< Thimo 3 >

1 Mũrũ wakwa, ndũkariganĩrwo nĩ ũrutani wakwa, no ngoro yaku nĩĩrũmagie maathani makwa,
My son, keep my teaching in your memory, and my rules in your heart:
2 nĩgũkorwo nĩmagakuongerera matukũ ũtũũre mĩaka mĩingĩ, na matũme ũgaacĩre.
For they will give you increase of days, years of life, and peace.
3 Ndũkanareke wendani na wĩhokeku ikweherere; cioherere ngingo yaku, ũciandĩke kĩhengere-inĩ kĩa ngoro yaku.
Let not mercy and good faith go from you; let them be hanging round your neck, recorded on your heart;
4 Weka ũguo nĩũgeetĩkĩrĩka, na ũgĩe na rĩĩtwa rĩega maitho-inĩ ma Ngai o na ma andũ.
So you will have grace and a good name in the eyes of God and men.
5 Wĩhoke Jehova na ngoro yaku yothe, na ndũkanehoke ũmenyo waku mwene;
Put all your hope in God, not looking to your reason for support.
6 mũmenyithagie mĩthiĩre yaku yothe, na nĩarĩrũngaga njĩra ciaku.
In all your ways give ear to him, and he will make straight your footsteps.
7 Tiga kwĩonaga ũrĩ mũũgĩ maitho-inĩ maku mwene; wĩtigĩre Jehova na ũtheemage maũndũ marĩa mooru.
Put no high value on your wisdom: let the fear of the Lord be before you, and keep yourself from evil:
8 Ũndũ ũcio nĩũrĩkũrehagĩra ũgima wa mwĩrĩ, na mahĩndĩ maku makoragwo marĩ na hinya.
This will give strength to your flesh, and new life to your bones.
9 Tĩĩaga Jehova na ũtonga waku, ningĩ ũmũtĩĩage na maciaro mothe ma mbere ma irio ciaku cia mĩgũnda;
Give honour to the Lord with your wealth, and with the first-fruits of all your increase:
10 namo makũmbĩ maku nĩmakaiyũrĩrĩra, nayo mĩtũngi yaku ĩiyũrĩrĩre ndibei ya mũhihano.
So your store-houses will be full of grain, and your vessels overflowing with new wine.
11 Mũrũ wakwa, tiga kũnyarara ihũũra rĩa Jehova, na ndũgathũũre irũithia rĩake,
My son, do not make your heart hard against the Lord's teaching; do not be made angry by his training:
12 nĩgũkorwo Jehova arũithagia arĩa endete, o ta ũrĩa ithe wa mũndũ arũithagia mũriũ ũrĩa akenagĩra.
For to those who are dear to him the Lord says sharp words, and makes the son in whom he has delight undergo pain.
13 Kũrathimwo-rĩ, nĩ mũndũ ũrĩa wonete ũũgĩ, mũndũ ũcio wĩgĩĩrĩire na ũmenyo,
Happy is the man who makes discovery of wisdom, and he who gets knowledge.
14 nĩgũkorwo ũũgĩ nĩ wa bata mũno gũkĩra betha, na ũciaraga uumithio ũkĩrĩte wa thahabu.
For trading in it is better than trading in silver, and its profit greater than bright gold.
15 Ũũgĩ ũrĩ goro gũkĩra ruru iria ndune; kĩrĩa gĩothe ũngĩĩrirĩria gũtirĩ kĩngĩringithanio naguo.
She is of more value than jewels, and nothing for which you may have a desire is fair in comparison with her.
16 Guoko-inĩ gwake kwa ũrĩo harĩ ũingĩ wa matukũ; guoko-inĩ gwake kwa ũmotho harĩ na ũtonga na gĩtĩĩo.
Long life is in her right hand, and in her left are wealth and honour.
17 Mĩthiĩre ya ũũgĩ nĩ mĩthiĩre ya kwendeka, na njĩra ciaguo ciothe nĩ cia thayũ.
Her ways are ways of delight, and all her goings are peace.
