< Thimo 24 >
1 Tiga kũiguĩra andũ arĩa aaganu ũiru, na ndũkanerirĩrie thiritũ yao,
[My] son, envy not bad men, nor desire to be with them.
2 nĩgũkorwo ngoro ciao ithugundaga o haaro, na mĩromo yao yaragia ũhoro wa kũrehere andũ thĩĩna.
For their heart meditates falsehoods, and their lips speak mischiefs.
3 Nyũmba yakagwo na ũũgĩ, naguo ũtaũku nĩguo ũtũmaga ĩĩhaande;
A house is built by wisdom, and is set up by understanding.
4 ũmenyo nĩguo ũiyũragia tũnyũmba twayo, ũgatũiyũria na indo cia bata, na ũtonga mwega.
By discretion the chambers are filled with all precious and excellent wealth.
5 Mũndũ mũũgĩ arĩ ũhoti mũnene, na mũndũ ũrĩ ũmenyo nĩakĩragĩrĩria kũgĩa na hinya;
A wise man is better than a strong man; and a man who has prudence than a large estate.
6 ũgĩthiĩ mbaara-inĩ nĩũbatarĩtio nĩgũtaarwo, na nĩgeetha ũhootane nĩũbatarĩtio nĩ aheani kĩrĩra aingĩ.
War is carried on with generalship, and aid is supplied to the heart of a counsellor.
7 Ũũgĩ ũrĩ igũrũ mũno, ndũngĩkinyĩrĩka nĩ mũndũ mũkĩĩgu; rĩrĩa kwagomanwo kĩhingo-inĩ, ndangĩona wa kuuga.
Wisdom and good understanding are in the gates of the wise: the wise turn not aside from the mouth of the Lord,
8 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũthugundaga ũũru-rĩ, andũ mamwĩtaga mungumania.
but deliberate in council. Death befalls uninstructed [men].
9 Mathugunda ma ũrimũ nĩ mehia, na mũnyũrũrania nĩ kĩndũ kĩrĩ magigi harĩ andũ.
The fools also dies in sins; and uncleanness [attaches] to a pestilent man.
10 Ũngĩtuĩka wa kũũrwo nĩ hinya hĩndĩ ya thĩĩna, hinya waku kaĩ nĩ mũnini-ĩ!
He shall be defiled in the evil day, and in the day of affliction, until he be utterly consumed.
11 Honokia arĩa maratwarĩrĩrio gĩkuũ-inĩ; girĩrĩria arĩa maratũgũũga merekeire gĩthĩnjĩro.
Deliver them that are led away to death, and redeem them that are appointed to be slain; spare not [thy help].
12 Ũngiuga atĩrĩ, “Ũhoro ũcio tũtiraũmenyete,” githĩ ũrĩa ũthimaga ngoro tiwe ũmenyaga? Ũrĩa ũrangagĩra muoyo waku-rĩ, githĩ ndooĩ kana nĩguo? Githĩ ndakaarĩha o mũndũ kũringana na ũrĩa ekĩte?
But if thou shouldest say, I know not this man; know that the Lord knows the hearts of all; and he that formed breath for all, he knows all things, who renders to every man according to his works.
13 Mũrũ wakwa, rĩa ũũkĩ, nĩgũkorwo nĩ mwega; ũũkĩ uumĩte magua-inĩ ũrĩ mũrĩo ũkĩũcama.
[My] son, eat honey, for the honeycomb is good, that thy throat may be sweetened.
14 Ningĩ menya atĩ ũũgĩ ũrĩ mũrĩo harĩ ngoro yaku; ũngĩgĩa naguo, nĩũkagĩa na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro, na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro gĩaku gĩtigaathira.
Thus shalt thou perceive wisdom in thy soul: for if thou find it, thine end shall be good, and hope shall not fail thee.
15 Ndũkanoohie mũndũ mũthingu njĩra-inĩ ũtharĩkĩre nyũmba yake ta mũitũ, ndũkanahithũkĩre gĩikaro gĩake;
Bring not an ungodly man into the dwelling of the righteous: neither be deceived by the feeding of the belly.
16 nĩgũkorwo mũndũ mũthingu o na angĩgũa maita mũgwanja, agũũaga o agĩũkagĩra, no andũ arĩa aaganu marũndagwo nĩ mũtino.
For a righteous man will fall seven times, and rise [again]: but the ungodly shall be without strength in troubles.
17 Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa thũ yaku yagũa-rĩ, ndũkanamĩkenerere; hĩndĩ ĩrĩa yahĩngwo-rĩ, ndũkareke ngoro yaku ĩkene,
If thine enemy should fall, rejoice not over him, neither be elated at his overthrow.
