Thimo 4
1 Atĩrĩrĩ, inyuĩ ariũ akwa, ta thikĩrĩriai ũrũtani wa thoguo; njiguai nĩguo mwĩgĩĩre na kũmenya maũndũ.
Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.
2 Tondũ ngũmũhe ũrutani mwega, nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũtigatirike ũrutani wakwa.
For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.
3 Rĩrĩa ndaarĩ mwana nyũmba-inĩ ya baba, ndĩ o mũndũ mwĩthĩ, na ndĩ mwana wa mũmwe wa maitũ-rĩ,
For, a son I have been to my father — tender, And an only one before my mother.
4 baba nĩandutire, akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, “Wĩgwatĩre ciugo ciakwa na ngoro yaku yothe; rũmia maathani makwa, na nĩũgũtũũra muoyo.
And he directeth me, and he saith to me: 'Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, 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, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.
6 Ndũkanatirike ũũgĩ, naguo nĩũrĩkũgitagĩra;
Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee.
7 Ũũgĩ ũkĩrĩte indo ciothe; nĩ ũndũ ũcio wĩgĩĩre na ũũgĩ. Ĩĩ, kaba kũruta indo ciaku ciothe wĩgĩĩre na kũmenya maũndũ.
The first thing [is] wisdom — get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.
8 Tũũgagĩria ũũgĩ mũno, naguo nĩũrĩkwambararagia; ũhĩmbagĩrie, naguo nĩũrĩgũtĩĩithagia.
Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her.
9 Nĩũgagwĩkĩra ithaga rĩa ũtugi mũtwe waku, na ũkũhe thũmbĩ thaka mũno.”
She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely.
10 Thikĩrĩria, wee mũrũ wakwa, na wĩtĩkĩre ũrĩa ngũkwĩra, nĩgeetha mĩaka ya muoyo waku ĩingĩhe.
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life [are] multiplied to thee.
11 Nguonetie njĩra ya ũũgĩ, na ngagũtongoria njĩra-inĩ iria nũngarũ.
In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness.
12 Rĩrĩa ũgũthiĩ, makinya maku matikahĩngĩcwo; rĩrĩa ũkũhanyũka-rĩ, ndũkahĩngwo.
In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not.
13 Rũmia ũrutani wakwa, na ndũkanareke ũkweherere; ũgitagĩre wega, nĩgũkorwo nĩguo muoyo waku.
Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] thy life.
14 Ndũkanagerere njĩra ya andũ arĩa aaganu, kana ũthiĩre njĩra ya andũ arĩa ooru.
Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers.
15 Mĩĩtheemage, na ndũkanamĩgerere; mĩhutatĩre, na wĩthiĩre na njĩra yaku.
Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.
16 Nĩgũkorwo andũ arĩa aaganu matingĩkoma nginya meeke ũũru; mooragwo nĩ toro nginya matũme mũndũ ahĩngwo, agwe.
For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not [some] to stumble.
17 Marĩĩaga irio iria monete na ũmaramari, na makanyua ndibei matunyanĩte na hinya.
For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink.
18 Mĩthiĩre ya andũ arĩa athingu ĩhaana ta ũtheri wa gũgĩkĩa, ũrĩa ũthiiaga ũgĩthererũkaga nginya mũthenya barigici.
And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,
19 No mĩthiĩre ya andũ arĩa aaganu ĩhaana ta nduma ndumanu; o matimenyaga kĩrĩa kĩamahĩnga.
The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.
20 Mũrũ wakwa, ta thikĩrĩria ũrĩa ngũkwĩra; tega gũtũ ũigue ciugo ciakwa.
My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,
21 Ndũkanareke ciehere maitho-inĩ maku, ciigage ngoro-inĩ yaku;
Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.
22 nĩgũkorwo nĩcio itũũragia arĩa maciĩgwatĩire muoyo, na igekĩra mwĩrĩ wao wothe ũgima.
For life they [are] to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.
23 Makĩria ya macio mothe, rangagĩra ngoro yaku, nĩgũkorwo nĩyo gĩthima kĩrĩa gĩtherũkaga muoyo.
Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.
24 Eheria rũnano kanua-inĩ gaku; nacio ndeto cia ũmaramari-rĩ, nĩciikare kũraya na iromo ciaku.
Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,
25 Maitho maku nĩmarorage na mbere, ũcũthagĩrĩrie mbere yaku wega.
Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Aragania njĩra iria magũrũ maku marĩthiiagĩra, na ũthiiagĩre o njĩra iria ngiindĩrĩku.
Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways [are] established.
27 Ndũkanaahũke na mwena wa ũrĩo kana wa ũmotho; eheria kũgũrũ gwaku kuuma ũũru-inĩ.
Incline not [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!
