< Thimo 18 >

1 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũtendaga gũtũũrania na andũ arũmagĩrĩra o merirĩria make; ningĩ areganaga na matua mothe ma ũũgĩ ũrĩa mũkinyanĩru.
Whoever has a will to withdraw from a friend, seeks occasions; he shall be reproached at all times.
2 Mũndũ mũkĩĩgu ndakenagĩra ũtaũku, no akenagĩra kwaria woni wake mwene.
The foolish do not accept words of prudence, unless you say what is already turning in his heart.
3 Rĩrĩa waganu woka, ũrehaga ũirano, nacio njono irehaga thoni.
The impious, when he has arrived within the depths of sin, thinks little of it. But ill repute and disgrace follow him.
4 Ciugo cia kanua ka mũndũ nĩ ta ndia ndiku, no gĩthima kĩa ũũgĩ nĩ karũũĩ gatherũkaga.
Words from the mouth of a man are deep waters. And the fountain of wisdom is a torrent overflowing.
5 Ti wega gũtĩĩra andũ arĩa aaganu maũthĩ, kana kuogomia kĩhooto kĩa arĩa matehĩtie.
It is not good to accept the character of the impious, so as to turn away from true judgment.
6 Mĩromo ya mũndũ mũkĩĩgu ĩmũrehagĩra ngũĩ, nako kanua gake geetagia rũthanju.
The lips of the foolish meddle in disputes. And his mouth provokes conflicts.
7 Kanua ka mũndũ mũkĩĩgu nĩko kamũthũkagĩria maũndũ, nayo mĩromo yake nĩ mũtego wa ngoro yake.
The mouth of the foolish is his destruction, and his own lips are the ruin of his soul.
8 Ndeto cia mũndũ wa mũhuhu nĩ ta twenyũ twega twa irio; tũmerũkaga nginya tũturi-inĩ twa nda tũrĩa tũrĩ thĩinĩ mũno.
The words of the double-tongued seem simple. And they reach even to the interior of the gut. Fear casts down the lazy, but the souls of the effeminate shall go hungry.
9 Mũndũ kĩgũũta wĩra-inĩ wake nĩ wa nyina na ũrĩa wanangaga.
Whoever is dissolute and slack in his work is the brother of him who wastes his own works.
10 Rĩĩtwa rĩa Jehova nĩ mũthiringo ũrĩ hinya; arĩa athingu moragĩra ho, nao magaikara marĩ agitĩre.
The name of the Lord is a very strong tower. The just one rushes to it, and he shall be exalted.
11 Ũtonga wa andũ arĩa atongu nĩguo itũũra rĩao rĩa hinya; meciiragia nĩ rũthingo rũtangĩhaicĩka.
The substance of the wealthy is the city of his strength, and it is like a strong wall encircling him.
12 Mbere ya mwanangĩko, ngoro ya mũndũ ĩkoragwo na mwĩtĩĩo, no kwĩnyiihia nĩkuo gũtongoragia gĩtĩĩo.
The heart of a man is exalted before it is crushed and humbled before it is glorified.
13 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũcookagia ũhoro mbere ya kũũthikĩrĩria, ũndũ ũcio nĩ ũrimũ na thoni ciake.
Whoever responds before he listens, demonstrates himself to be foolish and deserving of confusion.
14 Roho wa mũndũ nĩguo ũmũũmagĩrĩria rĩrĩa arĩ mũrũaru, no roho mũthuthĩku nũũ ũngĩhota kũwĩtiiria?
The spirit of a man sustains his weakness. Yet who can sustain a spirit that is easily angered?
15 Ngoro ya mũndũ mũkũũrani maũndũ nĩĩgĩagĩra ũmenyo; matũ ma arĩa oogĩ nĩmaũcaragĩrĩria.
A prudent heart shall possess knowledge. And the ear of the wise seeks doctrine.
16 Kĩheo mũndũ aheanĩte kĩmuonagia njĩra ya kũhĩtũkĩra, gĩkamũkinyia harĩ andũ arĩa anene.
A man’s gift expands his way and makes space for him before leaders.
17 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũrehaga ciira wake mbere onekaga taarĩ we na ma, o nginya rĩrĩa mũndũ ũrĩa maraciira nake ooka kũmũũria ciũria.
The just is the first accuser of himself; his friend arrives and shall investigate him.
18 Ũcuuki wa mĩtĩ nĩũniinaga ngarari, na ũgateithũrana andũ eerĩ njamba.
Casting a lot suppresses contentions and passes judgment, even among the powerful.
19 Mũndũ mũrakarie nĩ mũrũ wa nyina nĩ hinya kwĩiguithania nake gũkĩra kwĩgwatĩra itũũra inene rĩirigĩre, nacio ngarari nĩ ta mĩgĩĩko ĩrĩa ĩhingaga njeera.
A brother who is helped by a brother is like a reinforced city, and judgments are like the bars of cities.
20 Nda ya mũndũ nĩĩhũũnagio nĩ maciaro ma kanua gake; nĩaiganagwo nĩ magetha ma mĩromo yake.
From the fruit of a man’s mouth shall his belly be filled. And the harvest of his own lips shall satisfy him.
21 Rũrĩmĩ rũrĩ na hinya wa gwathĩrĩra mũndũ muoyo kana gĩkuũ, no arĩa marwendete no marĩĩage maciaro maaruo.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Whoever values it shall eat from its fruits.
22 Mũndũ ũrĩa wĩgĩĩagĩra na mũtumia nĩegĩagĩra na kĩndũ kĩega, na nĩgũtugwo atugĩtwo nĩ Jehova.
He who has found a good wife has found goodness, and he shall draw contentment from the Lord. He who expels a good wife expels goodness. But he who holds on to an adulteress is foolish and impious.
23 Mũndũ mũthĩĩni athaithanaga aiguĩrwo tha, no gĩtonga gĩcookagia ũhoro na ũũru.
The poor will speak with supplications. And the rich will express themselves roughly.
24 Mũndũ mũceeri na andũ aingĩ aahota kwĩyũnũhithia, no nĩ kũrĩ mũrata ũnyiitanaga na mũndũ gũkĩra mũrũ wa nyina na mũndũ.
A man amiable to society shall be more friendly than a brother.

< Thimo 18 >