Proverbs 23
1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
Unapoketi kula pamoja na mtawala, angalia kwa uangalifu kilichopo mbele yako,
2 For thou puttest a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man of a craving desire.
na kama ni mtu unayependa kula chakula sana weka kisu kooni.
3 Do not long for his savory meats; they are deceitful food.
Usitamani vinono vyake maana ni chakula cha uongo.
4 Fatigue thyself not to become rich; because thou hast understanding, forbear.
Usifanye kazi sana ili kupata mali; uwe na busara ya kutosha ili ujue wakati wa kuacha.
5 When thou lettest merely thy eyes fly over it, it is no more: for it will ever make itself wings: like an eagle will it fly toward heaven.
Je utaruhusu macho yako yaangaze juu yake? Itaondoka, maana itawaa mabawa kama tai na kuruka angani.
6 Eat not the bread of a man with an evil eye, and do not long for his savory meats;
Usile chakula cha yule mwenye jicho baya- na usiwe na shauku ya vinono vyake,
7 For as though there were a division in his soul, so doth he act: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
maana ni mtu mwenye kuhesabu gharama ya chakula. “Kula na kunywa!” anakuambia, lakini moyo wake haupo pamoja nawe.
8 Thy morsel which thou hast eaten must thou spit out, and thou hast wasted thy pleasant words.
Utatapika kiasi kidogo ulichokula na utakuwa umepoteza sifa zako njema.
9 Speak not before the ears of a fool; for he will despise the intelligence of thy words.
Usiongee katika usikivu wa mpumbavu, maana atadharau hekima ya maneno yako.
10 Remove not the ancient landmark, and into the fields of the fatherless must thou not enter;
Usihamishe jiwe la mpaka wa kale au kunyang'anya mashamba ya yatima,
11 For their redeemer is strong; he will indeed plead their cause with thee.
maana Mkombozi wao ni imara na atatetea kesi yao dhidi yako.
12 Apply thy heart unto instruction, and thy ears to the sayings of knowledge.
Elekeza moyo wako katika mafundisho na masikio yako kwenye maneno ya maarifa.
13 Withhold not from a lad correction; for if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Usizuie kuadilisha mtoto, maana ukimchapa kwa fimbo, hatakufa.
14 Thou wilt indeed beat him with the rod; but thou wilt deliver his soul from perdition. (Sheol h7585)
Ni wewe unayepaswa kumchapa kwa fimbo na kuikoa nafsi yake kuzimu. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, If thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
Mwanangu, kama moyo wako una busara, basi moyo wangu utafurahi pia;
16 And my reins shall exult when thy lips speak what is equitable.
sehemu zangu ndani kabisa zitafurahi sana midomo yako inaponena haki.
17 Let not thy heart be envious against sinners; but [remain] in the fear of the lord all the time.
Usiruhusu moyo wako kuwahusudu wenye dhambi, lakini endelea kumcha Yehova siku zote.
18 For surely there is a future, and thy hope will not be cut off.
Hakika tumaini lako halitaondolewa na siku zako za hapo baadaye.
19 Hear thou, my son, and become wise, and guide thy heart on the right way.
Sikia- wewe! - mwanangu, na uwe mwenye busara na uelekeze moyo wako katika njia.
20 Be not among those that drink wine immoderately, among those that over-indulge in eating flesh:
Usishirikiane pamoja na walevi, au pamoja na walaji wa nyama walafi,
21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty; and drowsiness clotheth a man in rags.
maana mlevi na mlafi wanakuwa masikini na usingizi utawavika kwa matambara.
22 Hearken unto thy father that hath begotten thee, and despise not thy mother although she be old.
Msikilize baba yako ambaye alikuzaa na usimdharau mama yako wakati akiwa mzee.
23 Buy the truth and sell it not; [also] wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Inunue kweli, lakini usiiuze; nunua hekima, nidhamu, na ufahamu.
24 The father of the righteous will be greatly glad, and he that begetteth a wise child will have joy through him.
Baba yake mwenye haki atafurahia sana, na yule amzaaye mtoto mwenye busara atamfurahia.
25 Let [then] thy father and thy mother rejoice, and let her that hath born thee be glad.
Mfurahishe baba yako na mama yako na yule aliyekuzaa afurahie.
26 Give, my son, thy heart unto me, and let thy eyes watch my ways.
Mwanangu, nipe moyo wako na macho yako yachunguze njia zangu.
27 For a harlot is a deep ditch, and a strange woman is a narrow well.
Maana malaya ni shimo refu, na mke wa mume mwingine ni kisima chembamba.
28 She also lieth in wait like a robber, and she increaseth the treacherous among men.
Anavizia kama mnyang'anyi na huongeza idadi ya wadanganyifu miongoni mwa wanadamu.
29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath quarrels? who hath complaints? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Nani mwenye taabu? Nani mwenye huzuni? Nani mwenye mapigano? Nani mwenye malalamiko? Nani mwenye majeraha bila sababu? Nani mwenye macho mekundu?
30 They that tarry late over the wine: they that come to seek for mixed drink.
Ni wale ambao huzengea kwenye mvinyo, wale wanaojaribu kuchanganya mvinyo.
31 Do not look on the wine when it looketh red, when it giveth its color in the cup, when it glideth down so readily.
Usiutazame mvinyo ukiwa mwekundu, wakati unametameta kwenye kikombe na kutelemka kwa uraini.
32 At the last it will bite like a serpent, and like a basilisk will it sting.
Mwisho wake unauma kama nyoka na sumu yake kama kifutu.
33 Thy eyes will see strange forms, and thy heart will speak perverse things.
Macho yako yataona vitu vigeni na moyo wako utatamka vitu vya ukaidi.
34 And thou wilt be like one that lieth down in the heart of the sea, or as he that lieth on the top of a mast.
Utakuwa kama anayelala kwenye bahari au anayelala juu ya mlingoti. “
35 “They smote me, [but] I suffered no pain; they struck me hard, [but] I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will continue to seek it again.”
Wamenipiga,” utasema, “lakini sikuumia. Wamenichapa, lakini sikuwa na hisia. Nitaamka lini? Nitatafuta kinywaji kingine.”
