Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisdom cry, And understanding put forth her voice?
Je, hekima haitani? Je, ufahamu hapazi sauti?
2 On the top of high places by the way, Where the paths meet, she standeth;
Juu ya miinuko karibu na njia, penye njia panda, ndipo asimamapo;
3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, At the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:
kando ya malango yaelekeayo mjini, kwenye maingilio, hulia kwa sauti kubwa, akisema:
4 Unto you, O men, I call; And my voice is to the sons of men.
“Ni ninyi wanaume, ninaowaita; ninapaza sauti yangu kwa wanadamu wote.
5 O ye simple, understand prudence; And, ye fools, be of an understanding heart.
Ninyi ambao ni wajinga, pateni akili; ninyi mlio wapumbavu, pateni ufahamu.
6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things; And the opening of my lips shall be right things.
Sikilizeni, kwa maana nina mambo muhimu ya kusema; ninafungua midomo yangu kusema lililo sawa.
7 For my mouth shall utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
Kinywa changu husema lililo kweli, kwa maana midomo yangu huchukia uovu.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
Maneno yote ya kinywa changu ni haki; hakuna mojawapo lililopotoka wala ukaidi.
9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, And right to them that find knowledge.
Kwa wenye kupambanua yote ni sahihi; hayana kasoro kwa wale wenye maarifa.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; And knowledge rather than choice gold.
Chagua mafundisho yangu badala ya fedha, maarifa badala ya dhahabu safi,
11 For wisdom is better than rubies; And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared unto it.
kwa maana hekima ina thamani kuliko marijani na hakuna chochote unachohitaji kinacholingana naye.
12 I wisdom have made prudence my dwelling, And find out knowledge [and] discretion.
“Mimi hekima, nakaa pamoja na busara; ninamiliki maarifa na busara.
13 The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, And the perverse mouth, do I hate.
Kumcha Bwana ni kuchukia uovu; ninachukia kiburi na majivuno, tabia mbaya na mazungumzo potovu.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge: I am understanding; I have might.
Ushauri na hukumu sahihi ni vyangu; nina ufahamu na nina nguvu.
15 By me kings reign, And princes decree justice.
Kwa msaada wangu wafalme hutawala na watawala hutunga sheria zilizo za haki,
16 By me princes rule, And nobles, [even] all the judges of the earth.
kwa msaada wangu wakuu hutawala, na wenye vyeo wote watawalao dunia.
17 I love them that love me; And those that seek me diligently shall find me.
Nawapenda wale wanipendao, na wale wanitafutao kwa bidii wataniona.
18 Riches and honor are with me; [Yea], durable wealth and righteousness.
Utajiri na heshima viko kwangu, utajiri udumuo na mafanikio.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; And my revenue than choice silver.
Tunda langu ni bora kuliko dhahabu safi; kile nitoacho hupita fedha iliyo bora.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice;
Natembea katika njia ya unyofu katika mapito ya haki,
21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, And that I may fill their treasuries.
nawapa utajiri wale wanipendao na kuzijaza hazina zao.
22 Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old.
“Bwana aliniumba mwanzoni mwa kazi yake, kabla ya matendo yake ya zamani;
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was.
niliteuliwa tangu milele, tangu mwanzoni, kabla ya dunia kuumbwa.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water.
Wakati hazijakuwepo bahari, nilikwishazaliwa, wakati hazijakuwepo chemchemi zilizojaa maji;
25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth;
kabla milima haijawekwa mahali pake, kabla vilima havijakuwepo, nilikwishazaliwa,
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
kabla hajaumba dunia wala mashamba yake au vumbi lolote la dunia.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep,
Nilikuwepo alipoziweka mbingu mahali pake, wakati alichora mstari wa upeo wa macho juu ya uso wa kilindi,
28 When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong,
wakati aliweka mawingu juu na kuziweka imara chemchemi za bahari,
29 When he gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out the foundations of the earth;
wakati aliiwekea bahari mpaka wake ili maji yasivunje agizo lake, na wakati aliweka misingi ya dunia.
30 Then I was by him, [as] a master workman; And I was daily [his] delight, Rejoicing always before him,
Wakati huo nilikuwa fundi stadi kando yake. Nilijazwa na furaha siku baada ya siku, nikifurahi daima mbele zake,
31 Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men.
nikifurahi katika dunia yake yote nami nikiwafurahia wanadamu.
32 Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me; For blessed are they that keep my ways.
“Basi sasa wanangu, nisikilizeni; heri wale wanaozishika njia zangu.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, And refuse it not.
Sikilizeni mafundisho yangu mwe na hekima; msiyapuuze.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors.
Heri mtu yule anisikilizaye mimi, akisubiri siku zote malangoni mwangu, akingoja kwenye vizingiti vya mlango wangu.
35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, And shall obtain favor of Jehovah.
Kwa maana yeyote anipataye mimi amepata uzima na kujipatia kibali kutoka kwa Bwana.
36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: All they that hate me love death.
Lakini yeyote ashindwaye kunipata hujiumiza mwenyewe; na wote wanichukiao mimi hupenda mauti.”
