maker of them all.
Andũ arĩa atongu na arĩa athĩĩni harĩ ũndũ ũmwe ũmanyiitithanĩtie; Jehova nĩwe Mũmbi wao othe.
3 A prudent man sees danger and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
Mũndũ mũbaarĩrĩri onaga ũgwati akehitha, no arĩa matarĩ ũũgĩ mathiiaga o na mbere nao magatoonya thĩĩna-inĩ.
4 The result of humility and the fear of the LORD is wealth, honour, and life.
Kwĩnyiihia na gwĩtigĩra Jehova kũrehaga ũtonga, na gĩtĩĩo, na muoyo.
5 Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked; whoever guards his soul stays far from them.
Njĩra cia andũ arĩa aaganu irĩ mĩigua na mĩtego, no ũrĩa ũgitagĩra ngoro yake aikaraga kũraya nacio.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Menyeria mwana njĩra ĩrĩa agĩrĩirwo nĩkũgera, na ndarĩ hĩndĩ akaamiuma o na aakũra.
7 The rich rule over the poor. The borrower is servant to the lender.
Andũ arĩa atongu nĩ mathaga arĩa athĩĩni, na ũrĩa ũkombaga nĩ ndungata ya mũmũkoomberi.
8 He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhaandaga waganu agethaga thĩĩna, naruo rũthanju rwa marakara make nĩrũkanangwo.
9 He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
Mũndũ mũtaana we mwene nĩakarathimwo, tondũ nĩagayagĩra arĩa athĩĩni irio ciake.
10 Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop.
Ingata mũnyũrũrania, nayo ngũĩ nĩĩgũkweherera; inegene na irumi o nacio nĩcigũthira.
11 He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully is the king’s friend.
Mũndũ ũrĩa wendaga ngoro theru na akaaragia maũndũ ma ũtugi, mũthamaki nĩagatuĩka mũrata wake.
12 The LORD’s eyes watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.
Maitho ma Jehova nĩmamenyagĩrĩra ũmenyo, no nĩathaahagia ciugo cia ũrĩa ũtarĩ mwĩhokeku.
13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the streets!”
Kĩgũũta kiugaga, “Nja kũrĩ na mũrũũthi!” Kana gĩkoiga atĩrĩ, “Nĩngũũragĩrwo njĩra-inĩ!”
14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit. He who is under the LORD’s wrath will fall into it.
Kanua ka mũtumia mũtharia nĩ irima iriku, nake ũrĩa werekeirio mangʼũrĩ ma Jehova agũũaga thĩinĩ wa rĩo.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
Ngoro ya mwana yohanĩtio na ũrimũ, no rũthanju rwa kũmũherithia nĩrũkaũingata kũraya nake.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich, both come to poverty.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhinyagĩrĩria arĩa athĩĩni nĩguo eyongerere ũtonga, na ũrĩa ũheaga itonga iheo, eerĩ nĩmagathĩĩna.
17 Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Apply your heart to my teaching.
Tega matũ, na ũthikĩrĩrie mĩario ya andũ arĩa oogĩ; nyiita na ngoro yaku maũndũ marĩa ngũrutana,
18 For it is a pleasant thing 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 I teach you today, even you, so that your trust may be in the LORD.
Ndaakũmenyithia mo nĩgeetha mwĩhoko waku ũkoragwo harĩ Jehova, wee nĩwe ngũruta maũndũ macio ũmũthĩ, ĩĩ wee nĩwe ngũruta.
20 Haven’t I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge,
Githĩ ndikwandĩkĩire thimo mĩrongo ĩtatũ, thimo cia ũtaarani na ũmenyo,
21 To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones who sent you?
ngakũruta ciugo cia ma na cia kwĩhokeka, nĩgeetha ũkaahota kũhe ũrĩa ũgũtũmĩte macookio mega?
22 Don’t exploit the poor because he is poor; and don’t crush the needy in court;
Ndũkanatunye arĩa athĩĩni indo ciao tondũ wa ũthĩĩni wao, na ndũkanahinyĩrĩrie arĩa abatari ciira-inĩ,
23 for the LORD will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.
nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩakamaciirĩrĩra, na nĩagatunya arĩa mamatunyaga indo ciao.
24 Don’t befriend a hot-tempered man. Don’t associate with one who harbours anger,
Ndũkanagĩe ũrata na mũndũ ũrĩa ũrĩ marakara mahiũ, ndũkanagĩe thiritũ na mũndũ ũrĩa ũhiũhaga kũrakara,
25 lest you learn his ways and ensnare your soul.
tondũ wahota kwĩruta mĩthiĩre yake, na ũnyiitwo nĩ mũtego.
26 Don’t you be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts.
Ndũgatuĩke mũndũ wa kũiga kĩndũ gĩa kũrũgamĩrĩra thiirĩ, kana ũtuĩke wee nĩwe wa kũrũgamagĩrĩra mathiirĩ ma andũ angĩ;
27 If you don’t have means to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?
ũngĩkaaga kĩndũ gĩa kũrĩha nakĩo-rĩ, ũgaatunywo ũrĩrĩ waku o ũũkomeire.
28 Don’t move the ancient boundary stone which your fathers have set up.
Ndũkaneherie ihiga rĩa tene rĩa mũhaka rĩrĩa rĩahaandirwo nĩ maithe manyu ma tene.
29 Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won’t serve obscure men.
Nĩwonaga mũndũ mũũgĩ na wĩra wake? Ũcio agatungata o na mbere ya athamaki; ndagatungata mbere ya andũ matooĩkaine.
