< Thimo 22 >

1 Rĩĩtwa rĩega nĩrĩakwĩrirĩrio gũkĩra ũtonga mũnene; gũtĩĩka nĩ kwega gũkĩra betha kana thahabu.
A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favor 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: Yahweh is the maker of them all.
3 Mũndũ mũbaarĩrĩri onaga ũgwati akehitha, no arĩa matarĩ ũũgĩ mathiiaga o na mbere nao magatoonya thĩĩna-inĩ.
A prudent man sees danger and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
4 Kwĩnyiihia na gwĩtigĩra Jehova kũrehaga ũtonga, na gĩtĩĩo, na muoyo.
The result of humility and the fear of Yahweh 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 snares are in the path of the wicked; whoever guards his soul stays far from them.
6 Menyeria mwana njĩra ĩrĩa agĩrĩirwo nĩkũgera, na ndarĩ hĩndĩ akaamiuma o na aakũra.
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 Andũ arĩa atongu nĩ mathaga arĩa athĩĩni, na ũrĩa ũkombaga nĩ ndungata ya mũmũkoomberi.
The rich rule over the poor. The borrower is servant to the lender.
8 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhaandaga waganu agethaga thĩĩna, naruo rũthanju rwa marakara make nĩrũkanangwo.
He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
9 Mũndũ mũtaana we mwene nĩakarathimwo, tondũ nĩagayagĩra arĩa athĩĩni irio ciake.
He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
10 Ingata mũnyũrũrania, nayo ngũĩ nĩĩgũkweherera; inegene na irumi o nacio nĩcigũthira.
Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop.
11 Mũndũ ũrĩa wendaga ngoro theru na akaaragia maũndũ ma ũtugi, mũthamaki nĩagatuĩka mũrata wake.
He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully is the king’s friend.
12 Maitho ma Jehova nĩmamenyagĩrĩra ũmenyo, no nĩathaahagia ciugo cia ũrĩa ũtarĩ mwĩhokeku.
Yahweh’s eyes watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.
13 Kĩgũũta kiugaga, “Nja kũrĩ na mũrũũthi!” Kana gĩkoiga atĩrĩ, “Nĩngũũragĩrwo njĩra-inĩ!”
The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the streets!”
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. He who is under Yahweh’s wrath will fall into it.
15 Ngoro ya mwana yohanĩtio na ũrimũ, no rũthanju rwa kũmũherithia nĩrũkaũingata kũraya nake.
Folly is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhinyagĩrĩria arĩa athĩĩni nĩguo eyongerere ũtonga, na ũrĩa ũheaga itonga iheo, eerĩ nĩmagathĩĩna.
Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich, both come to poverty.
17 Tega matũ, na ũthikĩrĩrie mĩario ya andũ arĩa oogĩ; nyiita na ngoro yaku maũndũ marĩa ngũrutana,
Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Apply your heart to my teaching.
18 tondũ nĩ ũndũ mwega hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ũkũmaiga ngoro-inĩ yaku, na ũkoragwo namo mothe mĩromo-inĩ yaku.
For it is a pleasant thing 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.
I teach you today, even you, so that your trust may be in Yahweh.
20 Githĩ ndikwandĩkĩire thimo mĩrongo ĩtatũ, thimo cia ũtaarani na ũmenyo,
Haven’t I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge,
21 ngakũruta ciugo cia ma na cia kwĩhokeka, nĩgeetha ũkaahota kũhe ũrĩa ũgũtũmĩte macookio mega?
To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones who sent you?
22 Ndũkanatunye arĩa athĩĩni indo ciao tondũ wa ũthĩĩni wao, na ndũkanahinyĩrĩrie arĩa abatari ciira-inĩ,
Don’t exploit the poor because he is poor; and don’t crush the needy in court;
23 nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩakamaciirĩrĩra, na nĩagatunya arĩa mamatunyaga indo ciao.
for Yahweh will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.
24 Ndũkanagĩe ũrata na mũndũ ũrĩa ũrĩ marakara mahiũ, ndũkanagĩe thiritũ na mũndũ ũrĩa ũhiũhaga kũrakara,
Don’t befriend a hot-tempered man. Don’t associate with one who harbors anger,
25 tondũ wahota kwĩruta mĩthiĩre yake, na ũnyiitwo nĩ mũtego.
lest you learn his ways and ensnare your soul.
26 Ndũgatuĩke mũndũ wa kũiga kĩndũ gĩa kũrũgamĩrĩra thiirĩ, kana ũtuĩke wee nĩwe wa kũrũgamagĩrĩra mathiirĩ ma andũ angĩ;
Don’t you be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts.
27 ũngĩkaaga kĩndũ gĩa kũrĩha nakĩo-rĩ, ũgaatunywo ũrĩrĩ waku o ũũkomeire.
If you don’t have means to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?
28 Ndũkaneherie ihiga rĩa tene rĩa mũhaka rĩrĩa rĩahaandirwo nĩ maithe manyu ma tene.
Don’t move the ancient boundary stone which your fathers have set up.
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 in his work? He will serve kings. He won’t serve obscure men.

< Thimo 22 >