Proverbs 23
1 When thou sittest to eate with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee,
Uketipo kula chakula na mtawala, angalia vyema kile kilicho mbele yako,
2 And put the knife to thy throte, if thou be a man giuen to the appetite.
na utie kisu kooni mwako kama ukiwa mlafi.
3 Be not desirous of his deintie meates: for it is a deceiuable meate.
Usitamani vyakula vyake vitamu kwa kuwa chakula hicho ni cha hila.
4 Trauaile not too much to be rich: but cease from thy wisdome.
Usijitaabishe ili kuupata utajiri, uwe na hekima kuonyesha kujizuia.
5 Wilt thou cast thine eyes vpon it, which is nothing? for riches taketh her to her wings, as an eagle, and flyeth into the heauen.
Kufumba na kufumbua utajiri hutoweka, huwa kama umepata mabawa ghafula, ukaruka na kutoweka angani kama tai.
6 Eate thou not the bread of him that hath an euil eye, neither desire his deintie meates.
Usile chakula cha mtu mchoyo, usitamani vyakula vyake vitamu,
7 For as though he thought it in his heart, so will hee say vnto thee, Eate and drinke: but his heart is not with thee.
kwa maana yeye ni aina ya mtu ambaye kila mara anafikiri juu ya gharama. Anakuambia, “Kula na kunywa,” lakini moyo wake hauko pamoja nawe.
8 Thou shalt vomit thy morsels that thou hast eaten, and thou shalt lose thy sweete wordes.
Utatapika kile kidogo ulichokula, nawe utakuwa umepoteza bure maneno yako ya kumsifu.
9 Speake not in the eares of a foole: for hee will despise the wisdome of thy wordes.
Usizungumze na mpumbavu, kwa maana atadhihaki hekima ya maneno yako.
10 Remooue not the ancient boundes, and enter not into the fieldes of the fatherlesse.
Usisogeze jiwe la mpaka wa zamani wala kunyemelea kwenye mashamba ya yatima,
11 For he that redeemeth them, is mightie: he will defend their cause against thee.
kwa kuwa Mtetezi wao ni mwenye nguvu, atalichukua shauri lao dhidi yako.
12 Apply thine heart to instruction, and thine eares to the wordes of knowledge.
Elekeza moyo wako kwenye mafundisho na masikio yako kwenye maneno ya maarifa.
13 Withhold not correction from the childe: if thou smite him with the rodde, he shall not die.
Usimnyime mtoto adhabu, ukimwadhibu kwa fimbo, hatakufa.
Mwadhibu kwa fimbo na kuiokoa nafsi yake kutoka mautini. (Sheol h7585)
15 My sonne, if thine heart be wise, mine heart shall reioyce, and I also.
Mwanangu, kama moyo wako una hekima, basi moyo wangu utafurahi,
16 And my reynes shall reioyce, when thy lips speake righteous things.
utu wangu wa ndani utafurahi, wakati midomo yako itakapozungumza lililo sawa.
17 Let not thine heart bee enuious against sinners: but let it bee in the feare of the Lord continually.
Usiuruhusu moyo wako kuwaonea wivu wenye dhambi, bali kila mara uwe na bidii katika kumcha Bwana.
18 For surely there is an ende, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
Hakika kuna tumaini la baadaye kwa ajili yako, nalo tarajio lako halitakatiliwa mbali.
19 O thou my sonne, heare, and bee wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
Sikiliza, mwanangu na uwe na hekima, weka moyo wako kwenye njia iliyo sawa.
20 Keepe not company with drunkards, nor with gluttons.
Usiwe miongoni mwa wanywao mvinyo, au wale walao nyama kwa pupa,
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall bee poore, and the sleeper shalbe clothed with ragges.
kwa maana walevi na walafi huwa maskini, nako kusinzia huwavika matambara.
22 Obey thy father that hath begotten thee, and despise not thy mother when she is olde.
Msikilize baba yako, aliyekuzaa, wala usimdharau mama yako atakapokuwa mzee.
23 Bye the trueth, but sell it not: likewise wisdome, and instruction, and vnderstanding.
Nunua kweli wala usiiuze, pata hekima, adabu na ufahamu.
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly reioyce, and hee that begetteth a wise childe, shall haue ioy of him.
Baba wa mwenye haki ana furaha kubwa, naye aliye na mwana mwenye hekima humfurahia.
25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall reioyce.
Baba yako na mama yako na wafurahi, mama aliyekuzaa na ashangilie!
26 My sonne, giue mee thine heart, and let thine eyes delite in my wayes.
Mwanangu, nipe moyo wako, macho yako na yafuate njia zangu,
27 For a whore is as a deepe ditche, and a strange woman is as a narrowe pitte.
kwa maana kahaba ni shimo refu na mwanamke mpotovu ni kisima chembamba.
28 Also she lyeth in wait as for a praye, and she increaseth the transgressers among men.
Kama mnyangʼanyi, hungojea akivizia, naye huzidisha wasio waaminifu miongoni mwa wanaume.
29 To whome is woe? to whome is sorowe? to whom is strife? to whom is murmuring? to whom are woundes without cause? and to whome is the rednesse of the eyes?
Ni nani mwenye ole? Ni nani mwenye huzuni? Ni nani mwenye ugomvi? Ni nani mwenye malalamiko? Ni nani aliye na majeraha yasiyo na sababu? Ni nani mwenye macho mekundu?
30 Euen to them that tarie long at the wine, to them that goe, and seeke mixt wine.
Ni hao wakaao sana kwenye mvinyo, hao waendao kuonja mabakuli ya mvinyo uliochanganywa.
31 Looke not thou vpon the wine, when it is red, and when it sheweth his colour in the cup, or goeth downe pleasantly.
Usiukodolee macho mvinyo wakati ukiwa mwekundu, wakati unapometameta kwenye bilauri, wakati ushukapo taratibu!
32 In the ende thereof it will bite like a serpent, and hurt like a cockatrise.
Mwishowe huuma kama nyoka na kutia sumu yake kama nyoka mwenye sumu.
33 Thine eyes shall looke vpon strange women, and thine heart shall speake lewde things.
Macho yako yataona mambo mageni na moyo wako kuwazia mambo yaliyopotoka.
34 And thou shalt bee as one that sleepeth in the middes of the sea, and as hee that sleepeth in the toppe of the maste.
Utakuwa kama alalaye katikati ya bahari, alalaye juu ya kamba ya merikebu.
35 They haue stricken mee, shalt thou say, but I was not sicke: they haue beaten mee, but I knew not, when I awoke: therefore will I seeke it yet still.
Utasema, “Wamenipiga lakini sikuumia! Wamenichapa, lakini sisikii! Nitaamka lini ili nikanywe tena?”
