Thimo 26
1 O ta ũrĩa tharunji ĩtaagĩrĩire kũgĩa hĩndĩ ya riũa, kana mbura kuura hĩndĩ ya magetha-rĩ, noguo gĩtĩĩo gĩtagĩrĩire mũndũ mũkĩĩgu.
As snow is in summer, and as rain in harvest: so is honor not seemly to a fool.
2 Ta kanyoni-ka-nja gekũbatabata, kana thũngũrũrũ ĩkũhiũka-hiũka, noguo kĩrumi gĩtarĩ gĩtũmi gĩtarĩ ha kwĩgwatĩrĩra.
As the bird [cometh] to flit away, as the swallow, to fly off: so will an undeserved curse not come [to fulfillment].
3 Kĩboko nĩ kĩa mbarathi, matamu nĩ ma ndigiri, na rũthanju nĩ rwa ciande cia andũ arĩa akĩĩgu!
A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.
4 Ndũkanacookerie mũndũ mũkĩĩgu kũringana na ũrimũ wake, ndũkae gũtuĩka take.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest thou also become equal unto him.
5 Cookeria mũndũ mũkĩĩgu kũringana na ũrimũ wake, nĩguo ndakeyone taarĩ mũndũ mũũgĩ maitho-inĩ make.
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
6 Gũtũma ndũmĩrĩri na guoko kwa mũndũ mũkĩĩgu-rĩ, nĩ ta gwĩtinia magũrũ, kana kũnyua haaro.
He choppeth off the feet, and drinketh vexation, that sendeth important messages by the hand of a fool.
7 O ta magũrũ ma gĩthua ũrĩa mathiiaga maniginĩte, noguo thimo ĩhaana ĩkĩario nĩ kanua ka mũndũ mũkĩĩgu.
Too feebly hang down the thighs on a lame man: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
8 Kũhe mũndũ mũkĩĩgu gĩtĩĩo no ta kuoherera ihiga kĩgũtha-inĩ.
As is the one that bindeth a stone fast in a sling, so is he that giveth honor to a fool.
9 Thimo ĩkĩario nĩ kanua ka mũndũ mũkĩĩgu nĩ ta mũigua ũrĩ guoko-inĩ kwa mũrĩĩu.
[As] a thorn that is come into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 Mũndũ wandĩkaga mũndũ mũkĩĩgu kana mwĩhĩtũkĩri nĩ ta ũrĩa ũikagia mĩguĩ o ro ũguo agatiihia andũ.
A master injureth all things when he hireth a fool or hireth mere rovers.
11 Mũndũ mũkĩĩgu acookagĩra ũrimũ wake o ta ũrĩa ngui ĩcookagĩrĩra matahĩko mayo.
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so doth a fool repeat to act in his folly.
12 Wanona mũndũ wĩonaga arĩ mũũgĩ maitho-inĩ make? Mũndũ mũkĩĩgu arĩ na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro gũkĩra mũndũ ũcio.
When thou seest a man wise in his own eyes, then is there more hope for a fool than for him.
13 Kĩgũũta kiugaga atĩrĩ, “Njĩra-inĩ kũrĩ na mũrũũthi, mũrũũthi mũrĩĩani ũrorũũra njĩra-inĩ cia itũũra!”
The slothful saith, There is a leopard in the way: a lion is between the streets.
14 Ta ũrĩa mũrango ũtindaga ũkĩgarũrũka ihocio-inĩ ciaguo, noguo kĩgũũta gĩtindaga gĩkĩĩgarũra gĩkomete ũrĩrĩ-inĩ wakĩo.
As a door turneth upon its hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
15 Kĩgũũta gĩikagia guoko gwakĩo o thaani-inĩ; kĩnogagio nĩgũcooka gũkuoya gĩgũkinyie kanua-inĩ.
Hath the slothful hidden his hand in the dish, it wearieth him to bring it back again to his mouth.
16 Kĩgũũta kĩĩonaga kĩrĩ kĩũgĩ maitho-inĩ makĩo, gũkĩra andũ mũgwanja arĩa macookagia ũhoro na ũũgĩ.
The slothful is wiser in his own eyes, than seven men that can give wise answers.
17 Mwĩhĩtũkĩri wĩtoonyagia inegene-inĩ rĩtamũkoniĩ no ta mũndũ ũkũnyiita ngui matũ.
As is one that taketh hold of a dog by the ears, so is he that passing by becometh excited about a dispute which concerneth him not.
18 Ta mũgũrũki ũgũikia icinga cia mwaki, kana agaikia mĩguĩ ya gĩkuũ,
As one fatigueth himself shooting off firebrands, arrows, and death:
19 no taguo mũndũ ahaana ũrĩa ũheenagia mũndũ wa itũũra rĩake, agacooka kũmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Nĩ itherũ nyuma narĩo!”
So is the man that hath cheated his neighbor, and saith, Behold, I am only jesting.
20 Mwaki ũngĩaga ngũ no kũhora ũhoraga; ngarari cingĩaga mũhuhu no gũthira ithiraga.
Where there is no wood, the fire goeth out: so where there is no whisperer, strife is silenced.
21 O ta ũrĩa makara magwatagia marĩa mangĩ mwaki, na o ta ũrĩa ngũ ciakanagia mwaki, noguo mũndũ mũũgiti aakagĩrĩria haaro.
As charcoals are added to burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man fitted to enkindle a dispute.
22 Ndeto cia mũndũ wa mũhuhu nĩ ta twenyũ twega twa irio; tũmerũkaga tũgathiĩ mwĩrĩ wa mũndũ o thĩinĩ biũ.
The words of a whisperer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost chambers of the body.
23 Ta ũrĩa indo cia rĩũmba inyorokagio ikahenia na igũrũ, no taguo mĩromo mĩnyoroku ĩhumbagĩra ngoro ĩrĩ na ũũru.
Like silver dross laid over an earthen vessel, so are burning lips with a bad heart.
24 Mũndũ wa rũmena aaragia ũhinga na mĩromo yake, no thĩinĩ wa ngoro yake aiyũrĩtwo no maheeni.
With his lips dissembleth he that hateth, and within himself layeth he up deceit:
25 O na gũtuĩka mĩario yake nĩ ya gũkenania, ndũkanamwĩtĩkie, nĩgũkorwo ngoro yake ĩiyũrĩte maũndũ mũgwanja marĩ magigi.
Though he make his voice sound ever so graciously, believe him not; for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Rũmena rwake no rũhithwo na maheeni, no waganu wake ũkaaguũrio kĩũngano-inĩ.
If one's hatred be covered by deception, then shall be laid bare his wickedness before a [whole] assembly.
27 Mũndũ angĩenja irima, nĩwe ũkaagũa rĩo; mũndũ angĩgaragaria ihiga, rĩkaagaragara rĩmũcookerere.
Whoso diggeth a pit will fall therein; and upon him that rolleth a stone, will it return.
28 Rũrĩmĩ rwa maheeni nĩkũmena rũmenete arĩa rũtuuragia, nako kanua ga kwĩyendithĩrĩria karehaga mwanangĩko.
A lying tongue hateth those that are crushed by it; and a flattering mouth prepareth [others'] downfall.
