< Thimo 18 >

1 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũtendaga gũtũũrania na andũ arũmagĩrĩra o merirĩria make; ningĩ areganaga na matua mothe ma ũũgĩ ũrĩa mũkinyanĩru.
Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh [and] intermeddleth with all wisdom.
2 Mũndũ mũkĩĩgu ndakenagĩra ũtaũku, no akenagĩra kwaria woni wake mwene.
A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
3 Rĩrĩa waganu woka, ũrehaga ũirano, nacio njono irehaga thoni.
When the wicked cometh, [then] cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.
4 Ciugo cia kanua ka mũndũ nĩ ta ndia ndiku, no gĩthima kĩa ũũgĩ nĩ karũũĩ gatherũkaga.
The words of a man’s mouth [are as] deep waters, [and] the wellspring of wisdom [as] a flowing brook.
5 Ti wega gũtĩĩra andũ arĩa aaganu maũthĩ, kana kuogomia kĩhooto kĩa arĩa matehĩtie.
[It is] not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
6 Mĩromo ya mũndũ mũkĩĩgu ĩmũrehagĩra ngũĩ, nako kanua gake geetagia rũthanju.
A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
7 Kanua ka mũndũ mũkĩĩgu nĩko kamũthũkagĩria maũndũ, nayo mĩromo yake nĩ mũtego wa ngoro yake.
A fool’s mouth [is] his destruction, and his lips [are] the snare 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 a talebearer [are] as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
9 Mũndũ kĩgũũta wĩra-inĩ wake nĩ wa nyina na ũrĩa wanangaga.
He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
10 Rĩĩtwa rĩa Jehova nĩ mũthiringo ũrĩ hinya; arĩa athingu moragĩra ho, nao magaikara marĩ agitĩre.
The name of the LORD [is] a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
11 Ũtonga wa andũ arĩa atongu nĩguo itũũra rĩao rĩa hinya; meciiragia nĩ rũthingo rũtangĩhaicĩka.
The rich man’s wealth [is] his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
12 Mbere ya mwanangĩko, ngoro ya mũndũ ĩkoragwo na mwĩtĩĩo, no kwĩnyiihia nĩkuo gũtongoragia gĩtĩĩo.
Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour [is] humility.
13 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũcookagia ũhoro mbere ya kũũthikĩrĩria, ũndũ ũcio nĩ ũrimũ na thoni ciake.
He that answereth a matter before he heareth [it], it [is] folly and shame unto him.
14 Roho wa mũndũ nĩguo ũmũũmagĩrĩria rĩrĩa arĩ mũrũaru, no roho mũthuthĩku nũũ ũngĩhota kũwĩtiiria?
The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
15 Ngoro ya mũndũ mũkũũrani maũndũ nĩĩgĩagĩra ũmenyo; matũ ma arĩa oogĩ nĩmaũcaragĩrĩria.
The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
16 Kĩheo mũndũ aheanĩte kĩmuonagia njĩra ya kũhĩtũkĩra, gĩkamũkinyia harĩ andũ arĩa anene.
A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
17 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũrehaga ciira wake mbere onekaga taarĩ we na ma, o nginya rĩrĩa mũndũ ũrĩa maraciira nake ooka kũmũũria ciũria.
[He that is] first in his own cause [seemeth] just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.
18 Ũcuuki wa mĩtĩ nĩũniinaga ngarari, na ũgateithũrana andũ eerĩ njamba.
The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
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 offended [is harder to be won] than a strong city: and [their] contentions [are] like the bars of a castle.
20 Nda ya mũndũ nĩĩhũũnagio nĩ maciaro ma kanua gake; nĩaiganagwo nĩ magetha ma mĩromo yake.
A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; [and] with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
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: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
22 Mũndũ ũrĩa wĩgĩĩagĩra na mũtumia nĩegĩagĩra na kĩndũ kĩega, na nĩgũtugwo atugĩtwo nĩ Jehova.
[Whoso] findeth a wife findeth a good [thing], and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
23 Mũndũ mũthĩĩni athaithanaga aiguĩrwo tha, no gĩtonga gĩcookagia ũhoro na ũũru.
The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
24 Mũndũ mũceeri na andũ aingĩ aahota kwĩyũnũhithia, no nĩ kũrĩ mũrata ũnyiitanaga na mũndũ gũkĩra mũrũ wa nyina na mũndũ.
A man [that hath] friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend [that] sticketh closer than a brother.

< Thimo 18 >