Thimo 22
1 Rĩĩtwa rĩega nĩrĩakwĩrirĩrio gũkĩra ũtonga mũnene; gũtĩĩka nĩ kwega gũkĩra betha kana thahabu.
A good reputation is a much better choice than plenty of money; respect is better than silver and gold.
2 Andũ arĩa atongu na arĩa athĩĩni harĩ ũndũ ũmwe ũmanyiitithanĩtie; Jehova nĩwe Mũmbi wao othe.
The rich and the poor have this in common: the Lord created them all.
3 Mũndũ mũbaarĩrĩri onaga ũgwati akehitha, no arĩa matarĩ ũũgĩ mathiiaga o na mbere nao magatoonya thĩĩna-inĩ.
If you're sensible you see danger coming and get out of the way; but stupid people just keep going and pay for it.
4 Kwĩnyiihia na gwĩtigĩra Jehova kũrehaga ũtonga, na gĩtĩĩo, na muoyo.
The reward you receive for being humble and respecting the Lord is wealth, honor, and life.
5 Njĩra cia andũ arĩa aaganu irĩ mĩigua na mĩtego, no ũrĩa ũgitagĩra ngoro yake aikaraga kũraya nacio.
Thorns and traps lie in the path of crooked people; those who value their lives will stay away from them.
6 Menyeria mwana njĩra ĩrĩa agĩrĩirwo nĩkũgera, na ndarĩ hĩndĩ akaamiuma o na aakũra.
Teach children the right way to live, and when they grow up they'll go on doing so.
7 Andũ arĩa atongu nĩ mathaga arĩa athĩĩni, na ũrĩa ũkombaga nĩ ndungata ya mũmũkoomberi.
The rich rule the poor, and borrowers are slaves to their lenders.
8 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhaandaga waganu agethaga thĩĩna, naruo rũthanju rwa marakara make nĩrũkanangwo.
Those who sow injustice will reap disaster, and the angry beatings they inflict on others will be stopped.
9 Mũndũ mũtaana we mwene nĩakarathimwo, tondũ nĩagayagĩra arĩa athĩĩni irio ciake.
If you're generous, you'll be blessed, for you share your food with those in need.
10 Ingata mũnyũrũrania, nayo ngũĩ nĩĩgũkweherera; inegene na irumi o nacio nĩcigũthira.
Get rid of the scornful, and you'll get rid of conflict too—no more arguments or insults!
11 Mũndũ ũrĩa wendaga ngoro theru na akaaragia maũndũ ma ũtugi, mũthamaki nĩagatuĩka mũrata wake.
Anyone who loves sincerity and a gracious way of speaking will have the king as their friend.
12 Maitho ma Jehova nĩmamenyagĩrĩra ũmenyo, no nĩathaahagia ciugo cia ũrĩa ũtarĩ mwĩhokeku.
The Lord watches over true knowledge, but counteracts the words of liars.
13 Kĩgũũta kiugaga, “Nja kũrĩ na mũrũũthi!” Kana gĩkoiga atĩrĩ, “Nĩngũũragĩrwo njĩra-inĩ!”
Lazy people make claims like, “There's a lion outside! I might be killed if I go out there!”
14 Kanua ka mũtumia mũtharia nĩ irima iriku, nake ũrĩa werekeirio mangʼũrĩ ma Jehova agũũaga thĩinĩ wa rĩo.
The seductive words of an immoral woman are a dangerous trap—if the Lord's angry with you, then you'll fall right in.
15 Ngoro ya mwana yohanĩtio na ũrimũ, no rũthanju rwa kũmũherithia nĩrũkaũingata kũraya nake.
Children are naturally foolish; physical correction helps them to see sense.
16 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhinyagĩrĩria arĩa athĩĩni nĩguo eyongerere ũtonga, na ũrĩa ũheaga itonga iheo, eerĩ nĩmagathĩĩna.
If you oppress the poor to make yourself rich, or if you're generous to the rich, you'll end up poor yourself.
17 Tega matũ, na ũthikĩrĩrie mĩario ya andũ arĩa oogĩ; nyiita na ngoro yaku maũndũ marĩa ngũrutana,
Pay attention and listen to the words of the wise, and think carefully about my teachings—
18 tondũ nĩ ũndũ mwega hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ũkũmaiga ngoro-inĩ yaku, na ũkoragwo namo mothe mĩromo-inĩ yaku.
for it's good to keep them in mind so you can be ready to share them.
19 Ndaakũmenyithia mo nĩgeetha mwĩhoko waku ũkoragwo harĩ Jehova, wee nĩwe ngũruta maũndũ macio ũmũthĩ, ĩĩ wee nĩwe ngũruta.
I'm explaining this to you today so you can trust in the Lord—yes, you!
20 Githĩ ndikwandĩkĩire thimo mĩrongo ĩtatũ, thimo cia ũtaarani na ũmenyo,
Haven't I written down for you thirty sayings of advice and wisdom?
21 ngakũruta ciugo cia ma na cia kwĩhokeka, nĩgeetha ũkaahota kũhe ũrĩa ũgũtũmĩte macookio mega?
They are to make it clear to you what's right and true, so you can give a truthful explanation to those who sent you.
22 Ndũkanatunye arĩa athĩĩni indo ciao tondũ wa ũthĩĩni wao, na ndũkanahinyĩrĩrie arĩa abatari ciira-inĩ,
For you shouldn't steal from the poor just because they're poor; and you shouldn't crush those with limited means in court,
23 nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩakamaciirĩrĩra, na nĩagatunya arĩa mamatunyaga indo ciao.
for the Lord will plead their case, and he will take back whatever was stolen from them.
24 Ndũkanagĩe ũrata na mũndũ ũrĩa ũrĩ marakara mahiũ, ndũkanagĩe thiritũ na mũndũ ũrĩa ũhiũhaga kũrakara,
Don't make friends with someone who gets upset easily; don't associate with angry people,
25 tondũ wahota kwĩruta mĩthiĩre yake, na ũnyiitwo nĩ mũtego.
in case you learn to be like them and make a mess of your life.
26 Ndũgatuĩke mũndũ wa kũiga kĩndũ gĩa kũrũgamĩrĩra thiirĩ, kana ũtuĩke wee nĩwe wa kũrũgamagĩrĩra mathiirĩ ma andũ angĩ;
Don't shake hands and guarantee someone's debt,
27 ũngĩkaaga kĩndũ gĩa kũrĩha nakĩo-rĩ, ũgaatunywo ũrĩrĩ waku o ũũkomeire.
for if you can't pay, why should your bed be taken away from beneath you?
28 Ndũkaneherie ihiga rĩa tene rĩa mũhaka rĩrĩa rĩahaandirwo nĩ maithe manyu ma tene.
Don't move ancient boundary markers that your forefathers put in place.
29 Nĩwonaga mũndũ mũũgĩ na wĩra wake? Ũcio agatungata o na mbere ya athamaki; ndagatungata mbere ya andũ matooĩkaine.
If you see someone skilled in what they do, they'll work for kings and not for ordinary people.