18 Ũũgĩ nĩ mũtĩ wa muoyo kũrĩ arĩa maũhĩmbagĩria; arĩa megĩagĩra naguo-rĩ, nĩmarĩrathimagwo.
She is a tree of life to all who take her in their hands, and happy is everyone who keeps her.
19 Jehova aahandire mĩthingi ya thĩ na ũũgĩ, na akĩrũmia igũrũ na ũmenyo wake;
The Lord by wisdom put in position the bases of the earth; by reason he put the heavens in their place.
20 ũmenyo wake nĩguo wagayanirie kũrĩa kũriku, namo matu magatatagia ime.
By his knowledge the deep was parted, and dew came dropping from the skies.
21 Mũrũ wakwa tũũria matua mega na ũkũũrani maũndũ, ndũkanareke ciehere maitho-inĩ maku;
My son, keep good sense, and do not let wise purpose go from your eyes.
22 nĩcio igaagũtũũria muoyo, na nĩ ithaga rĩa kũgemagia ngingo yaku.
So they will be life for your soul, and grace for your neck.
23 Ningĩ ũrĩthiiaga na njĩra yaku ũrĩ na thayũ, na kũgũrũ gwaku gũtikahĩngwo;
Then you will go safely on your way, and your feet will have no cause for slipping.
24 Wakoma-rĩ, ndũgetigĩra; wakoma-rĩ, ũrĩkomaga toro mwega.
When you take your rest you will have no fear, and on your bed sleep will be sweet to you.
25 Ndũgetigĩre mwanangĩko wa narua, kana kĩhuhũkanio kĩrĩa gĩkoragĩrĩra andũ arĩa aaganu,
Have no fear of sudden danger, or of the storm which will come on evil-doers:
26 nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩwe ũgaatuĩka mwĩhoko waku, na amenyagĩrĩre kũgũrũ gwaku gũtikanyiitwo nĩ mũtego.
For the Lord will be your hope, and will keep your foot from being taken in the net.
27 Ndũkanagirĩrĩrie ũndũ mwega ũkinyĩre arĩa maagĩrĩirwo nĩgũkinyĩrĩrwo nĩguo, rĩrĩa ũrĩ na ũhoti wa kũhingia ũndũ ũcio.
Do not keep back good from those who have a right to it, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
28 Ndũkaneere mũndũ wa itũũra rĩaku atĩrĩ, “Thiĩ ũgooka rĩngĩ; kĩu ũrenda nĩngakũhe rũciũ,” o rĩrĩa ũrĩ na kĩndũ kĩu hakuhĩ.
Say not to your neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when you have it by you at the time.
29 Ndũkanaciirĩre gwĩka mũndũ wa itũũra rĩaku ũũru, ũcio ũtũũraga hakuhĩ nawe akwĩhokete.
Do not make evil designs against your neighbour, when he is living with you without fear.
30 Ndũkanarũithie mũndũ tũhũ, rĩrĩa atarĩ ũndũ mũũru agwĩkĩte.
Do not take up a cause at law against a man for nothing, if he has done you no wrong.
31 Ndũkanacumĩkĩre maũndũ ma mũndũ wa ngũĩ, kana ũthuure njĩra o na ĩmwe yake,
Have no envy of the violent man, or take any of his ways as an example.
32 nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩathũire mũndũ mwaganu, no nĩagĩĩaga ndundu na andũ arĩa arũngĩrĩru.
For the wrong-hearted man is hated by the Lord, but he is a friend to the upright.
33 Nyũmba ya arĩa aaganu ĩtũũraga na kĩrumi kĩa Jehova, no mũciĩ wa arĩa athingu nĩaũrathimaga.
The curse of the Lord is on the house of the evil-doer, but his blessing is on the tent of the upright.
34 Jehova nĩanyũrũragia andũ arĩa manyũrũranagia na mwĩtĩĩo, no arĩa menyiihagia nĩamaheaga wega wake.
He makes sport of the men of pride, but he gives grace to the gentle-hearted.
35 Andũ arĩa oogĩ magayaga gĩtĩĩo, no andũ arĩa akĩĩgu magayaga njono.
The wise will have glory for their heritage, but shame will be the reward of the foolish.

< Thimo 3 >