< Proverbs 17 >

1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, Than a house full of feasting with strife.
Nĩ kaba kĩenyũ kĩũmũ kĩa mũgate kũndũ kũrĩ na thayũ na ũhooreri, gũkĩra nyũmba ĩiyũrĩte ndĩa no ĩrĩ na ngũĩ.
2 A servant that dealeth wisely shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, And shall have part in the inheritance among the brethren.
Ndungata ĩrĩ na ũũgĩ ĩgaatuĩka ya gwatha mũriũ wa mwene yo ũrĩa ũrehaga njono, na nĩĩkegwatĩra igai ĩrĩ ta ũmwe wa ariũ a mwathi wayo.
3 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But Jehovah trieth the hearts.
Nyũngũ nĩ ya gũthererio betha, na kĩrugutĩro nĩ gĩa gũthererio thahabu, no Jehova nĩwe ũgeragia ngoro cia andũ.
4 An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; [And] a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.
Mũndũ mwaganu athikagĩrĩria mĩromo ĩrĩa yaragia waganu; nake mũndũ wa maheeni athikagĩrĩria rũrĩmĩ rũrĩa rwaragia maũndũ ma gũthũkia.
5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker; [And] he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũthekagĩrĩra athĩĩni nĩkũmena amenaga Ũrĩa wamombire; mũndũ ũrĩa ũkenagĩra mũtino ndakaaga kũherithio.
6 Children’s children are the crown of old men; And the glory of children are their fathers.
Ciana cia ciana nĩ thũmbĩ harĩ andũ arĩa akũrũ, nao aciari nĩo riiri wa ciana ciao.
7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool; Much less do lying lips a prince.
Mĩario ya bata ndĩagĩrĩire kanua ka mũndũ mũkĩĩgu, na makĩria mĩario ya maheeni ndĩagĩrĩire mũndũ ũrĩa wathanaga!
8 A bribe is [as] a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it; Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
Ihaki rĩhaana ta ihiga rĩa kũrehe mũnyaka kũrĩ ũrĩa ũhakanaga; kũrĩa guothe athiiaga nĩagaacagĩra.
9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; But he that harpeth on a matter separateth chief friends.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhumbagĩra ihĩtia nĩ wendo acaragia, no ũrĩa ũcookagĩra ũhoro atigithanagia andũ marĩ ũrata mũnene.
10 A rebuke entereth deeper into one that hath understanding Than a hundred stripes into a fool.
Kũrũithio nĩgũkenagia mũndũ ũrĩa ũkũũranaga maũndũ gũkĩra iboko igana harĩ mũndũ mũkĩĩgu.
11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion; Therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
Mũndũ mũũru arongooragia o ũremi; nĩ ũndũ ũcio nĩagatũmĩrwo mũnene ũtarĩ tha amũũkĩrĩre.
12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, Rather than a fool in his folly.
Nĩ kaba gũcemania na nduba ĩtunyĩtwo ciana ciayo gũkĩra gũcemania na mũndũ mũkĩĩgu na ũrimũ wake.
13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, Evil shall not depart from his house.
Mũndũ angĩrĩha wega na ũũru, ũũru ndũkeehera nyũmba-inĩ yake.
14 The beginning of strife is [as] when one letteth out water: Therefore leave off contention, before there is quarrelling.
Kwambĩrĩria haaro nĩ ta kũhingũrĩra maaĩ mahingĩrĩrie; nĩ ũndũ ũcio tiganaga na ũhoro ũcio ngarari itaanagĩa.
15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah.
Gũtuĩra mũndũ mwaganu atĩ ndehĩtie na gũtuĩra ũrĩa ũtehĩtie atĩ nĩ mwĩhia, maũndũ macio meerĩ nĩ marĩ magigi harĩ Jehova.
16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, Seeing he hath no understanding?
Mbeeca nĩ cia bata ũrĩkũ irĩ guoko-inĩ kwa mũndũ mũkĩĩgu, na ndangĩhota kũgũra ũũgĩ, na ndarĩ ngoro ya kwenda gũtaũkĩrwo?
17 A friend loveth at all times; And a brother is born for adversity.
Mũrata wa mũndũ amwendaga hĩndĩ ciothe, nake mũrũ wa nyina na mũndũ aciaragwo nĩ ũndũ wa hĩndĩ ya thĩĩna.
18 A man void of understanding striketh hands, And becometh surety in the presence of his neighbor.
Mũndũ ũtooĩ gũkũũrana maũndũ atuĩkaga wa kũrĩha thiirĩ wa mũndũ ũngĩ o na akaiga kĩndũ gĩa kũrũgamĩrĩra thiirĩ wa mũndũ wa itũũra rĩake.
19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: He that raiseth high his gate seeketh destruction.
Mũndũ ũrĩa wendete haaro nĩ mehia endete; na mũndũ ũrĩa wakaga kĩhingo kĩraihu na igũrũ eĩtagĩria wanangĩki.
20 He that hath a wayward heart findeth no good; And he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.
Mũndũ ũrĩ ngoro ya ũremi ndagaacagĩra; nake mũndũ ũrĩa ũrĩ rũrĩmĩ rwa kũheenania agũũaga thĩĩna-inĩ.
21 He that begetteth a fool [doeth it] to his sorrow; And the father of a fool hath no joy.
Kũgĩa na mũriũ mũkĩĩgu kũrehaga ihooru; ithe wa mũndũ mũkĩĩgu ndarĩ hĩndĩ akenaga.
22 A cheerful heart is a good medicine; But a broken spirit drieth up the bones.
Ngoro ngenu nĩ ndawa njega, no roho mũthuthĩku ũngʼaragia mahĩndĩ.
23 A wicked man receiveth a bribe out of the bosom, To pervert the ways of justice.
Mũndũ mwaganu amũkagĩra ihaki na hitho, nĩguo ogomie ciira wa kĩhooto.
24 Wisdom is before the face of him that hath understanding; But the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
Mũndũ ũkũũranaga maũndũ aikaraga arorete o ũũgĩ, no maitho ma mũndũ mũkĩĩgu morũũraga nginya ituri cia thĩ.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her that bare him.
Mwana mũkĩĩgu arehagĩra ithe kĩeha, na marũrũ kũrĩ nyina ũrĩa wamũciarire.
26 Also to punish the righteous is not good, [Nor] to smite the noble for [their] uprightness.
Ti wega kũherithia mũndũ ũtekĩte mahĩtia, kana kũhũũra anene nĩ ũndũ wa ũrũngĩrĩru wao.
27 He that spareth his words hath knowledge; And he that is of a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
Mũndũ ũrĩ na ũmenyo aragia ciugo athimĩte, nake mũndũ ũrĩ na ũtaũku aikaraga ahooreire.
28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; When he shutteth his lips, he is [esteemed as] prudent.
O na mũndũ mũkĩĩgu angĩkira nĩonagwo arĩ mũũgĩ, na akoneka arĩ mũtaũku angĩtumia kanua.

< Proverbs 17 >