Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Wanangu, sikilizeni, fundisho la baba, na zingatieni ili mjue maana ya ufahamu.
2 For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not my teaching.
Mimi ninawapa mafundisho mazuri; msiyaache mafundisho yangu.
3 For I was a son unto my father, tender and an only one 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 unto me: 'Let thy heart hold fast my words, keep my commandments, and live;
baba alinifundisha akiniambia, “Moyo wako uzingatie sana maneno yangu; shika amri zangu nawe uishi.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; 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 will preserve thee; love her, and she will keep thee.
usiiache hekima nayo itakulinda; ipenda nayo itakuhifadhi salama.
7 The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom; yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
Hekima ni kitu cha muhimu sana, hivyo jipatie hekima na tumia namna zote kuweza kupata ufahamu.
8 Extol her, and she will exalt thee; she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
Tunza hekima nayo itakutukuza; ikumbatie nayo itakuheshimu.
9 She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow on thee.'
Hekima itaweka kilemba cha heshima juu ya kichwa chako; itakupa taji zuri.
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
Mwanangu, sikiliza, na kuzingatia maneno yangu, nawe utapata miaka mingi ya maisha yako.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
Ninakuelekeza katika njia ya hekima, nimekuongoza katika mapito yaliyonyooka.
12 When thou goest, thy step shall not be straitened; and if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Unapotembea, hakuna atakayesimama katika njia yako na kama ukikimbia hutajikwaa.
13 Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go; keep her, for she is thy life.
Shika mwongozo wala usiuache, utakuongoza, maana ni uzima wako.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men.
Usifuate njia ya waovu wala usiende katika njia ya watendao uovu.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass on.
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 cause some to fall.
Maana hawawezi kulala mpaka wafanye ubaya na hupotewa na usingizi hadi wasababishe mtu kujikwaa.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
Maana wao hula mkate wa uovu na hunywa divai ya vurugu.
18 But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, that shineth more and more unto the 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 as darkness; they know not at what they stumble.
Njia ya waovu ni kama giza - hawajui ni kitu gani huwa wanajikwaa juu yake.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Mwanangu, zingatia maneno yangu; sikiliza kauli zangu.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thy heart.
Usiziache zikaondoka machoni pako; uzitunze katika moyo wako.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Maana maneno yangu ni uzima kwa wenye kuyapata na afya katika mwili wao.
23 Above all that thou guardest keep thy heart; for out of it are the issues of life.
Ulinde salama moyo wako na uukinge kwa bidii zote; kwa kuwa katika moyo hububujika chemichemi za uzima.
24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Jiepushe na kauli za udanganyifu na ujiepushe na mazungumzo ya ufisadi.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Macho yako yatazame mbele kwa unyoofu na kwa uthabiti tazama mbele sawasawa.
26 Make plain the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Usawazishe pito la mguu wako; na njia zako zote zitakuwa salama.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.
Usigeuke upande wa kulia au kushoto; ondoa mguu wako mbali na uovu.
