Proverbs 23
1 When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you:
Uketipo kula chakula na mtawala, angalia vyema kile kilicho mbele yako,
2 And put a knife to your throat, if you be a man given to appetite.
na utie kisu kooni mwako kama ukiwa mlafi.
3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful food.
Usitamani vyakula vyake vitamu kwa kuwa chakula hicho ni cha hila.
4 Labour not to be rich: cease from your own wisdom.
Usijitaabishe ili kuupata utajiri, uwe na hekima kuonyesha kujizuia.
5 Will you set your eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
Kufumba na kufumbua utajiri hutoweka, huwa kama umepata mabawa ghafula, ukaruka na kutoweka angani kama tai.
6 Eat you not the bread of him that has an evil eye, neither desire you his dainty meats:
Usile chakula cha mtu mchoyo, usitamani vyakula vyake vitamu,
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, says he to you; but his heart is not with you.
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 The morsel which you have eaten shall you vomit up, and lose your sweet words.
Utatapika kile kidogo ulichokula, nawe utakuwa umepoteza bure maneno yako ya kumsifu.
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Usizungumze na mpumbavu, kwa maana atadhihaki hekima ya maneno yako.
10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
Usisogeze jiwe la mpaka wa zamani wala kunyemelea kwenye mashamba ya yatima,
11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with you.
kwa kuwa Mtetezi wao ni mwenye nguvu, atalichukua shauri lao dhidi yako.
12 Apply your heart unto instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
Elekeza moyo wako kwenye mafundisho na masikio yako kwenye maneno ya maarifa.
13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if you beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
Usimnyime mtoto adhabu, ukimwadhibu kwa fimbo, hatakufa.
Mwadhibu kwa fimbo na kuiokoa nafsi yake kutoka mautini. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if your heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
Mwanangu, kama moyo wako una hekima, basi moyo wangu utafurahi,
16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when your lips speak right things.
utu wangu wa ndani utafurahi, wakati midomo yako itakapozungumza lililo sawa.
17 Let not your heart envy sinners: but be you in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
Usiuruhusu moyo wako kuwaonea wivu wenye dhambi, bali kila mara uwe na bidii katika kumcha Bwana.
18 For surely there is an end; and your expectation shall not be cut off.
Hakika kuna tumaini la baadaye kwa ajili yako, nalo tarajio lako halitakatiliwa mbali.
19 Hear you, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the way.
Sikiliza, mwanangu na uwe na hekima, weka moyo wako kwenye njia iliyo sawa.
20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
Usiwe miongoni mwa wanywao mvinyo, au wale walao nyama kwa pupa,
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
kwa maana walevi na walafi huwa maskini, nako kusinzia huwavika matambara.
22 Hearken unto your father that brings forth you, and despise not your mother when she is old.
Msikilize baba yako, aliyekuzaa, wala usimdharau mama yako atakapokuwa mzee.
23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Nunua kweli wala usiiuze, pata hekima, adabu na ufahamu.
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that bring forths a wise child shall have joy of him.
Baba wa mwenye haki ana furaha kubwa, naye aliye na mwana mwenye hekima humfurahia.
25 Your father and your mother shall be glad, and she that bare you shall rejoice.
Baba yako na mama yako na wafurahi, mama aliyekuzaa na ashangilie!
26 My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
Mwanangu, nipe moyo wako, macho yako na yafuate njia zangu,
27 For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
kwa maana kahaba ni shimo refu na mwanamke mpotovu ni kisima chembamba.
28 She also lies in wait as for a prey, and increases the transgressors among men.
Kama mnyangʼanyi, hungojea akivizia, naye huzidisha wasio waaminifu miongoni mwa wanaume.
29 Who has woe? who has sorrow? who has contentions? who has babbling? who has wounds without cause? who has redness of 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 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Ni hao wakaao sana kwenye mvinyo, hao waendao kuonja mabakuli ya mvinyo uliochanganywa.
31 Look not you upon the wine when it is red, when it gives his colour in the cup, when it moves itself aright.
Usiukodolee macho mvinyo wakati ukiwa mwekundu, wakati unapometameta kwenye bilauri, wakati ushukapo taratibu!
32 At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.
Mwishowe huuma kama nyoka na kutia sumu yake kama nyoka mwenye sumu.
33 your eyes shall behold strange women, and your heart shall utter perverse things.
Macho yako yataona mambo mageni na moyo wako kuwazia mambo yaliyopotoka.
34 Yea, you shall be as he that lies down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lies upon the top of a mast.
Utakuwa kama alalaye katikati ya bahari, alalaye juu ya kamba ya merikebu.
35 They have stricken me, shall you say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
Utasema, “Wamenipiga lakini sikuumia! Wamenichapa, lakini sisikii! Nitaamka lini ili nikanywe tena?”
