< Proverbs 2 >
1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and lay up my commandments with thee;
Mwanangu, kama utayakubali maneno yangu na kuyaweka akiba maagizo yangu ndani mwako,
2 So that thou make thine ear attend unto wisdom, and thy heart incline to discernment;
kutega sikio lako kwenye hekima na kuweka moyo wako katika ufahamu,
3 Yea, if thou call for understanding, and lift up thy voice for discernment;
na kama ukiita busara na kuita kwa sauti ufahamu,
4 If thou seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures;
na kama utaitafuta kama fedha na kuitafuta sana kama hazina iliyofichwa,
5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
ndipo utakapoelewa kumcha Bwana na kupata maarifa ya Mungu.
6 For the LORD giveth wisdom, out of His mouth cometh knowledge and discernment;
Kwa maana Bwana hutoa hekima, na kinywani mwake hutoka maarifa na ufahamu.
7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright, He is a shield to them that walk in integrity;
Anahifadhi ushindi kwa ajili ya mwadilifu, yeye ni ngao kwa wale wasio na lawama,
8 That He may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of His godly ones.
kwa kuwa hulinda mwenendo wa mwenye haki na kuhifadhi njia ya waaminifu wake.
9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, and equity, yea, every good path.
Ndipo utafahamu lipi lililo kweli na haki na sawa: yaani kila njia nzuri.
10 For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, and knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul;
Kwa maana hekima itaingia moyoni mwako, nayo maarifa yataifurahisha nafsi yako.
11 Discretion shall watch over thee, discernment shall guard thee;
Busara itakuhifadhi na ufahamu utakulinda.
12 To deliver thee from the way of evil, from the men that speak froward things;
Hekima itakuokoa kutoka njia za waovu, kutoka kwa watu ambao maneno yao yamepotoka,
13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
wale waachao mapito yaliyonyooka wakatembea katika njia za giza,
14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of evil;
wale wapendao kutenda mabaya na kufurahia upotovu wa ubaya,
15 Who are crooked in their ways, and perverse in their paths;
ambao mapito yao yamepotoka na ambao ni wapotovu katika njia zao.
16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the alien woman that maketh smooth her words;
Itakuokoa pia kutokana na mwanamke kahaba, kutokana na mke aliyepotoka mwenye maneno ya kushawishi kutenda ubaya,
17 That forsaketh the lord of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
aliyemwacha mwenzi wa ujana wake na kupuuza agano alilofanya mbele ya Mungu.
18 For her house sinketh down unto death, and her paths unto the shades;
Kwa maana nyumba yake huelekea kwenye kifo na mapito yake kwenye roho za waliokufa.
19 None that go unto her return, neither do they attain unto the paths of life;
Hakuna yeyote aendaye kwake akarudi, au kufikia mapito ya uzima.
20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
Hivyo utatembea katika njia za watu wema na kushikamana na mapito ya wenye haki.
21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the whole-hearted shall remain in it.
Kwa maana wanyofu wataishi katika nchi, nao wasio na lawama watabakia ndani yake.
22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, and the faithless shall be plucked up out of it.
Bali waovu watakatiliwa mbali kutoka nchi, nao wasio waaminifu watangʼolewa kutoka humo.