< Thimo 22 >

1 Rĩĩtwa rĩega nĩrĩakwĩrirĩrio gũkĩra ũtonga mũnene; gũtĩĩka nĩ kwega gũkĩra betha kana thahabu.
A good name is to be chosen over great riches and favor is better than silver and gold.
2 Andũ arĩa atongu na arĩa athĩĩni harĩ ũndũ ũmwe ũmanyiitithanĩtie; Jehova nĩwe Mũmbi wao othe.
Rich and poor people have this in common— Yahweh is the maker of all of them.
3 Mũndũ mũbaarĩrĩri onaga ũgwati akehitha, no arĩa matarĩ ũũgĩ mathiiaga o na mbere nao magatoonya thĩĩna-inĩ.
A prudent man sees trouble and hides himself, but the naive go on and suffer because of it.
4 Kwĩnyiihia na gwĩtigĩra Jehova kũrehaga ũtonga, na gĩtĩĩo, na muoyo.
The reward for humility and fear of Yahweh is riches, honor, and life.
5 Njĩra cia andũ arĩa aaganu irĩ mĩigua na mĩtego, no ũrĩa ũgitagĩra ngoro yake aikaraga kũraya nacio.
Thorns and snares lie in the path of the perverse; whoever guards his life will keep far from them.
6 Menyeria mwana njĩra ĩrĩa agĩrĩirwo nĩkũgera, na ndarĩ hĩndĩ akaamiuma o na aakũra.
Teach a child the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn away from that instruction.
7 Andũ arĩa atongu nĩ mathaga arĩa athĩĩni, na ũrĩa ũkombaga nĩ ndungata ya mũmũkoomberi.
Rich people rule over poor people and one who borrows is a slave to the one who lends.
8 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhaandaga waganu agethaga thĩĩna, naruo rũthanju rwa marakara make nĩrũkanangwo.
He who sows injustice will reap trouble and the rod of his fury will fade away.
9 Mũndũ mũtaana we mwene nĩakarathimwo, tondũ nĩagayagĩra arĩa athĩĩni irio ciake.
The one who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
10 Ingata mũnyũrũrania, nayo ngũĩ nĩĩgũkweherera; inegene na irumi o nacio nĩcigũthira.
Drive away the mocker, and out goes strife; disputes and insults will cease.
11 Mũndũ ũrĩa wendaga ngoro theru na akaaragia maũndũ ma ũtugi, mũthamaki nĩagatuĩka mũrata wake.
The one who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious, he will have the king for his friend.
12 Maitho ma Jehova nĩmamenyagĩrĩra ũmenyo, no nĩathaahagia ciugo cia ũrĩa ũtarĩ mwĩhokeku.
The eyes of Yahweh keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the treacherous.
13 Kĩgũũta kiugaga, “Nja kũrĩ na mũrũũthi!” Kana gĩkoiga atĩrĩ, “Nĩngũũragĩrwo njĩra-inĩ!”
The lazy person says, “There is a lion in the street! I will be killed in the open places.”
14 Kanua ka mũtumia mũtharia nĩ irima iriku, nake ũrĩa werekeirio mangʼũrĩ ma Jehova agũũaga thĩinĩ wa rĩo.
The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; Yahweh's anger is stirred up against anyone who falls into it.
15 Ngoro ya mwana yohanĩtio na ũrimũ, no rũthanju rwa kũmũherithia nĩrũkaũingata kũraya nake.
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far away.
16 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhinyagĩrĩria arĩa athĩĩni nĩguo eyongerere ũtonga, na ũrĩa ũheaga itonga iheo, eerĩ nĩmagathĩĩna.
The one who oppresses poor people to increase his wealth, or gives to rich people, will come to poverty.
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 and apply your heart to my knowledge,
18 tondũ nĩ ũndũ mwega hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ũkũmaiga ngoro-inĩ yaku, na ũkoragwo namo mothe mĩromo-inĩ yaku.
for it will be pleasant for you if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 Ndaakũmenyithia mo nĩgeetha mwĩhoko waku ũkoragwo harĩ Jehova, wee nĩwe ngũruta maũndũ macio ũmũthĩ, ĩĩ wee nĩwe ngũruta.
So your trust may be in Yahweh, I teach them to you today—even to you.
20 Githĩ ndikwandĩkĩire thimo mĩrongo ĩtatũ, thimo cia ũtaarani na ũmenyo,
Have I not written for you thirty sayings of instruction and knowledge,
21 ngakũruta ciugo cia ma na cia kwĩhokeka, nĩgeetha ũkaahota kũhe ũrĩa ũgũtũmĩte macookio mega?
to teach you truth in these trustworthy words, so you may give trustworthy answers to those who sent you?
22 Ndũkanatunye arĩa athĩĩni indo ciao tondũ wa ũthĩĩni wao, na ndũkanahinyĩrĩrie arĩa abatari ciira-inĩ,
Do not rob the poor because he is poor, or crush the needy at the gate,
23 nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩakamaciirĩrĩra, na nĩagatunya arĩa mamatunyaga indo ciao.
for Yahweh will plead their case, and he will rob of life those who robbed them.
24 Ndũkanagĩe ũrata na mũndũ ũrĩa ũrĩ marakara mahiũ, ndũkanagĩe thiritũ na mũndũ ũrĩa ũhiũhaga kũrakara,
Do not make a friend of someone who is ruled by anger and you must not go with one who rages,
25 tondũ wahota kwĩruta mĩthiĩre yake, na ũnyiitwo nĩ mũtego.
or you will learn his ways and you will take bait for your soul.
26 Ndũgatuĩke mũndũ wa kũiga kĩndũ gĩa kũrũgamĩrĩra thiirĩ, kana ũtuĩke wee nĩwe wa kũrũgamagĩrĩra mathiirĩ ma andũ angĩ;
Do not be one who strikes hands in making a pledge, or who puts up security for debts.
27 ũngĩkaaga kĩndũ gĩa kũrĩha nakĩo-rĩ, ũgaatunywo ũrĩrĩ waku o ũũkomeire.
If you lack the means to pay, what could stop someone from taking away your bed from under you?
28 Ndũkaneherie ihiga rĩa tene rĩa mũhaka rĩrĩa rĩahaandirwo nĩ maithe manyu ma tene.
Do not remove the ancient boundary stone that your fathers have set.
29 Nĩwonaga mũndũ mũũgĩ na wĩra wake? Ũcio agatungata o na mbere ya athamaki; ndagatungata mbere ya andũ matooĩkaine.
Do you see a man skilled at his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before common people.

< Thimo 22 >