Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend that you may know prudence.
Wanangu, sikilizeni, fundisho la baba, na zingatieni ili mjue maana ya ufahamu.
2 I will give you a good gift, forsake not my law.
Mimi ninawapa mafundisho mazuri; msiyaache mafundisho yangu.
3 For I also was my father’s son, tender and as an only son in the sight of my mother:
Mimi nilikuwa mwana kwa baba yangu, mpole na mtoto pekee kwa mama yangu,
4 And he taught me, and said: Let thy heart receive my words, keep my commandments, and thou shalt live.
baba alinifundisha akiniambia, “Moyo wako uzingatie sana maneno yangu; shika amri zangu nawe uishi.
5 Get wisdom, get prudence: forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Jipatie hekima na ufahamu; usisahau na kuyakataa maneno ya kinywa changu;
6 Forsake her not, and she shall keep thee: love her, and she shall preserve thee.
usiiache hekima nayo itakulinda; ipenda nayo itakuhifadhi salama.
7 The beginning of wisdom, get wisdom, and with all thy possession purchase prudence.
Hekima ni kitu cha muhimu sana, hivyo jipatie hekima na tumia namna zote kuweza kupata ufahamu.
8 Take hold on her, and she shall exalt thee: thou shalt be glorified by her, when thou shalt embrace her.
Tunza hekima nayo itakutukuza; ikumbatie nayo itakuheshimu.
9 She shall give to thy head increase of graces, and protect thee with a noble crown.
Hekima itaweka kilemba cha heshima juu ya kichwa chako; itakupa taji zuri.
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my words, that years of life may be multiplied to thee.
Mwanangu, sikiliza, na kuzingatia maneno yangu, nawe utapata miaka mingi ya maisha yako.
11 I will shew thee the way of wisdom, I will lead thee by the paths of equity:
Ninakuelekeza katika njia ya hekima, nimekuongoza katika mapito yaliyonyooka.
12 Which when thou shalt have entered, thy steps shall not be straitened, and when thou runnest thou shalt not meet a stumblingblock.
Unapotembea, hakuna atakayesimama katika njia yako na kama ukikimbia hutajikwaa.
13 Take hold on instruction, leave it not: keep it, because it is thy life.
Shika mwongozo wala usiuache, utakuongoza, maana ni uzima wako.
14 Be not delighted in the paths of the wicked, neither let the way of evil men please thee.
Usifuate njia ya waovu wala usiende katika njia ya watendao uovu.
15 Flee from it, pass not by it: go aside, and forsake it.
Jiepushe nayo, usipite katika njia hiyo; geuka na upite njia nyingine.
16 For they sleep not except they have done evil: and their sleep is taken away unless they have made some to fall.
Maana hawawezi kulala mpaka wafanye ubaya na hupotewa na usingizi hadi wasababishe mtu kujikwaa.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of iniquity.
Maana wao hula mkate wa uovu na hunywa divai ya vurugu.
18 But the path of the just, as a shining light, goeth forwards and increaseth even to perfect day.
Bali njia ya mwenye kutenda haki ni kama mwanga ung'aao, huangaza zaidi na zaidi hadi mchana inapowasili kwa ukamilifu.
19 The way of the wicked is darksome: they know not where they fall.
Njia ya waovu ni kama giza - hawajui ni kitu gani huwa wanajikwaa juu yake.
20 My son, hearken to my words, and incline thy ear to my sayings.
Mwanangu, zingatia maneno yangu; sikiliza kauli zangu.
21 Let them not depart from thy eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart:
Usiziache zikaondoka machoni pako; uzitunze katika moyo wako.
22 For they are life to those that find them, and health to all flesh.
Maana maneno yangu ni uzima kwa wenye kuyapata na afya katika mwili wao.
23 With all watchfulness keep thy heart, because life issueth out from it.
Ulinde salama moyo wako na uukinge kwa bidii zote; kwa kuwa katika moyo hububujika chemichemi za uzima.
24 Remove from thee a froward mouth, and let detracting lips be far from thee.
Jiepushe na kauli za udanganyifu na ujiepushe na mazungumzo ya ufisadi.
25 Let thy eyes look straight on, and let thy eyelids go before thy steps.
Macho yako yatazame mbele kwa unyoofu na kwa uthabiti tazama mbele sawasawa.
26 Make straight the path for thy feet, and all thy ways shall be established.
Usawazishe pito la mguu wako; na njia zako zote zitakuwa salama.
27 Decline not to the right hand, nor to the left: turn away thy foot from evil. For the Lord knoweth the ways that are on the right hand: but those are perverse which are on the left hand. But he will make thy courses straight, he will bring forward thy ways in peace.
Usigeuke upande wa kulia au kushoto; ondoa mguu wako mbali na uovu.