18 nĩguo Jehova ndakone ũndũ ũcio arakare, akĩhũndũre marakara make kuuma kũrĩ thũ ĩyo.
For the Lord will see [it], and it will not please him, and he will turn away his wrath from him.
19 Ndũkanathĩĩnĩke ngoro nĩ ũndũ wa andũ arĩa ooru, kana wĩrirĩrie kũhaanana na arĩa aaganu,
Rejoice not in evil-doers, neither be envious of sinners.
20 nĩgũkorwo mũndũ ũrĩa mũũru ndarĩ na mwĩhoko wa thuutha-inĩ, na tawa wa ũrĩa mwaganu nĩũkahorio.
For the evil man shall have no posterity: and the light of the wicked shall be put out.
21 Mũrũ wakwa, wĩtigĩre Jehova na wĩtigĩre mũthamaki, na ndũkagĩe na ngwatanĩro na andũ arĩa aremi,
[My] son, fear God and the king; and do not disobey either of them.
22 nĩgũkorwo acio eerĩ no mamũrehithĩrie mwanangĩko wa narua, na nũũ ũngĩmenya nĩ mĩtino ĩrĩkũ mangĩrehe?
For they will suddenly punish the ungodly, and who can know the vengeance [inflicted] by both?
23 O na ici no thimo cia andũ arĩa oogĩ: Kwenda mwena ũmwe gũkĩra ũrĩa ũngĩ ciira-inĩ ti ũndũ mwega:
And this thing I say to you that are wise [for you] to learn: It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 Ũrĩa wothe wĩraga mũndũ ũrĩa ũrĩ na mahĩtia atĩrĩ, “Wee ndũrĩ na mahĩtia,” kĩrĩndĩ nĩgĩkamũruma, na athũũrwo nĩ ndũrĩrĩ.
He that says of the ungodly, He is righteous, shall be cursed by peoples, and hateful among the nations.
25 No arĩa matuagĩra andũ arĩa aaganu ciira, nĩmakona wega, na magĩe na kĩrathimo kĩega.
But they that reprove [him] shall appear more excellent, and blessing shall come upon them;
26 Icookio rĩa wĩhokeku nĩ ta kĩmumunyano kĩa mĩromo.
and [men] will kiss lips that answer well.
27 Rĩĩkia wĩra wa gũtua mwako na nja, na ũhaarĩrie mĩgũnda yaku; thuutha ũcio cooka wĩakĩre nyũmba.
Prepare thy works for [thy] going forth, and prepare thyself for the field; and come after me, and thou shalt rebuild thine house.
28 Ndũkanarute ũira ũigĩrĩre mũndũ wa itũũra rĩaku kĩgeenyo, kana ũheenanie na mĩromo yaku.
Be not a false witness against thy [fellow] citizen, neither exaggerate with thy lips.
29 Ndũkanoige atĩrĩ, “Ngũmwĩka o ta ũrĩa anjĩkĩte; ngwĩrĩhĩria harĩ mũndũ ũcio kũringana na ũrĩa eekire.”
Say not, As he has treated me, so will I treat him, and I will avenge myself on him for that wherein he has injured me.
30 Ndaahĩtũkĩire mũgũnda-inĩ wa kĩgũũta, ngĩhĩtũkĩra mũgũnda-inĩ wa mĩthabibũ wa mũndũ ũtooĩ gũkũũrana maũndũ;
A foolish man is like a farm, and a senseless man is like a vineyard.
31 na rĩrĩ, mĩigua yamerete kũndũ guothe, na mũgũnda ũkaiyũra riya, naruo rũthingo rwa mahiga rũkamomoka.
If thou let him alone, he will altogether remain barren and covered with weeds; and he becomes destitute, and his stone walls are broken down.
32 Nĩndacũũranirie na ngoro yakwa maũndũ macio ndonire, na ngĩĩruta ũndũ kuumana na ũrĩa ndonire:
Afterwards I reflected, I looked that I might receive instruction.
33 Mũtugo wa gũkoma hanini, gũcooka toro hanini, gũkũnja moko hanini ũhurũke;
[The sluggard says, ]I slumber a little, and I sleep a little, and for a little while I fold my arms across [my] breast.
34 naguo ũthĩĩni ũgaagũkorerera ta mũitũ, na wagi ũgũkorerere ta mũndũ wĩohete indo cia mbaara.
But if thou do this, thy poverty will come speedily; and thy want like a swift courier.