< 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 in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honor is not becoming to a fool.
2 Ta kanyoni-ka-nja gekũbatabata, kana thũngũrũrũ ĩkũhiũka-hiũka, noguo kĩrumi gĩtarĩ gĩtũmi gĩtarĩ ha kwĩgwatĩrĩra.
As the sparrow wandereth, and the swallow flieth away, So the curse without cause shall not come.
3 Kĩboko nĩ kĩa mbarathi, matamu nĩ ma ndigiri, na rũthanju nĩ rwa ciande cia andũ arĩa akĩĩgu!
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, And a rod for the back of the fool.
4 Ndũkanacookerie mũndũ mũkĩĩgu kũringana na ũrimũ wake, ndũkae gũtuĩka take.
Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou also become like to 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 conceit.
6 Gũtũma ndũmĩrĩri na guoko kwa mũndũ mũkĩĩgu-rĩ, nĩ ta gwĩtinia magũrũ, kana kũnyua haaro.
He cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage, Who sendeth a message by the hand of a fool.
7 O ta magũrũ ma gĩthua ũrĩa mathiiaga maniginĩte, noguo thimo ĩhaana ĩkĩario nĩ kanua ka mũndũ mũkĩĩgu.
The legs of a lame man hang loose; So is it with a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Kũhe mũndũ mũkĩĩgu gĩtĩĩo no ta kuoherera ihiga kĩgũtha-inĩ.
As he who bindeth a stone 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 lifted up by the hand of a drunkard, So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Mũndũ wandĩkaga mũndũ mũkĩĩgu kana mwĩhĩtũkĩri nĩ ta ũrĩa ũikagia mĩguĩ o ro ũguo agatiihia andũ.
As an archer who woundeth every one, So is he who hireth fools and hireth wayfarers.
11 Mũndũ mũkĩĩgu acookagĩra ũrimũ wake o ta ũrĩa ngui ĩcookagĩrĩra matahĩko mayo.
As a dog returneth to that which he hath vomited, So a fool repeateth his folly.
12 Wanona mũndũ wĩonaga arĩ mũũgĩ maitho-inĩ make? Mũndũ mũkĩĩgu arĩ na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro gũkĩra mũndũ ũcio.
Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.
13 Kĩgũũta kiugaga atĩrĩ, “Njĩra-inĩ kũrĩ na mũrũũthi, mũrũũthi mũrĩĩani ũrorũũra njĩra-inĩ cia itũũra!”
The slothful man saith, “There is a lion in the way; There is a lion in 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 sluggard upon his bed.
15 Kĩgũũta gĩikagia guoko gwakĩo o thaani-inĩ; kĩnogagio nĩgũcooka gũkuoya gĩgũkinyie kanua-inĩ.
The sluggard dippeth his hand into the dish; It grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
16 Kĩgũũta kĩĩonaga kĩrĩ kĩũgĩ maitho-inĩ makĩo, gũkĩra andũ mũgwanja arĩa macookagia ũhoro na ũũgĩ.
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit Than seven men who can render a reason.
17 Mwĩhĩtũkĩri wĩtoonyagia inegene-inĩ rĩtamũkoniĩ no ta mũndũ ũkũnyiita ngui matũ.
As one that taketh a dog by the ears, So is he who, passing by, is enraged on account of the quarrel of another.
18 Ta mũgũrũki ũgũikia icinga cia mwaki, kana agaikia mĩguĩ ya gĩkuũ,
As a madman That casteth about darts, 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 who deceiveth his neighbor, And saith, “Was I not in sport?”
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 talebearer, contention ceaseth.
21 O ta ũrĩa makara magwatagia marĩa mangĩ mwaki, na o ta ũrĩa ngũ ciakanagia mwaki, noguo mũndũ mũũgiti aakagĩrĩria haaro.
As coal is for heat, and as wood for fire, So is a contentious man for kindling strife.
22 Ndeto cia mũndũ wa mũhuhu nĩ ta twenyũ twega twa irio; tũmerũkaga tũgathiĩ mwĩrĩ wa mũndũ o thĩinĩ biũ.
The words of a talebearer are like dainties; For they go down to the innermost parts of the body.
23 Ta ũrĩa indo cia rĩũmba inyorokagio ikahenia na igũrũ, no taguo mĩromo mĩnyoroku ĩhumbagĩra ngoro ĩrĩ na ũũru.
As drossy silver spread over an earthen vessel, So are warm lips and an evil heart.
24 Mũndũ wa rũmena aaragia ũhinga na mĩromo yake, no thĩinĩ wa ngoro yake aiyũrĩtwo no maheeni.
The hater dissembleth with his lips, And layeth up deceit within him.
25 O na gũtuĩka mĩario yake nĩ ya gũkenania, ndũkanamwĩtĩkie, nĩgũkorwo ngoro yake ĩiyũrĩte maũndũ mũgwanja marĩ magigi.
When he speaketh fair, believe him not! For there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Rũmena rwake no rũhithwo na maheeni, no waganu wake ũkaaguũrio kĩũngano-inĩ.
His hatred is covered by deceit; His wickedness shall be revealed in the great assembly.
27 Mũndũ angĩenja irima, nĩwe ũkaagũa rĩo; mũndũ angĩgaragaria ihiga, rĩkaagaragara rĩmũcookerere.
He that diggeth a pit shall fall therein; And he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.
28 Rũrĩmĩ rwa maheeni nĩkũmena rũmenete arĩa rũtuuragia, nako kanua ga kwĩyendithĩrĩria karehaga mwanangĩko.
A lying tongue hateth those whom it woundeth, And a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

< Thimo 26 >