< Thimo 8 >
1 Githĩ ũũgĩ ndareetana? Githĩ ũtaũku ndaranĩrĩra na mũgambo wake?
Isn't wisdom calling? Isn't understanding raising her voice?
2 Njĩra-inĩ kũrĩa gũtũũgĩru, na magomano-inĩ ma njĩra-rĩ, nĩho ũũgĩ arũgamĩte;
On the top of the hill by the road, she stands up at the crossroads.
3 ningĩ hakuhĩ na ihingo iria cierekeire itũũra inene, o hau matoonyero-inĩ-rĩ, nĩho araanĩrĩra akoiga atĩrĩ:
Beside the gates of the town, right there at the entrance, she cries out:
4 “Inyuĩ andũ nĩ inyuĩ ndĩreeta; ndĩraanĩrĩra na mũgambo wakwa kũrĩ andũ othe a thĩ.
“I'm calling out to you, everyone! My call is to everyone in the whole world!
5 Inyuĩ arĩa mũtarĩ na ũũgĩ, gĩai na ũbaarĩrĩri, inyuĩ arĩa akĩĩgu, gĩai na ũtaũku.
If you're immature, learn how to grow up. If you're stupid, learn what makes good sense.
6 Thikĩrĩriai, nĩgũkorwo ndĩ na maũndũ ma bata ngwaria; ngũtumũra mĩromo yakwa njarie maũndũ marĩa magĩrĩire.
Listen to me because I have valuable things to explain to you.
7 Kanua gakwa kaaragia ũhoro wa ma, nĩgũkorwo mĩromo yakwa nĩĩthũire waganu mũno ta kĩndũ kĩrĩ magigi.
I say what's right, because I tell the truth and I hate wickedness in all its forms.
8 Ciugo ciothe cia kanua gakwa nĩ cia ũthingu; gũtirĩ o na kiugo kĩmwe gĩacio kĩogomu kana gĩa kũhĩtithania.
All the words I say are true; none are false or misleading.
9 Kũrĩ arĩa makũũranaga maũndũ ciugo ciothe nĩciagĩrĩire; itirĩ mahĩtia kũrĩ arĩa marĩ na ũmenyo.
My words are straightforward to anyone with understanding; they are correct to those who have knowledge.
10 Thuurai mataaro makwa handũ ha betha, mũthuure ũmenyo handũ ha thahabu ĩrĩa njega mũno,
Choose my instruction over silver; choose knowledge over pure gold.
11 nĩgũkorwo ũũgĩ nĩ wa goro gũkĩra ruru iria ndune, na gũtirĩ kĩndũ ũngĩĩrirĩria kĩngĩringithanio naguo.
For wisdom is more valuable than rubies; everything you could ever want just doesn't compare!
12 “Niĩ ũũgĩ-rĩ, ndũũranagia na ũbaarĩrĩri; nĩndĩgwatĩire ũmenyo o na gũthugunda maũndũ mega.
I, wisdom, am at home with good decisions. I know how to find knowledge and discernment.
13 Gwĩtigĩra Jehova nĩgũthũũra ũũru; nĩthũire mwĩtĩĩo na mwĩtũũgĩrio, na mĩtugo mĩũru na mĩario ya waganu.
Honoring the Lord means hating evil. So I hate pride and arrogance, wicked behavior and telling lies.
14 Kĩrĩra na ũũgĩ wa gũkũũrana maũndũ nĩ ciakwa; niĩ ndĩ na ũtaũku, na ndĩ na ũhoti.
I have advice and good judgment; I know what makes sense, and I have power.
15 Athamaki mathamakaga nĩ ũndũ wa hinya wakwa nao aathani magathondeka mawatho ma kĩhooto;
It's because of me that kings reign, and rulers issue fair decrees.
16 anene mathamakaga nĩ ũndũ wa hinya wakwa, o ũndũ ũmwe na arĩa othe marĩ igweta arĩa maathanaga gũkũ thĩ.
It's because of me that leaders and nobles govern—all who rule justly.
17 Nĩnyendete arĩa manyendete, nao arĩa manjaragia na kĩyo nĩmanyonaga.
I love those who love me, and those who really look for me will find me.
18 Ũtonga na gĩtĩĩo cionekaga harĩ niĩ, o hamwe na ũtonga wa gũtũũra, na ũgaacĩru.
