< Thimo 17 >

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

< Thimo 17 >