< Thimo 1 >

1 Ici nĩ thimo cia Solomoni mũrũ wa Daudi, ũrĩa warĩ mũthamaki wa Isiraeli:
The proverbs of Solomon [Peaceable, Recompense], the son of David [Beloved], king of Israel [God prevails]:
2 nĩ thimo cia gũtũma mũndũ agĩe na ũũgĩ, na ataarĩke; nĩ cia gũtũma ahote gũtaũkĩrwo nĩ ciugo cia ũũgĩ;
to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
3 nĩ cia gũtũma mũndũ ataarĩke ahote kũbarĩrĩra mũtũũrĩre wake, ekage maũndũ marĩa magĩrĩire, na ma kĩhooto, na marĩa mega;
to receive instruction in wisdom, in righteousness, mishpat ·justice·, and equity;
4 nĩ cia gũtũma ũrĩa ũtarĩ na ũũgĩ agĩe na ũmenyo, na cia gũtũma mũndũ mwĩthĩ agĩe na ũmenyo na ũgereri:
to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man:
5 arĩa oogĩ-rĩ, nĩmathikĩrĩrie na mongerere wĩruti wao, nao arĩa akũũrani maũndũ metĩkĩre gũtongorio.
that the wise man may sh'ma ·hear obey·, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel:
6 Ningĩ nĩ cia gũtũma mũndũ ataũkĩrwo nĩ thimo na ngerekano, na ataũkĩrwo nĩ ciugo cia andũ arĩa oogĩ, na ndaĩ ciao.
to understand a proverb, and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.
7 Kĩambĩrĩria kĩa ũmenyo nĩ gwĩtigĩra Jehova, no arĩa akĩĩgu nĩ mathũire ũũgĩ na ũtaaro.
The fear of Adonai is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
8 Mũrũ wakwa, thikĩrĩria mataaro ma thoguo, na ndũgatigane na ũrutani wa maitũguo.
My son, sh'ma ·hear obey· your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching:
9 Maũndũ macio magaatuĩka ithaga rĩa kũgemia mũtwe waku, na ta mũgathĩ wa kũgemia ngingo yaku.
for they will be a garland to chen ·grace· your head, and chains around your neck.
10 Mũrũ wakwa, ehia mangĩgakũheenereria-rĩ, ndũkanetĩkanie nao.
My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.
11 Mangĩgakwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ũka ũthiĩ hamwe na ithuĩ; reke tuoherie mũndũ tũite thakame yake, reke tũcemaceeme mũndũ o na ũtehĩtie;
If they say, “Come with us, Let’s lay in wait for blood; let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
12 ningĩ reke tũmamerie marĩ muoyo, o ta ũrĩa mbĩrĩra ĩĩkaga, na marĩ agima, o ta arĩa maharũrũkaga irima; (Sheol h7585)
let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol ·Place of the dead·, and whole, like those who go down into the pit (of Abbadon, the unrighteous side of Sheol). (Sheol h7585)
13 Na ithuĩ-rĩ, tũkĩgĩe na indo cia goro cia mĩthemba yothe, na tũiyũrie nyũmba ciitũ na indo cia ndaho;
We’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with plunder.
14 rutithania wĩra na ithuĩ, tũkorwo na mũhuko ũmwe ithuothe”;
You shall cast your lot among us. We’ll all have one purse.”
15 mũrũ wakwa, tiga gũtwarana nao, ndũkagerere njĩra ciao;
My son, don’t walk on the path with them. Keep your foot from their path,
16 nĩgũkorwo magũrũ mao mahanyũkaga mathiĩ mehia-inĩ, nao mahiũhaga magaite thakame.
for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.
17 Kaĩ nĩ wĩra wa tũhũ kũiga gĩkerenge nyoni ciothe igĩkuonaga-ĩ!
For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird:
18 Andũ aya mohagĩria thakame yao ene; maceemaga o mĩoyo yao ene!
but these lay wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 Ũcio nĩguo mũthia wa arĩa othe magĩaga na indo na njĩra ya ungumania; indo icio iniinaga mĩoyo ya arĩa magĩaga nacio.
So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.
20 Ũũgĩ nĩ aretana anĩrĩire njĩra-inĩ, ningĩ agakayũrũrũka arĩ ihaaro-inĩ cia mũingĩ;
Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.
21 Aragũthũka na mũgambo mũnene arĩ magomano-inĩ ma njĩra kũu kũrĩ inegene, o na itoonyero rĩa itũũra inene akoria atĩrĩ:
She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
22 “Inyuĩ mũtarĩ ũũgĩ-rĩ, nĩ nginya rĩ mũgũtũũra mwendete njĩra cianyu itarĩ cia ũũgĩ? Nĩ nginya rĩ anyũrũrania megũtũũra makenagĩra kĩnyũrũri, na arĩa akĩĩgu mathũire ũmenyo?
“How long, you simple ones, will you 'ahav ·affectionately love· thoughtless living? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?
23 Korwo nĩmwetĩkĩrire kũigua ũtaaro wakwa-rĩ, nĩingĩamũhingũrĩire ngoro yakwa, ndũme mũmenye meciiria makwa.
Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.
24 No tondũ nĩmwaregire kũnjigua rĩrĩa ndetanire, na gũtirĩ mũndũ werũmbũirie hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ndatambũrũkirie guoko gwakwa,
Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
25 na mũkĩagĩra mataaro makwa mothe bata, na mũkĩaga gwĩtĩkĩra ikaanania rĩakwa-rĩ,
but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;
26 niĩ na niĩ nĩngamũthekerera hĩndĩ yanyu ya mwanangĩko, na ndĩmũnyũrũrie rĩrĩa mũgaakorererwo nĩ mũtino:
I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you;
27 ĩĩ hĩndĩ ĩrĩa guoya ũkaamũkorerera ta kĩhuhũkanio, rĩrĩa mwanangĩko ũkaamũhaata ta rũhuho rwa kĩhuhũkanio, rĩrĩa mũgaakinyĩrĩrwo nĩ mĩnyamaro na ruo rwa ngoro.
when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come on you.
28 “Hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩmakangaĩra, no ndikametĩka; nĩmakanjetha na kĩyo, no matikanyona.
Then will they call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me;
29 Tondũ nĩmathũũrire ũmenyo, na matiigana gũthuura gwĩtigĩra Jehova,
because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of Adonai.
30 tondũ matietĩkĩrire mataaro makwa, na nĩmamenire ikaanania rĩakwa,
They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
31 makaarĩa maciaro ma mĩthiĩre yao, na mahũũnio nĩ maciaro ma mathugunda mao.
Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.
32 Nĩgũkorwo ũgenyũ wa arĩa matarĩ ũũgĩ nĩũkamooraga, nakuo kwĩgangara kwa arĩa akĩĩgu nĩgũkamaniina;
For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.
33 no ũrĩa wothe ũnjiguaga arĩtũũraga na thayũ, na atũũre ahooreire, atarĩ ũgwati angĩĩtigĩra.”
But whoever sh'ma ·hears obeys· me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”

< Thimo 1 >