Thimo 22
1 Rĩĩtwa rĩega nĩrĩakwĩrirĩrio gũkĩra ũtonga mũnene; gũtĩĩka nĩ kwega gũkĩra betha kana thahabu.
A good name is more to be desired than great wealth, and to be respected is better than silver and gold.
2 Andũ arĩa atongu na arĩa athĩĩni harĩ ũndũ ũmwe ũmanyiitithanĩtie; Jehova nĩwe Mũmbi wao othe.
The man of wealth and the poor man come face to face: the Lord is the maker of them all.
3 Mũndũ mũbaarĩrĩri onaga ũgwati akehitha, no arĩa matarĩ ũũgĩ mathiiaga o na mbere nao magatoonya thĩĩna-inĩ.
The sharp man sees the evil and takes cover: the simple go straight on and get into trouble.
4 Kwĩnyiihia na gwĩtigĩra Jehova kũrehaga ũtonga, na gĩtĩĩo, na muoyo.
The reward of a gentle spirit and the fear of the Lord is wealth and honour and life.
5 Njĩra cia andũ arĩa aaganu irĩ mĩigua na mĩtego, no ũrĩa ũgitagĩra ngoro yake aikaraga kũraya nacio.
Thorns and nets are in the way of the twisted: he who keeps watch over his soul will be far from them.
6 Menyeria mwana njĩra ĩrĩa agĩrĩirwo nĩkũgera, na ndarĩ hĩndĩ akaamiuma o na aakũra.
If a child is trained up in the right way, even when he is old he will not be turned away from it.
7 Andũ arĩa atongu nĩ mathaga arĩa athĩĩni, na ũrĩa ũkombaga nĩ ndungata ya mũmũkoomberi.
The man of wealth has rule over the poor, and he who gets into debt is a servant to his creditor.
8 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhaandaga waganu agethaga thĩĩna, naruo rũthanju rwa marakara make nĩrũkanangwo.
By planting the seed of evil a man will get in the grain of sorrow, and the rod of his wrath will be broken.
9 Mũndũ mũtaana we mwene nĩakarathimwo, tondũ nĩagayagĩra arĩa athĩĩni irio ciake.
He who is kind will have a blessing, for he gives of his bread to the poor.
10 Ingata mũnyũrũrania, nayo ngũĩ nĩĩgũkweherera; inegene na irumi o nacio nĩcigũthira.
Send away the man of pride, and argument will go out; truly fighting and shame will come to an end.
11 Mũndũ ũrĩa wendaga ngoro theru na akaaragia maũndũ ma ũtugi, mũthamaki nĩagatuĩka mũrata wake.
He whose heart is clean is dear to the Lord; for the grace of his lips the king will be his friend.
12 Maitho ma Jehova nĩmamenyagĩrĩra ũmenyo, no nĩathaahagia ciugo cia ũrĩa ũtarĩ mwĩhokeku.
The eyes of the Lord keep knowledge, but by him the acts of the false man will be overturned.
13 Kĩgũũta kiugaga, “Nja kũrĩ na mũrũũthi!” Kana gĩkoiga atĩrĩ, “Nĩngũũragĩrwo njĩra-inĩ!”
The hater of work says, There is a lion outside: I will be put to death in the streets.
14 Kanua ka mũtumia mũtharia nĩ irima iriku, nake ũrĩa werekeirio mangʼũrĩ ma Jehova agũũaga thĩinĩ wa rĩo.
The mouth of strange women is a deep hole: he with whom the Lord is angry will go down into it.
15 Ngoro ya mwana yohanĩtio na ũrimũ, no rũthanju rwa kũmũherithia nĩrũkaũingata kũraya nake.
Foolish ways are deep-seated in the heart of a child, but the rod of punishment will send them far from him.
16 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhinyagĩrĩria arĩa athĩĩni nĩguo eyongerere ũtonga, na ũrĩa ũheaga itonga iheo, eerĩ nĩmagathĩĩna.
He who is cruel to the poor for the purpose of increasing his profit, and he who gives to the man of wealth, will only come to be in need.
17 Tega matũ, na ũthikĩrĩrie mĩario ya andũ arĩa oogĩ; nyiita na ngoro yaku maũndũ marĩa ngũrutana,
Let your ear be bent down for hearing my words, and let your heart give thought to knowledge.
18 tondũ nĩ ũndũ mwega hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ũkũmaiga ngoro-inĩ yaku, na ũkoragwo namo mothe mĩromo-inĩ yaku.
For it is a delight to keep them in your heart, to have them ready on your lips.
19 Ndaakũmenyithia mo nĩgeetha mwĩhoko waku ũkoragwo harĩ Jehova, wee nĩwe ngũruta maũndũ macio ũmũthĩ, ĩĩ wee nĩwe ngũruta.
So that your faith may be in the Lord, I have made them clear to you this day, even to you.
20 Githĩ ndikwandĩkĩire thimo mĩrongo ĩtatũ, thimo cia ũtaarani na ũmenyo,
Have I not put in writing for you thirty sayings, with wise suggestions and knowledge,
21 ngakũruta ciugo cia ma na cia kwĩhokeka, nĩgeetha ũkaahota kũhe ũrĩa ũgũtũmĩte macookio mega?
To make you see how certain are true words, so that you may give a true answer to those who put questions to you?
22 Ndũkanatunye arĩa athĩĩni indo ciao tondũ wa ũthĩĩni wao, na ndũkanahinyĩrĩrie arĩa abatari ciira-inĩ,
Do not take away the property of the poor man because he is poor, or be cruel to the crushed ones when they come before the judge:
23 nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩakamaciirĩrĩra, na nĩagatunya arĩa mamatunyaga indo ciao.
For the Lord will give support to their cause, and take the life of those who take their goods.
24 Ndũkanagĩe ũrata na mũndũ ũrĩa ũrĩ marakara mahiũ, ndũkanagĩe thiritũ na mũndũ ũrĩa ũhiũhaga kũrakara,
Do not be friends with a man who is given to wrath; do not go in the company of an angry man:
25 tondũ wahota kwĩruta mĩthiĩre yake, na ũnyiitwo nĩ mũtego.
For fear of learning his ways and making a net ready for your soul.
26 Ndũgatuĩke mũndũ wa kũiga kĩndũ gĩa kũrũgamĩrĩra thiirĩ, kana ũtuĩke wee nĩwe wa kũrũgamagĩrĩra mathiirĩ ma andũ angĩ;
Be not one of those who give their hands in an agreement, or of those who make themselves responsible for debts:
27 ũngĩkaaga kĩndũ gĩa kũrĩha nakĩo-rĩ, ũgaatunywo ũrĩrĩ waku o ũũkomeire.
If you have nothing with which to make payment, he will take away your bed from under you.
28 Ndũkaneherie ihiga rĩa tene rĩa mũhaka rĩrĩa rĩahaandirwo nĩ maithe manyu ma tene.
Let not the old landmark be moved which your fathers have put in place.
29 Nĩwonaga mũndũ mũũgĩ na wĩra wake? Ũcio agatungata o na mbere ya athamaki; ndagatungata mbere ya andũ matooĩkaine.
Have you seen a man who is expert in his business? he will take his place before kings; his place will not be among low persons.
