Thimo 7
1 Mũrũ wakwa, tũũra ũrũmĩtie ciugo ciakwa, na wĩigĩre maathani makwa thĩinĩ waku.
[My] son, keep my words, and hide with thee my commandments. [My] son, honour the Lord, and thou shalt be strong; and fear none but him:
2 Rũmia maathani makwa, na nĩũgatũũra muoyo; gitagĩra morutani makwa o ta kĩũma kĩa riitho rĩaku.
keep my commandments, and thou shalt live; and [keep] my words as the pupils of [thine] eyes.
3 Mohagĩrĩre ciara-inĩ ciaku; ũmaandĩke kĩhengere-inĩ kĩa ngoro yaku.
And bind them on thy fingers, and write [them] on the table of thine heart.
4 Ĩra ũũgĩ atĩrĩ, “Wee nĩwe mwarĩ wa maitũ,” naguo ũtaũku ũwĩtage mũndũ wa nyũmba yanyu;
Say that wisdom is thy sister, and gain prudence as an acquaintance for thyself;
5 nĩcirĩkweheragia harĩ mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio mũtharia, o na kuuma kũrĩ mũtumia ũcio ũtarĩ mwĩhokeku, hamwe na ciugo ciake cia kũheenanĩrĩria.
that she may keep thee from the strange and wicked woman, if she should assail thee with flattering words.
6 Ndĩ ndirica-inĩ ya nyũmba yakwa-rĩ, nĩndacũthĩrĩirie na nja kamwanya-inĩ,
For she looks from a window out of her house into the streets, at one whom she may see of the senseless ones, a young man void of understanding,
7 ngĩona kĩmwana gatagatĩ ka arĩa matarĩ oogĩ, na ngĩkũũrana gatagatĩ ka aanake, mũndũ mwĩthĩ ũtaarĩ na ũũgĩ wa gũkũũrana maũndũ.
passing by the corner in the passages near her house,
8 Aikũrũkaga na njĩra ĩrĩa yarĩ hakuhĩ na koine ya kwa mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio, agĩthiĩ na njĩra ĩyo yerekeire na gwake mũciĩ,
and speaking, in the dark of the evening,
9 na kwarĩ na mairia o kahwaĩ-inĩ gũgĩtukatuka, gũkĩambĩrĩria kũgĩa nduma ya ũtukũ.
when there happens [to be] the stillness of night and of darkness:
10 Na rĩrĩ, hagĩũka mũndũ-wa-nja kũmũtũnga, wehumbĩte nguo ta mũmaraya, arĩ na wara ngoro-inĩ.
and the woman meets him having the appearance of a harlot, that causes the hearts of young men to flutter.
11 (Nĩ mũnegeni na mũngʼathia, na magũrũ make matikiragĩrĩria mũciĩ;
And she is fickle, and debauched, and her feet abide not at home.
12 rĩmwe arĩ njĩra-inĩ, na rĩrĩa rĩngĩ arĩ ihaaro-inĩ, ehithagĩre andũ koine-inĩ ciothe cia njĩra.)
For at one time she wanders without, and at [another] time she lies in wait in the streets, at every corner.
13 Nake akĩnyiita mwanake ũcio, akĩmũmumunya, na akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ ategũconoka,
Then she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said to him,
14 “Ndĩ na maruta ma ngwatanĩro mũciĩ, tondũ ũmũthĩ nĩhingirie mĩĩhĩtwa yakwa.
I have a peace-offering; today I pay my vows:
15 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio ndoimagara, ndooka gũgũtũnga; ngũgũcarĩtie mũno, na rĩu nĩndakuona!
therefore I came forth to meet thee, desiring thy face; [and] I have found thee.
16 Nĩnjarĩte ũrĩrĩ wakwa na macuka ma gatani ma marangi kuuma Misiri.
I have spread my bed with sheets, and I have covered it with double tapestry from Egypt.
17 Ũrĩrĩ ũcio wakwa nĩndĩũitĩrĩirie indo nungi wega ta manemane, na thubiri, o na mũndarathini.
I have sprinkled my couch with saffron, and my house with cinnamon.
18 Ũka twĩhũũnie wendo nginya rũciinĩ; reke twĩkenie na wendo!
Come, and let us enjoy love until the morning; come, and let us embrace in love.
19 Mũthuuri wakwa ndarĩ mũciĩ; nĩathiĩte rũgendo rũraihu.
For my husband is not at home, but is gone on a long journey,
20 Nĩathiire na mũhuko wake ũiyũrĩte mbeeca, na akainũka mũciĩ o rĩrĩa mweri ũkaiganana.”
having taken in his hand a bundle of money: after many days he will return to his house.
21 Agĩkĩmũheenereria na ciugo, akĩmũhĩtithia; agĩkĩmuuha na mĩario yake mĩnyoroku.
So with much converse she prevailed on him to go astray, and with the snares of her lips forced him from [the right path].
22 O rĩmwe akĩmũrũmĩrĩra ta ndegwa ĩgĩthiĩ gũthĩnjwo, kana ta thwariga ĩgĩtoonya kĩana-inĩ kĩa mũtego,
And he followed her, being gently led on, and [that] as an ox is led to the slaughter, and as a dog to bonds, or as a hart shot in the liver with an arrow:
23 nginya akaaya gũtheecwo ini nĩ mĩguĩ, akahaana ta nyoni ĩguthũkĩte mũtego-inĩ, ĩtekũmenya o na hanini atĩ ũndũ ũcio no ũmĩrute muoyo.
and he hastens as a bird into a snare, not knowing that he is running for [his] life.
24 Atĩrĩrĩ, ariũ akwa, ta thikĩrĩriai; tegai matũ mũigue ũrĩa ngũmwĩra.
Now then, [my] son, hearken to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Mũtikanareke ngoro cianyu ĩrũmĩrĩre mĩthiĩre yake, kana mũingĩre njĩra-inĩ ciake.
Let not thine heart turn aside to her ways:
26 Nĩ andũ aingĩ arĩkĩtie kũrũnda; arĩa oragĩte nĩ kĩrĩndĩ kĩingĩ mũno.
for she has wounded and cast down many, and those whom she has slain are innumerable.
