Proverbs 4
1 Heare, O ye children, the instruction of a father, and giue eare to learne vnderstanding.
Sikilizeni wanangu, mafundisho ya baba yenu; sikilizeni kwa makini na mpate ufahamu.
2 For I doe giue you a good doctrine: therefore forsake yee not my lawe.
Ninawapa mafundisho ya maana, kwa hiyo msiyaache mafundisho yangu.
3 For I was my fathers sonne, tender and deare in the sight of my mother,
Nilipokuwa mvulana mdogo katika nyumba ya baba yangu, ningali mchanga na mtoto pekee kwa mama yangu,
4 When he taught me, and sayde vnto me, Let thine heart holde fast my woordes: keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue.
baba alinifundisha akisema, “Yashike maneno yangu yote kwa moyo wako wote; yashike maagizo yangu na wewe utaishi.
5 Get wisedom: get vnderstading: forget not, neither decline from the woordes of my mouth.
Pata hekima, pata ufahamu; usiyasahau maneno yangu wala usiyaache.
6 Forsake her not, and shee shall keepe thee: loue her and shee shall preserue thee.
Usimwache hekima naye atakuweka salama; mpende, naye atakulinda.
7 Wisedome is the beginning: get wisedome therefore: and aboue all thy possession get vnderstanding.
Hekima ni bora kuliko vitu vyote; kwa hiyo jipe hekima. Hata ikikugharimu vyote ulivyo navyo, pata ufahamu.
8 Exalt her, and she shall exalt thee: she shall bring thee to honour, if thou embrace her.
Mstahi, naye atakukweza; mkumbatie, naye atakuheshimu.
9 She shall giue a comely ornamet vnto thine head, yea, she shall giue thee a crowne of glorie.
Atakuvika shada la neema kichwani mwako na kukupa taji ya utukufu.”
10 Heare, my sonne, and receiue my wordes, and the yeeres of thy life shalbe many.
Sikiliza mwanangu, kubali ninachokuambia, nayo miaka ya maisha yako itakuwa mingi.
11 I haue taught thee in ye way of wisedom, and led thee in the pathes of righteousnesse.
Ninakuongoza katika njia ya hekima na kukuongoza katika mapito yaliyonyooka.
12 Whe thou goest, thy gate shall not be strait, and when thou runnest, thou shalt not fall.
Utembeapo, hatua zako hazitazuiliwa; ukimbiapo, hutajikwaa.
13 Take holde of instruction, and leaue not: keepe her, for shee is thy life.
Mkamate sana elimu, usimwache aende zake; mshike, maana yeye ni uzima wako.
14 Enter not into the way of the wicked, and walke not in the way of euill men.
Usiuweke mguu wako katika njia ya waovu wala usitembee katika njia ya watu wabaya.
15 Auoide it, and goe not by it: turne from it, and passe by.
Epukana nayo, usisafiri katika njia hiyo; achana nayo, na uelekee njia yako.
16 For they can not sleepe, except they haue done euill, and their sleepe departeth except they cause some to fall.
Kwa kuwa hawawezi kulala mpaka watende uovu; wanashindwa hata kusinzia mpaka wamwangushe mtu.
17 For they eate the breade of wickednesse, and drinke the wine of violence.
Wanakula mkate wa uovu, na kunywa mvinyo wa jeuri.
18 But the way of the righteous shineth as the light, that shineth more and more vnto the perfite day.
Njia ya wenye haki ni kama nuru ya kwanza ya mapambazuko, ambayo hungʼaa zaidi na zaidi mpaka mchana mkamilifu.
19 The way of the wicked is as the darkenes: they knowe not wherein they shall fall.
Lakini njia ya waovu ni kama giza nene; hawajui kinachowafanya wajikwae.
20 My sonne, hearken vnto my wordes, incline thine eare vnto my sayings.
Mwanangu, yasikilize kwa makini yale ninayokuambia; sikiliza kwa makini maneno yangu.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes, but keepe them in the middes of thine heart.
Usiruhusu yaondoke machoni pako, yahifadhi ndani ya moyo wako;
22 For they are life vnto those that find them, and health vnto all their flesh.
kwa sababu ni uzima kwa wale wanaoyapata na afya kwa mwili wote wa mwanadamu.
23 Keepe thine heart with all diligence: for thereout commeth life.
Zaidi ya yote, linda moyo wako, kuliko yote uyalindayo, maana ndiko zitokako chemchemi za uzima.
24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and put wicked lippes farre from thee.
Epusha kinywa chako na ukaidi; weka mazungumzo machafu mbali na midomo yako.
25 Let thine eyes beholde the right, and let thine eyelids direct thy way before thee.
Macho yako na yatazame mbele, kaza macho yako moja kwa moja mbele yako.
26 Ponder the path of thy feete, and let all thy waies be ordred aright.
Sawazisha mapito ya miguu yako na njia zako zote ziwe zimethibitika.
27 Turne not to the right hande, nor to the left, but remooue thy foote from euill.
Usigeuke kulia wala kushoto; epusha mguu wako na ubaya.
