< Thimo 3 >

1 Mũrũ wakwa, ndũkariganĩrwo nĩ ũrutani wakwa, no ngoro yaku nĩĩrũmagie maathani makwa,
My son, don't forget my instructions. Always keep my commands in mind.
2 nĩgũkorwo nĩmagakuongerera matukũ ũtũũre mĩaka mĩingĩ, na matũme ũgaacĩre.
Then you will live a long time, and have a full life.
3 Ndũkanareke wendani na wĩhokeku ikweherere; cioherere ngingo yaku, ũciandĩke kĩhengere-inĩ kĩa ngoro yaku.
Hold on to kindness and truth. Tie them around your neck; write them in your mind.
4 Weka ũguo nĩũgeetĩkĩrĩka, na ũgĩe na rĩĩtwa rĩega maitho-inĩ ma Ngai o na ma andũ.
That way you'll gain a good reputation and be appreciated by both God and people.
5 Wĩhoke Jehova na ngoro yaku yothe, na ndũkanehoke ũmenyo waku mwene;
Put your trust totally in the Lord—don't rely on what you think you know!
6 mũmenyithagie mĩthiĩre yaku yothe, na nĩarĩrũngaga njĩra ciaku.
Remember him in everything you do, and he'll show you the right way.
7 Tiga kwĩonaga ũrĩ mũũgĩ maitho-inĩ maku mwene; wĩtigĩre Jehova na ũtheemage maũndũ marĩa mooru.
Don't think you're wise—respect God and avoid evil.
8 Ũndũ ũcio nĩũrĩkũrehagĩra ũgima wa mwĩrĩ, na mahĩndĩ maku makoragwo marĩ na hinya.
Then you will have healed and be made strong.
9 Tĩĩaga Jehova na ũtonga waku, ningĩ ũmũtĩĩage na maciaro mothe ma mbere ma irio ciaku cia mĩgũnda;
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all the crops you grow.
10 namo makũmbĩ maku nĩmakaiyũrĩrĩra, nayo mĩtũngi yaku ĩiyũrĩrĩre ndibei ya mũhihano.
Then your barns will be filled with produce, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 Mũrũ wakwa, tiga kũnyarara ihũũra rĩa Jehova, na ndũgathũũre irũithia rĩake,
My son, don't reject the Lord's discipline or resent it when he corrects you,
12 nĩgũkorwo Jehova arũithagia arĩa endete, o ta ũrĩa ithe wa mũndũ arũithagia mũriũ ũrĩa akenagĩra.
for the Lord corrects those he loves, as a father corrects a son who pleases him.
13 Kũrathimwo-rĩ, nĩ mũndũ ũrĩa wonete ũũgĩ, mũndũ ũcio wĩgĩĩrĩire na ũmenyo,
Happy are those who find wisdom and gain understanding,
14 nĩgũkorwo ũũgĩ nĩ wa bata mũno gũkĩra betha, na ũciaraga uumithio ũkĩrĩte wa thahabu.
for wisdom is worth more than silver, and pays better than gold.
15 Ũũgĩ ũrĩ goro gũkĩra ruru iria ndune; kĩrĩa gĩothe ũngĩĩrirĩria gũtirĩ kĩngĩringithanio naguo.
She is more valuable than rubies—everything you could ever want just doesn't compare!
16 Guoko-inĩ gwake kwa ũrĩo harĩ ũingĩ wa matukũ; guoko-inĩ gwake kwa ũmotho harĩ na ũtonga na gĩtĩĩo.
She offers long life in one hand, and riches and honor in the other.
17 Mĩthiĩre ya ũũgĩ nĩ mĩthiĩre ya kwendeka, na njĩra ciaguo ciothe nĩ cia thayũ.
She brings true happiness, and leads to peaceful prosperity.
18 Ũũgĩ nĩ mũtĩ wa muoyo kũrĩ arĩa maũhĩmbagĩria; arĩa megĩagĩra naguo-rĩ, nĩmarĩrathimagwo.
