< Thimo 20 >

1 Ndibei nĩ mũnyũrũrania, na njoohi nĩ mũndũ wa ngũĩ; mũndũ ũrĩa ũhĩtithagio nĩcio ti mũũgĩ.
Wine is a mocker and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
2 Mangʼũrĩ ma mũthamaki nĩ ta mũraramo wa mũrũũthi; ũrĩa ũmũrakaragia nĩ muoyo wake ateaga.
The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.
3 Gwĩtheema ngũĩ kũrehagĩra mũndũ gĩtĩĩo, no mũndũ o wothe mũkĩĩgu ahiũhaga kũũgitana.
It is an honour for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarrelling.
4 Kĩgũũta gĩticimbaga hĩndĩ ya irĩma; nĩ ũndũ ũcio hĩndĩ ya magetha gĩathiĩ kũmaatha gĩtirĩ kĩndũ kĩonaga.
The sluggard will not plough by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
5 Muoroto wa ngoro ya mũndũ nĩ ta maaĩ ma ndia ndiku, no mũndũ ũrĩ na ũtaũku nĩamatahaga.
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Andũ aingĩ metuaga marĩ na wendo ũtangĩthira, no mũndũ mwĩhokeku-rĩ, nũũ ũngĩmuona?
Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?
7 Mũndũ mũthingu atũũraga mũtũũrĩre ũtarĩ ũcuuke; kũrathimwo-rĩ, nĩ ciana ciake iria atigaga.
A righteous man walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him.
8 Rĩrĩa mũthamaki aikarĩra gĩtĩ gĩake kĩa ũnene atue ciira, maitho make mathũngũrũraga ũũru wothe.
A king who sits on the throne of judgement scatters away all evil with his eyes.
9 Nũũ ũngiuga atĩrĩ, “Nĩnjigĩte ngoro yakwa ĩrĩ theru; ndĩ mũtheru, na ndirĩ na mehia”?
Who can say, “I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin”?
10 Mahiga ma ratiri mataiganainie ũritũ, o na ithimi itaiganĩte: cierĩ nĩ indo irĩ magigi harĩ Jehova.
Differing weights and differing measures, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
11 O na kaana kamenyekaga nĩ ũndũ wa ciĩko ciako, gakamenyeka kana mĩtugo yako nĩ mĩtheru, na kana nĩ mĩagĩrĩru.
Even a child makes himself known by his doings, whether his work is pure, and whether it is right.
12 Matũ marĩa maiguaga na maitho marĩa monaga-rĩ, cierĩ nĩ Jehova waciũmbire.
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD has made even both of them.
13 Tiga kwenda toro, ndũkae gũthĩĩna; ikaraga wĩiguĩte, na nĩũrĩrĩĩaga irio ũkahũũna.
Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.
14 Mũgũri akĩgũra oigaga atĩrĩ, “Kĩndũ gĩkĩ ti kĩega, ti kĩega!” Agacooka agathiĩ akĩĩrahaga ũrĩa oĩ kũgũra.
“It’s no good, it’s no good,” says the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.
15 Thahabu nĩ kũrĩ, o na ruru no nyingĩ, no mĩromo ĩrĩa yaragia ũmenyo nĩ ithaga rĩa goro rĩrĩa rĩtonekaga.
There is gold and abundance of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.
16 Oya nguo ya mũndũ ũrĩa ũngĩrũgamĩrĩra thiirĩ wa mũndũ wa kũngĩ; mĩige ĩrũgamĩrĩre thiirĩ ũcio wa mũndũ wa kũngĩ.
Take the garment of one who puts up collateral for a stranger; and hold him in pledge for a wayward woman.
17 Irio cionekete na njĩra ya kũheenania irĩ cama harĩ mũndũ, no thuutha kanua gake kaiyũraga o mũthanga.
Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.
18 Mĩbango ĩgaacagĩra nĩ ũndũ wa kũhooya kĩrĩra, ũngĩtua gũthiĩ mbaara-inĩ, heo ũtaaro.
Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!
19 Mũndũ wa mũhuhu nĩoimagia ndeto cia ndundu nja, nĩ ũndũ ũcio wĩthemage mũndũ waragia mũno.
He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.
20 Mũndũ angĩruma ithe kana nyina, tawa wake ũkaahorera nduma-inĩ ĩrĩa ndumanu.
Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.
21 Igai rĩrĩa rĩoneka narua kĩambĩrĩria-inĩ, marigĩrĩrio-inĩ rĩtituĩkaga rĩa kĩrathimo.
An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning won’t be blessed in the end.
22 Ndũkoige atĩrĩ, “Nĩngerĩhĩria ũũru ũyũ!” Eterera Jehova nake nĩegũkũhonokia.
Don’t say, “I will pay back evil.” Wait for the LORD, and he will save you.
23 Mahiga ma ratiri mataiganainie ũritũ nĩ kĩndũ kĩrĩ magigi harĩ Jehova, nacio ratiri itarĩ cia ma itimũkenagia.
The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing.
24 Makinya ma mũndũ matongoragio nĩ Jehova. Mũndũ-rĩ, angĩkĩhota atĩa kũmenya njĩra yake mwene?
A man’s steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way?
25 Nĩ mũtego harĩ mũndũ kwamũrĩra Ngai kĩndũ na ihenya, acooke gwĩcũũrania ũhoro wa mĩĩhĩtwa yake thuutha-inĩ.
It is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication, then later to consider his vows.
26 Mũthamaki mũũgĩ nĩathũngũrũraga andũ arĩa aaganu; ageragĩria kĩgaragari gĩa gũkonyora ngano igũrũ rĩao.
A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them.
27 Roho wa mũndũ nĩ tawa wa Jehova, ũthuthuuragia o nginya tũturi tũrĩa tũrĩ thĩinĩ mũno.
The spirit of man is the LORD’s lamp, searching all his innermost parts.
28 Wendo na wĩhokeku nĩcigitagĩra mũthamaki; ũtugi nĩũtũmaga gĩtĩ gĩake kĩa ũnene kĩrũme.
Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love.
29 Hinya wa andũ ethĩ nĩguo riiri wao, nacio mbuĩ nĩcio riiri wa arĩa akũrũ.
The glory of young men is their strength. The splendour of old men is their grey hair.
30 Mahũũra na nguraro nĩitheragia ũũru wa mũndũ, nacio iboko itheragia o nginya tũturi twa thĩinĩ mũno.
Wounding blows cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the innermost parts.

< Thimo 20 >