With me go riches and honor, lasting wealth and prosperity.
19 Maciaro makwa nĩ mega gũkĩra thahabu ĩrĩa therie; uumithio wakwa nĩũkĩrĩte betha ĩrĩa njega.
The fruit I produce is better than gold, even pure gold, and my harvest is better than even the best silver.
20 Niĩ thiiaga na njĩra ya ũthingu, ngathiĩra o njĩra-inĩ cia kĩhooto,
I live in a way that's right; I follow the paths of justice.
21 ngĩheaga andũ arĩa manyendete ũtonga, na ngaiyũragia igĩĩna ciao.
I grant wealth to those who love me; I fill their treasure storehouses.
22 “Jehova aanyũmbire o kĩambĩrĩria-inĩ kĩa wĩra wake, mbere ya mawĩra make ma tene;
The Lord created me first of all; I was made before anything else.
23 ndaathuurirwo kuuma tene wa tene, kuuma o kĩambĩrĩria, thĩ ĩtarĩ yagĩa.
I was formed a long time ago, at the first, before the world began.
24 Rĩrĩa gũtaagĩte maria manene-rĩ, nĩguo ndaciarirwo, o hĩndĩ ĩrĩa gũtaarĩ matherũkĩro maiyũrĩte maaĩ;
I was born when there were no ocean depths, when there were no springs pouring out water.
25 ndaciarirwo irĩma itanahaandwo harĩa irĩ, na tũrĩma tũtanagĩa,
I was born before the mountains or the hills had been formed,
26 we atanoomba thĩ kana ithaka ciayo, o na kana rũkũngũ o ruothe rwa thĩ.
when he hadn't made the earth and its fields or any of the earth's dust.
27 Niĩ ndaarĩ o kuo hĩndĩ ĩrĩa aathondekire igũrũ na akĩrĩiga handũ ha rĩo, hĩndĩ ĩrĩa eekĩrire rũkiriri rwa kũrĩa kũriku,
I was there when he placed the heavens in position, when he drew the horizon over the ocean,
28 rĩrĩa aahaandire matu kũu igũrũ, na akĩrũmia ithima cia kũrĩa kũriku wega,
when he made the clouds in the sky above, when he created the springs of the oceans,
29 rĩrĩa eekĩrire mũhaka wa iria nĩguo maaĩ matikanae kwagarara watho wake, na rĩrĩa aahandire mĩthingi ya thĩ.
when he set limits on the sea so that the waters would not go farther than he ordered, and when he laid out the foundations of the earth.
30 Hĩndĩ ĩyo ndaarĩ o hakuhĩ nake ndĩ ta mũbundi mũũgĩ. Ndaaiyũrĩtwo nĩ gĩkeno mũthenya o mũthenya, na ngakenaga hĩndĩ ciothe ndĩ mbere yake,
Then I was beside him as a master craftsman. I made him happy every day, and I was always full of joy in his presence.
31 ngakenagĩra thĩ yake yothe, na ngakenagio nĩ andũ othe a thĩ.
I was so happy in the world he created, celebrating together with human beings.
32 “Atĩrĩrĩ ariũ akwa, ta thikĩrĩriai; kũrathimwo nĩ arĩa marũmagia njĩra ciakwa.
And now, my sons, listen to me, for happy are those who follow my ways.
33 Ta thikĩrĩriai mataaro makwa nĩguo mũhĩge; mũtikamarege.
Listen to my instruction and be wise—do not reject it.
34 Kũrathimwo nĩ mũndũ ũrĩa ũnjiguaga, agacũthagĩrĩria mĩrango-inĩ yakwa o mũthenya, akanjetagĩrĩra hingĩro-inĩ cia mĩrango yakwa.
Happy are those who listen to me, watching for me every day at my doors, waiting at my entrance way.
35 Nĩgũkorwo ũrĩa wothe ũgĩte na niĩ nĩ muoyo agĩte naguo, nake akagĩa na agetĩkĩrĩka harĩ Jehova.
For those who find me, find life, and are accepted by the Lord.
36 No ũrĩa wothe ũhĩtanĩtie na niĩ nĩ ũũru eĩkaga; nao arĩa othe maathũire nĩ gĩkuũ mendete.”
But those who don't find me hurt themselves; everyone who hates me loves death.”