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 know understanding;
2 Tondũ ngũmũhe ũrutani mwega, nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũtigatirike ũrutani wakwa.
for I give you sound learning. Do not forsake my law.
3 Rĩrĩa ndaarĩ mwana nyũmba-inĩ ya baba, ndĩ o mũndũ mwĩthĩ, na ndĩ mwana wa mũmwe wa maitũ-rĩ,
For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
4 baba nĩandutire, akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, “Wĩgwatĩre ciugo ciakwa na ngoro yaku yothe; rũmia maathani makwa, na nĩũgũtũũra muoyo.
He taught me, and said to me: "Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
5 Gĩa na ũũgĩ, gĩa na kũmenya maũndũ; ndũkanariganĩrwo nĩ ciugo ciakwa, kana wahũke kuuma harĩ cio.
Get wisdom. Get understanding. Do not forget, neither swerve from the words of my mouth.
6 Ndũkanatirike ũũgĩ, naguo nĩũrĩkũgitagĩra;
Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
7 Ũũgĩ ũkĩrĩte indo ciothe; nĩ ũndũ ũcio wĩgĩĩre na ũũgĩ. Ĩĩ, kaba kũruta indo ciaku ciothe wĩgĩĩre na kũmenya maũndũ.
Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
8 Tũũgagĩria ũũgĩ mũno, naguo nĩũrĩkwambararagia; ũhĩmbagĩrie, naguo nĩũrĩgũtĩĩithagia.
Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor, when you embrace her.
9 Nĩũgagwĩkĩra ithaga rĩa ũtugi mũtwe waku, na ũkũhe thũmbĩ thaka mũno.”
She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you."
10 Thikĩrĩria, wee mũrũ wakwa, na wĩtĩkĩre ũrĩa ngũkwĩra, nĩgeetha mĩaka ya muoyo waku ĩingĩhe.
Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
11 Nguonetie njĩra ya ũũgĩ, na ngagũtongoria njĩra-inĩ iria nũngarũ.
I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
12 Rĩrĩa ũgũthiĩ, makinya maku matikahĩngĩcwo; rĩrĩa ũkũhanyũka-rĩ, ndũkahĩngwo.
When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
13 Rũmia ũrutani wakwa, na ndũkanareke ũkweherere; ũgitagĩre wega, nĩgũkorwo nĩguo muoyo waku.
Take firm hold of instruction. Do not let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
14 Ndũkanagerere njĩra ya andũ arĩa aaganu, kana ũthiĩre njĩra ya andũ arĩa ooru.
Do not enter into the path of the wicked. Do not walk in the way of evil men.
15 Mĩĩtheemage, na ndũkanamĩgerere; mĩhutatĩre, na wĩthiĩre na njĩra yaku.
Avoid it, and do not pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
16 Nĩgũkorwo andũ arĩa aaganu matingĩkoma nginya meeke ũũru; mooragwo nĩ toro nginya matũme mũndũ ahĩngwo, agwe.
For they do not sleep, unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
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.
But the path of the righteous is like a shining light, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.
19 No mĩthiĩre ya andũ arĩa aaganu ĩhaana ta nduma ndumanu; o matimenyaga kĩrĩa kĩamahĩnga.
The way of the wicked is like darkness. They do not know what they stumble over.
20 Mũrũ wakwa, ta thikĩrĩria ũrĩa ngũkwĩra; tega gũtũ ũigue ciugo ciakwa.
My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
21 Ndũkanareke ciehere maitho-inĩ maku, ciigage ngoro-inĩ yaku;
Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 nĩgũkorwo nĩcio itũũragia arĩa maciĩgwatĩire muoyo, na igekĩra mwĩrĩ wao wothe ũgima.
For they are life to him who finds them, and health to all of his body.
23 Makĩria ya macio mothe, rangagĩra ngoro yaku, nĩgũkorwo nĩyo gĩthima kĩrĩa gĩtherũkaga muoyo.
Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
24 Eheria rũnano kanua-inĩ gaku; nacio ndeto cia ũmaramari-rĩ, nĩciikare kũraya na iromo ciaku.
Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
25 Maitho maku nĩmarorage na mbere, ũcũthagĩrĩrie mbere yaku wega.
Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Aragania njĩra iria magũrũ maku marĩthiiagĩra, na ũthiiagĩre o njĩra iria ngiindĩrĩku.
Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
27 Ndũkanaahũke na mwena wa ũrĩo kana wa ũmotho; eheria kũgũrũ gwaku kuuma ũũru-inĩ.
Do not turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
