Saying 7
1When you sit to dine with a ruler,
note well what23:1 Or who is before you,
2and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to gluttony.
3Do not crave his delicacies,
for that food is deceptive.
Saying 8
4Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
do not trust your own cleverness.
5Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
Saying 9
6Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,
do not crave his delicacies;
7for he is the kind of person
who is always thinking about the cost.23:7 Or for as he thinks within himself, / so he is; or for as he puts on a feast, / so he is
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.
8You will vomit up the little you have eaten
and will have wasted your compliments.
Saying 10
9Do not speak to fools,
for they will scorn your prudent words.
Saying 11
10Do not move an ancient boundary stone
or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11for their Defender is strong;
he will take up their case against you.
Saying 12
12Apply your heart to instruction
and your ears to words of knowledge.
Saying 13
13Do not withhold discipline from a child;
if you punish them with the rod, they will not die.
14Punish them with the rod
and save them from death.
Saying 14
15My son, if your heart is wise,
then my heart will be glad indeed;
16my inmost being will rejoice
when your lips speak what is right.
Saying 15
17Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
18There is surely a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.
Saying 16
19Listen, my son, and be wise,
and set your heart on the right path:
20Do not join those who drink too much wine
or gorge themselves on meat,
21for drunkards and gluttons become poor,
and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Saying 17
22Listen to your father, who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23Buy the truth and do not sell it—
wisdom, instruction and insight as well.
24The father of a righteous child has great joy;
a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.
25May your father and mother rejoice;
may she who gave you birth be joyful!
Saying 18
26My son, give me your heart
and let your eyes delight in my ways,
27for an adulterous woman is a deep pit,
and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28Like a bandit she lies in wait
and multiplies the unfaithful among men.
Saying 19
29Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaints?
Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30Those who linger over wine,
who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
31Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly!
32In the end it bites like a snake
and poisons like a viper.
33Your eyes will see strange sights,
and your mind will imagine confusing things.
34You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,
lying on top of the rigging.
35“They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt!
They beat me, but I don’t feel it!
When will I wake up
so I can find another drink?”
1Rĩrĩa waikara thĩ kũrĩĩanĩra na mwathi wa bũrũri-rĩ,
wĩmenyerere nũũ ũcio mũrĩ nake;
2wĩigĩrĩre kahiũ mũmero
ũngĩkorwo ũrĩ mũndũ mũkoroku.
323:3 Thab 141:4Ndũkerirĩrie irio ciake irĩ mũrĩo,
nĩgũkorwo nĩ irio cia gũkũheenereria.
4Tiga kwĩnogia na kwenda gwĩtongia;
gĩa na ũũgĩ wa kũhota kwĩrigĩrĩria.
523:5 Math 6:19; Thim 27:24No wone ũtonga, ũcooke ũbuĩrie,
nĩgũkorwo ti-itherũ ũtonga nĩwĩmeragia mathagu,
na ũkombũka ta nderi yerekeire matu-inĩ.
6Tiga kũrĩa irio cia mũndũ mũkarĩ,
ndũkerirĩrie irio ciake cia mũrĩo;
7tondũ nĩ mũndũ wa arĩa meciiragia o ũhoro wa thogora hĩndĩ ciothe.
Akwĩraga atĩrĩ, “Rĩa na ũnyue,”
no ngoro yake ndĩrĩ hamwe nawe.
8Nĩũgatahĩka kĩrĩa kĩnini ũgaakorwo ũrĩĩte,
nacio ngaatho ciaku nĩikoorĩra thĩ.
923:9 Thim 9:7Ndũkaarie na mũndũ mũkĩĩgu,
nĩgũkorwo we no anyararire ũũgĩ wa ciugo ciaku.
10Ndũkaneherie ihiga rĩa tene rĩa mũhaka,
kana ũhatĩke mĩhaka ya mĩgũnda ya ciana cia ngoriai,
1123:11 Ayub 19:25; Thaam 22:22-24tondũ Mũgitĩri wacio nĩ arĩ na hinya;
nĩakamaciirĩrĩra agũũkĩrĩre.
1223:12 Thim 2:2Ringĩrĩria ngoro yaku gũthikĩrĩria ũrutani,
na matũ maku kũigua ciugo cia ũmenyo.
