< Thimo 4 >
1 Atĩrĩrĩ, inyuĩ ariũ akwa, ta thikĩrĩriai ũrũtani wa thoguo; njiguai nĩguo mwĩgĩĩre na kũmenya maũndũ.
Listen, sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and discover what makes sense,
2 Tondũ ngũmũhe ũrutani mwega, nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũtigatirike ũrutani wakwa.
for what I am passing on to you is reliable. Don't reject my teachings.
3 Rĩrĩa ndaarĩ mwana nyũmba-inĩ ya baba, ndĩ o mũndũ mwĩthĩ, na ndĩ mwana wa mũmwe wa maitũ-rĩ,
When I was a son with my father—a tender young boy, my mother's only child—
4 baba nĩandutire, akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, “Wĩgwatĩre ciugo ciakwa na ngoro yaku yothe; rũmia maathani makwa, na nĩũgũtũũra muoyo.
he was the one who taught me. He told me, “Pay attention to the words I say and keep them in mind; do what I tell you and you will live.
5 Gĩa na ũũgĩ, gĩa na kũmenya maũndũ; ndũkanariganĩrwo nĩ ciugo ciakwa, kana wahũke kuuma harĩ cio.
Get wisdom, find out what makes sense. Don't forget my words or reject them.
6 Ndũkanatirike ũũgĩ, naguo nĩũrĩkũgitagĩra;
Don't give up on wisdom for she will keep you safe. Love wisdom and she will protect you.
7 Ũũgĩ ũkĩrĩte indo ciothe; nĩ ũndũ ũcio wĩgĩĩre na ũũgĩ. Ĩĩ, kaba kũruta indo ciaku ciothe wĩgĩĩre na kũmenya maũndũ.
The first thing in becoming wise is to get wisdom! Whatever else you gain, gain insight.
8 Tũũgagĩria ũũgĩ mũno, naguo nĩũrĩkwambararagia; ũhĩmbagĩrie, naguo nĩũrĩgũtĩĩithagia.
Treasure wisdom, and she will praise you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 Nĩũgagwĩkĩra ithaga rĩa ũtugi mũtwe waku, na ũkũhe thũmbĩ thaka mũno.”
She will place on your head a wreath of grace; she will present to you a crown of glory.”
10 Thikĩrĩria, wee mũrũ wakwa, na wĩtĩkĩre ũrĩa ngũkwĩra, nĩgeetha mĩaka ya muoyo waku ĩingĩhe.
Listen, my son, if you accept what I tell you, then you will live a long life.
11 Nguonetie njĩra ya ũũgĩ, na ngagũtongoria njĩra-inĩ iria nũngarũ.
I have explained to you the way of wisdom; I have guided you along the right paths.
12 Rĩrĩa ũgũthiĩ, makinya maku matikahĩngĩcwo; rĩrĩa ũkũhanyũka-rĩ, ndũkahĩngwo.
Nothing will block your way when you walk, you won't stumble when you run.
13 Rũmia ũrutani wakwa, na ndũkanareke ũkweherere; ũgitagĩre wega, nĩgũkorwo nĩguo muoyo waku.
Hold on to these instructions—don't let them go. Protect them, for they are life's foundation.
14 Ndũkanagerere njĩra ya andũ arĩa aaganu, kana ũthiĩre njĩra ya andũ arĩa ooru.
Don't go the way of the wicked or follow the example of those who do evil.
15 Mĩĩtheemage, na ndũkanamĩgerere; mĩhutatĩre, na wĩthiĩre na njĩra yaku.
Avoid that way completely. Don't go there! Turn away, and walk on.
16 Nĩgũkorwo andũ arĩa aaganu matingĩkoma nginya meeke ũũru; mooragwo nĩ toro nginya matũme mũndũ ahĩngwo, agwe.
Evil people won't rest until they've done something wrong; they can't sleep unless they've tripped someone up.
17 Marĩĩaga irio iria monete na ũmaramari, na makanyua ndibei matunyanĩte na hinya.
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 Mĩthiĩre ya andũ arĩa athingu ĩhaana ta ũtheri wa gũgĩkĩa, ũrĩa ũthiiaga ũgĩthererũkaga nginya mũthenya barigici.
The way of life of the good is like the light of the sunrise, glowing brighter and brighter until the full light of day shines out.
19 No mĩthiĩre ya andũ arĩa aaganu ĩhaana ta nduma ndumanu; o matimenyaga kĩrĩa kĩamahĩnga.
But the way of life of the wicked is like complete darkness; they don't even know what they're tripping over.
20 Mũrũ wakwa, ta thikĩrĩria ũrĩa ngũkwĩra; tega gũtũ ũigue ciugo ciakwa.
My son, pay attention to what I tell you; listen to the words I'm saying.
21 Ndũkanareke ciehere maitho-inĩ maku, ciigage ngoro-inĩ yaku;
Don't lose sight of them; think about them deeply,
22 nĩgũkorwo nĩcio itũũragia arĩa maciĩgwatĩire muoyo, na igekĩra mwĩrĩ wao wothe ũgima.
for they are life to anyone who finds them, and make the whole body healthy.
23 Makĩria ya macio mothe, rangagĩra ngoro yaku, nĩgũkorwo nĩyo gĩthima kĩrĩa gĩtherũkaga muoyo.
Most of all, protect your mind, for everything in life flows from it.
24 Eheria rũnano kanua-inĩ gaku; nacio ndeto cia ũmaramari-rĩ, nĩciikare kũraya na iromo ciaku.
Don't ever lie, and don't say anything dishonest.
25 Maitho maku nĩmarorage na mbere, ũcũthagĩrĩrie mbere yaku wega.
Focus on what's ahead of you; look at what's in front of you.
26 Aragania njĩra iria magũrũ maku marĩthiiagĩra, na ũthiiagĩre o njĩra iria ngiindĩrĩku.
Pay attention to the path you decide to follow, and you'll be safe wherever you go.
27 Ndũkanaahũke na mwena wa ũrĩo kana wa ũmotho; eheria kũgũrũ gwaku kuuma ũũru-inĩ.
Don't deviate to the right or the left, and turn away from evil.