< Thimo 22 >

1 Rĩĩtwa rĩega nĩrĩakwĩrirĩrio gũkĩra ũtonga mũnene; gũtĩĩka nĩ kwega gũkĩra betha kana thahabu.
A good name is better than many riches. And good esteem is above silver and gold.
2 Andũ arĩa atongu na arĩa athĩĩni harĩ ũndũ ũmwe ũmanyiitithanĩtie; Jehova nĩwe Mũmbi wao othe.
The rich and poor have met one another. The Lord is the maker of them both.
3 Mũndũ mũbaarĩrĩri onaga ũgwati akehitha, no arĩa matarĩ ũũgĩ mathiiaga o na mbere nao magatoonya thĩĩna-inĩ.
The clever saw evil and hid himself. The innocent continued on and was afflicted with damage.
4 Kwĩnyiihia na gwĩtigĩra Jehova kũrehaga ũtonga, na gĩtĩĩo, na muoyo.
The end of moderation is the fear of the Lord, riches and glory and life.
5 Njĩra cia andũ arĩa aaganu irĩ mĩigua na mĩtego, no ũrĩa ũgitagĩra ngoro yake aikaraga kũraya nacio.
Weapons and swords are on the way of the perverse. But he who guards his own soul withdraws far from them.
6 Menyeria mwana njĩra ĩrĩa agĩrĩirwo nĩkũgera, na ndarĩ hĩndĩ akaamiuma o na aakũra.
The proverb is: A youth is close to his way; even when he is old, he will not withdraw from it.
7 Andũ arĩa atongu nĩ mathaga arĩa athĩĩni, na ũrĩa ũkombaga nĩ ndungata ya mũmũkoomberi.
The rich rule over the poor. And the borrower is servant to the lender.
8 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhaandaga waganu agethaga thĩĩna, naruo rũthanju rwa marakara make nĩrũkanangwo.
Whoever sows iniquity will reap evils, and by the rod of his own wrath he will be consumed.
9 Mũndũ mũtaana we mwene nĩakarathimwo, tondũ nĩagayagĩra arĩa athĩĩni irio ciake.
Whoever is inclined to mercy shall be blessed, for from his bread he has given to the poor. Whoever gives gifts will acquire victory and honor. But he carries away the soul of the receiver.
10 Ingata mũnyũrũrania, nayo ngũĩ nĩĩgũkweherera; inegene na irumi o nacio nĩcigũthira.
Cast out the one who ridicules, and conflict will go out with him, and accusations and insults will cease.
11 Mũndũ ũrĩa wendaga ngoro theru na akaaragia maũndũ ma ũtugi, mũthamaki nĩagatuĩka mũrata wake.
Whoever loves cleanness of heart, because of the grace of his lips, will have the king as his friend.
12 Maitho ma Jehova nĩmamenyagĩrĩra ũmenyo, no nĩathaahagia ciugo cia ũrĩa ũtarĩ mwĩhokeku.
The eyes of the Lord watch over knowledge. And the words of the iniquitous are supplanted.
13 Kĩgũũta kiugaga, “Nja kũrĩ na mũrũũthi!” Kana gĩkoiga atĩrĩ, “Nĩngũũragĩrwo njĩra-inĩ!”
The lazy one says: “There is a lion outside. I might be slain in the midst of the streets.”
14 Kanua ka mũtumia mũtharia nĩ irima iriku, nake ũrĩa werekeirio mangʼũrĩ ma Jehova agũũaga thĩinĩ wa rĩo.
The mouth of a foreign woman is a deep pit; the Lord was angry with him who will fall into it.
15 Ngoro ya mwana yohanĩtio na ũrimũ, no rũthanju rwa kũmũherithia nĩrũkaũingata kũraya nake.
Foolishness has been bound to the heart of a child, and a rod of discipline shall cause it to flee.
16 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhinyagĩrĩria arĩa athĩĩni nĩguo eyongerere ũtonga, na ũrĩa ũheaga itonga iheo, eerĩ nĩmagathĩĩna.
Whoever slanders the poor, so as to augment his own riches, will give it away to one who is richer, and will be in need.
17 Tega matũ, na ũthikĩrĩrie mĩario ya andũ arĩa oogĩ; nyiita na ngoro yaku maũndũ marĩa ngũrutana,
Incline your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Then apply your heart to my doctrine.
18 tondũ nĩ ũndũ mwega hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ũkũmaiga ngoro-inĩ yaku, na ũkoragwo namo mothe mĩromo-inĩ yaku.
It shall be beautiful to you, if you preserve it in your inner self, and it shall overflow from your lips,
19 Ndaakũmenyithia mo nĩgeetha mwĩhoko waku ũkoragwo harĩ Jehova, wee nĩwe ngũruta maũndũ macio ũmũthĩ, ĩĩ wee nĩwe ngũruta.
so that your confidence may be in the Lord. Therefore, I also have revealed it to you this day.
20 Githĩ ndikwandĩkĩire thimo mĩrongo ĩtatũ, thimo cia ũtaarani na ũmenyo,
Behold, I have written it for you in three ways, and with meditations and knowledge,
21 ngakũruta ciugo cia ma na cia kwĩhokeka, nĩgeetha ũkaahota kũhe ũrĩa ũgũtũmĩte macookio mega?
so that I might reveal to you, firmly and with words of truth, in order to respond about these things to those who sent you.
22 Ndũkanatunye arĩa athĩĩni indo ciao tondũ wa ũthĩĩni wao, na ndũkanahinyĩrĩrie arĩa abatari ciira-inĩ,
Do not act with violence toward the pauper because he is poor. And do not weary the needy at the gate.
23 nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩakamaciirĩrĩra, na nĩagatunya arĩa mamatunyaga indo ciao.
For the Lord will judge his case, and he will pierce those who have pierced his soul.
24 Ndũkanagĩe ũrata na mũndũ ũrĩa ũrĩ marakara mahiũ, ndũkanagĩe thiritũ na mũndũ ũrĩa ũhiũhaga kũrakara,
Do not be willing to be a friend to an angry man, and do not walk with a furious man,
25 tondũ wahota kwĩruta mĩthiĩre yake, na ũnyiitwo nĩ mũtego.
lest perhaps you learn his ways, and take up a stumbling block to your soul.
26 Ndũgatuĩke mũndũ wa kũiga kĩndũ gĩa kũrũgamĩrĩra thiirĩ, kana ũtuĩke wee nĩwe wa kũrũgamagĩrĩra mathiirĩ ma andũ angĩ;
Do not be willing to be with those who certify with their hands, and who offer themselves as a guarantee against debts.
27 ũngĩkaaga kĩndũ gĩa kũrĩha nakĩo-rĩ, ũgaatunywo ũrĩrĩ waku o ũũkomeire.
For if you do not have the means to restore, what reason should there be for him to take the covering from your bed?
28 Ndũkaneherie ihiga rĩa tene rĩa mũhaka rĩrĩa rĩahaandirwo nĩ maithe manyu ma tene.
Do not cross beyond the ancient limits that your fathers have set.
29 Nĩwonaga mũndũ mũũgĩ na wĩra wake? Ũcio agatungata o na mbere ya athamaki; ndagatungata mbere ya andũ matooĩkaine.
Have you seen a man swift in his work? He shall stand in the sight of kings, and not before those who are disreputable.

< Thimo 22 >