Wisdom is a tree of life to everyone who embraces her, blessing those who accept her.
19 Jehova aahandire mĩthingi ya thĩ na ũũgĩ, na akĩrũmia igũrũ na ũmenyo wake;
It was through wisdom that the Lord created the earth, and through understanding he set the heavens in place.
20 ũmenyo wake nĩguo wagayanirie kũrĩa kũriku, namo matu magatatagia ime.
It was through his knowledge the waters of the deep were broken open, and the clouds sent down the dew.
21 Mũrũ wakwa tũũria matua mega na ũkũũrani maũndũ, ndũkanareke ciehere maitho-inĩ maku;
My son, hold on to good judgment and wise decisions—don't let them out of your sight,
22 nĩcio igaagũtũũria muoyo, na nĩ ithaga rĩa kũgemagia ngingo yaku.
for they will be life to you, and an ornament for your neck.
23 Ningĩ ũrĩthiiaga na njĩra yaku ũrĩ na thayũ, na kũgũrũ gwaku gũtikahĩngwo;
You will be able to walk confidently on your way, and you won't trip up.
24 Wakoma-rĩ, ndũgetigĩra; wakoma-rĩ, ũrĩkomaga toro mwega.
When you rest, you won't be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Ndũgetigĩre mwanangĩko wa narua, kana kĩhuhũkanio kĩrĩa gĩkoragĩrĩra andũ arĩa aaganu,
You won't be afraid of a sudden panic, or of disasters that hit the wicked,
26 nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩwe ũgaatuĩka mwĩhoko waku, na amenyagĩrĩre kũgũrũ gwaku gũtikanyiitwo nĩ mũtego.
for the Lord will be the one you can trust in, and he will prevent you being caught in a trap.
27 Ndũkanagirĩrĩrie ũndũ mwega ũkinyĩre arĩa maagĩrĩirwo nĩgũkinyĩrĩrwo nĩguo, rĩrĩa ũrĩ na ũhoti wa kũhingia ũndũ ũcio.
Don't hold back good from those who deserve it when it's something you have the power to do.
28 Ndũkaneere mũndũ wa itũũra rĩaku atĩrĩ, “Thiĩ ũgooka rĩngĩ; kĩu ũrenda nĩngakũhe rũciũ,” o rĩrĩa ũrĩ na kĩndũ kĩu hakuhĩ.
Don't tell your neighbor, “Go away. Come back tomorrow and then I'll give it to you,” when you've already got it.
29 Ndũkanaciirĩre gwĩka mũndũ wa itũũra rĩaku ũũru, ũcio ũtũũraga hakuhĩ nawe akwĩhokete.
Don't plan to harm your neighbor who lives nearby and trusts you.
30 Ndũkanarũithie mũndũ tũhũ, rĩrĩa atarĩ ũndũ mũũru agwĩkĩte.
Don't quarrel with anybody for no reason, when they haven't done anything to hurt you.
31 Ndũkanacumĩkĩre maũndũ ma mũndũ wa ngũĩ, kana ũthuure njĩra o na ĩmwe yake,
Don't be jealous of violent people—don't choose to follow their example!
32 nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩathũire mũndũ mwaganu, no nĩagĩĩaga ndundu na andũ arĩa arũngĩrĩru.
For the Lord hates deceitful people, but he is a friend to those who do what is good.
33 Nyũmba ya arĩa aaganu ĩtũũraga na kĩrumi kĩa Jehova, no mũciĩ wa arĩa athingu nĩaũrathimaga.
The houses of the wicked are cursed by the Lord, but he blesses the homes of those who live right.
34 Jehova nĩanyũrũragia andũ arĩa manyũrũranagia na mwĩtĩĩo, no arĩa menyiihagia nĩamaheaga wega wake.
He mocks those who mock, but he is kind to the humble.
35 Andũ arĩa oogĩ magayaga gĩtĩĩo, no andũ arĩa akĩĩgu magayaga njono.
The wise will receive honor, but fools are held up in disgrace.

< Thimo 3 >