Proverbs 24
1 Don't be jealous of evil people; don't long to spend time with them,
Usiwaonee wivu watu waovu, usitamani ushirika nao;
2 for they think up cruel plans and discuss how to cause trouble.
kwa maana mioyo yao hupanga mambo ya jeuri, nayo midomo yao husema juu ya kuleta madhara.
3 A house is built by wisdom; its foundation is made secure through understanding.
Kwa hekima nyumba hujengwa, nayo kwa njia ya ufahamu huimarishwa
4 Its rooms are filled by knowledge with all kinds of valuable and beautiful objects.
kwa njia ya maarifa vyumba vyake hujazwa vitu vya thamani na vya kupendeza.
5 If you have wisdom, you are strong; if you have knowledge, your power increases,
Mtu mwenye hekima ana uwezo mkubwa, naye mtu mwenye maarifa huongeza nguvu,
6 for with wise guidance you can go to war; you will be victorious by having many good advisors.
kwa kufanya vita unahitaji uongozi na kwa ushindi washauri wengi.
7 Wisdom goes over the heads of stupid people; they have nothing to contribute when important matters are discussed.
Hekima i juu mno kwa mpumbavu, katika kusanyiko langoni hana lolote la kusema.
8 Anyone who plans to do evil will be seen as a troublemaker.
Yeye apangaye mabaya atajulikana kama mtu wa hila.
9 Plans thought up by stupid people are sinful. Everyone hates those who are scornful of others.
Mipango ya upumbavu ni dhambi, watu huchukizwa na mwenye dhihaka.
10 If you give up in times of trouble, it shows how weak you are.
Ukikata tamaa wakati wa taabu, jinsi gani nguvu zako ni kidogo!
11 Rescue those who are being led away to be executed; save those who are stumbling on their way to be slaughtered.
Okoa wale wanaoongozwa kwenye kifo; wazuie wote wanaojikokota kuelekea machinjoni.
12 If you say, “Look, we didn't know anything about this,” don't you think the God who judges your motives will see what's happening? He who watches over you knows, and he will pay people back for what they've done.
Kama mkisema, “Lakini hatukujua lolote kuhusu hili,” je, yule apimaye mioyo halitambui hili? Je, yule awalindaye maisha yenu halijui hili? Je, hatamlipa kila mtu kulingana na aliyotenda?
13 My son, eating honey is good for you; the honeycomb tastes sweet.
Ule asali mwanangu, kwa kuwa ni nzuri; asali kutoka kwenye sega ni tamu kwa kuonja.
14 In the same way, you should know that wisdom is good for you; if you find it, there will be a future for you, and your hope will not be crushed.
Ujue pia kwamba hekima ni tamu kwa nafsi yako, kama ukiipata, kuna matumaini kwako ya siku zijazo, nalo tumaini lako halitakatiliwa mbali.
15 Don't be like a criminal waiting to ambush the home of good people; don't attack the place where they live.
Usivizie kama haramia afanyavyo ili kuyashambulia makao ya mwenye haki, wala usiyavamie makazi yake,
16 Those who do right may fall down seven times, and still get up again; but the wicked are brought down by disaster.
Kwa maana ingawa mtu mwenye haki huanguka mara saba, huinuka tena, lakini waovu huangushwa chini na maafa.
17 Don't celebrate when your enemies fall; don't be glad when they trip up,
Usitazame kwa kufurahia adui yako aangukapo; wakati ajikwaapo, usiruhusu moyo wako ushangilie.
18 otherwise when the Lord sees it, he'll be unhappy with you and won't punish your enemies as he planned.
Bwana asije akaona na kuchukia akaiondoa ghadhabu yake mbali naye.
19 Don't get all upset over the wicked, or be jealous of those who do wrong,
Usikasirike kwa sababu ya watu wabaya wala usiwaonee wivu waovu,
20 for evil people have no future—the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
kwa maana mtu mbaya hana tumaini la siku zijazo, nayo taa ya waovu itazimwa.
21 My son, honor the Lord and the king, and don't join those who are rebellious,
Mwanangu, mche Bwana na mfalme, wala usijiunge na waasi,
22 for disaster will suddenly fall on them. Who knows how the Lord and king will punish them?
kwa maana hao wawili watatuma maangamizi ya ghafula juu yao, naye ni nani ajuaye maafa wawezayo kuleta?
23 These are more sayings of the wise: Showing favoritism when passing judgment is wrong.
Hii pia ni misemo ya wenye hekima: Kuonyesha upendeleo katika hukumu si vyema:
24 Those who tell the guilty, “You're innocent,” will be cursed by the people and hated by the nation,
Yeyote amwambiaye mwenye hatia, “Wewe huna hatia,” Kabila zitamlaani na mataifa yatamkana.
25 while those who convict the guilty will be appreciated, and will receive a rich blessing.
Bali itakuwa vyema kwa wale watakaowatia hatiani wenye hatia, nazo baraka tele zitawajilia juu yao.
26 An honest answer is a kiss on the lips.
Jawabu la uaminifu ni kama busu la midomoni.
27 Do the work you need to do outside first, then prepare and sow your fields, and only after that start building your house.
Maliza kazi zako za nje, nawe uweke mashamba yako tayari, baada ya hayo, jenga nyumba yako.
28 Don't testify against your neighbors without having a good reason, and don't tell lies.
Usishuhudie dhidi ya jirani yako bila sababu, au kutumia midomo yako kudanganya.
29 Don't say to yourself, “I'm going to do to him what he did to me! I'll pay him back for what he's done!”
Usiseme, “Nitamtenda kama alivyonitenda mimi; nitamlipiza mtu yule kwa kile alichonitendea.”
30 I walked past the field of a lazy man, past a vineyard of someone with no sense.
Nilipita karibu na shamba la mvivu, karibu na shamba la mizabibu la mtu asiye na akili,
31 It was all overgrown with thorns, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall had fallen down.
miiba ilikuwa imeota kila mahali, ardhi ilikuwa imefunikwa na magugu, na ukuta wa mawe ulikuwa umebomoka.
32 As I looked I thought about it, and what I saw taught me a lesson:
Nikatafakari moyoni mwangu lile nililoliona, nami nikajifunza somo kutokana na niliyoyaona:
33 You may say, “Please, just a little more sleep, a little longer snooze, a little more folding of the arms to rest”—
Bado kulala kidogo, kusinzia kidogo, bado kukunja mikono kidogo upate kupumzika:
34 and poverty will attack you like a robber, destitution like an armed warrior.
hivyo umaskini utakuja juu yako kama mnyangʼanyi, na kupungukiwa kutakujia kama mtu mwenye silaha.