13Ndũkanaage kũherithia mwana;
ũngĩmũhũũra na rũthanju-rĩ, ndangĩkua.
14Mũhũũrage na rũthanju
nĩguo ũhonokie muoyo wake kuuma kũrĩ gĩkuũ.
15Mũrũ wakwa, ngoro yaku ĩngĩgĩa na ũũgĩ-rĩ,
hĩndĩ ĩyo ngoro yakwa no ĩkene;
16ngoro yakwa nĩĩgacanjamũka
rĩrĩa mĩromo yaku ĩkaaria maũndũ marĩa magĩrĩire.
1723:17 Thab 37:1Ndũkanareke ngoro yaku ĩiguĩre ehia ũiru,
no hĩndĩ ciothe gĩĩaga na kĩyo gĩa gwĩtigĩra Jehova.
18Tondũ ti-itherũ wee ũrĩ na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro thuutha-inĩ,
na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro gĩaku gĩtigaathira.
1923:19 Gũcook 4:9Mũrũ wakwa, thikĩrĩria nĩgeetha ũgĩe na ũũgĩ,
na ũige ngoro yaku njĩra-inĩ ĩrĩa yagĩrĩire.
2023:20 Isa 5:11, 22; 56:12; Hab 2:15Ndũkegwatanie na andũ arĩa manyuuaga njoohi,
kana arĩa makorokagĩra nyama,
2123:21 Thim 21:17nĩgũkorwo arĩĩu na andũ arĩa akoroku matuĩkaga athĩĩni,
naguo ũgũũta ũtũmaga mũndũ ehumbe matangari.
22Thikagĩrĩria thoguo, we ũrĩa wagũciarire,
na ndũkanyarare maitũguo, o na aakorwo nĩ mũkũrũ.
2323:23 Thim 4:7Wĩgũrĩre ũhoro ũrĩa wa ma na ndũkanawendie;
wĩgĩĩre na ũũgĩ, na ũtaaro, na ũtaũku.
24Ithe wa mwana mũthingu arĩ gĩkeno kĩnene mũno;
nake ũrĩa ũrĩ na mwana mũũgĩ nĩakenagio nĩwe.
2523:25 Thim 10:1Thoguo na maitũguo marocanjamũka nĩ ũndũ waku;
mũtumia ũrĩa wagũciarire arokena!
26Mũrũ wakwa, heaga ngoro yaku,
na ũreke maitho maku marũmagĩrĩre njĩra ciakwa,
2723:27 Thim 22:14nĩgũkorwo mũmaraya nĩ irima iriku,
nake mũtumia mũtharia nĩ gĩthima gĩkunderu.
2823:28 Thim 7:11-12Oohagĩria andũ njĩra-inĩ o ta njangiri,
na nĩatũmaga kuongerereke andũ matarĩ ehokeku kĩrĩndĩ-inĩ.
29Nũũ ũrĩ na haaro? Nũũ ũrĩ na kĩeha?
Nũũ ũrĩ hatĩka-inĩ? Nũũ ũrĩ na mateta?
Nũũ ũgurarĩtio hatarĩ gĩtũmi? Nũũ ũtunĩhĩtie maitho?
3023:30 Isa 5:11Nĩ arĩa matindaga marũmanĩrĩire na ndibei,
arĩa mathiiaga magĩcamaga mbakũri cia ndibei ĩrĩa ndukanie.
31Tiga kwĩrorera ndibei rĩrĩa ĩtunĩhĩte,
rĩrĩa ĩgũkenga ĩrĩ gĩkombe-inĩ,
rĩrĩa ĩkũmerũka wega!
32Mũthia-inĩ ĩrũmanaga ta nyoka,
ĩgagũtheeca na thumu ta nduĩra.
33Maitho maku makoonaga maũndũ mageni,
na meciiria maku meciirie maũndũ ma waganu.
34Ũgaatuĩka ta mũndũ ũkomete iria-inĩ rĩrĩa inene gatagatĩ,
o ta mũndũ ũkomete mũthia wa gĩtugĩ kĩa macua.
35Nĩũkoiga atĩrĩ, “Ngũthĩtwo, no ndinatiihio!
Nĩmahũũra, no ndinaigua ũndũ!
Ngokĩra-rĩ,
nĩguo ngacarie ĩngĩ ya kũnyua?”
