Proverbs 18
1 He who is separated seeks [his own] desire, He interferes with all wisdom.
Yule ambaye hujitenga hutafuta matakwa yake mwenyewe na hupingana na hukumu zote za kweli.
2 A fool does not delight in understanding, But in uncovering his heart.
Mpumbavu hapati raha katika ufahamu, lakini hufunua kile kilichopo katika moyo wake.
3 Contempt has also come with the coming of the wicked, And with shame—reproach.
Mtu mwovu anapokuja, dharau huja pamoja naye- sambamba na aibu na shutuma.
4 The words of a man’s mouth [are] deep waters, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
Maneno ya kinywa cha mtu ni maji yenye kina kirefu; chemchemi ya hekima ni mkondo unaotiririka.
5 Favoring of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
Si vema kuwa na upendeleo kwa mwovu, wala haifai kukana haki kwa wale watendao mema.
6 The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth calls for stripes.
Midomo ya mpumbavu huletea mafarakano na kinywa chake hukaribisha mapigo.
7 The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
Kinywa cha mpumbavu ni uharibifu wake na hujinasa mwenye kwa midomo yake.
8 The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
Maneno ya mmbea ni kama chembe tamu na hushuka katika sehema za ndani sana kwenye mwili.
9 He also that is remiss in his work, He [is] a brother to a destroyer.
Basi, ambaye ni mzembe katika kazi yake ni ndugu yake anayeharibu wengi.
10 The Name of YHWH [is] a tower of strength, The righteous runs into it, and is set on high.
Jina la Yehova ni mnara imara; atendaye haki hukimbilia na kuwa salama.
11 The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
Mali ya tajiri ni mji wake imara na katika fikira zake ni kama ukuta mrefu.
12 The heart of man is high before destruction, And humility [is] before honor.
Moyo wa mtu huwa na kiburi kabla ya anguko lake, bali unyenyekevu hutangulia kabla ya heshima.
13 Whoever is answering a matter before he hears, It is folly to him—and shame.
Anayejibu kabla ya kusikiliza- ni upuuzi na aibu yake.
14 The spirit of a man sustains his sickness, And who bears a struck spirit?
Roho ya mtu itajinusuru na madhara, bali roho iliyopondeka nani anaweza kuivumilia?
15 The heart of the intelligent gets knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
Moyo wa mwenye akili hujipatia maarifa na usikivu wa mwenye busara huitafuta.
16 The gift of a man makes room for him, And it leads him before the great.
Zawadi ya mtu inaweza kufungua njia na kumleta mbele ya mtu muhimu.
17 The first in his own cause [seems] righteous, [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.
Wa kwanza kujitetea katika shitaka lake huonekana kuwa na haki hadi mpinzani wake aje na kumuuliza maswali.
18 The lot causes contentions to cease, And it separates between the mighty.
Kupiga kura kunamaliza mabishano na kuwatawanya wapinzani imara.
19 A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
Ndugu aliyechukizwa ni mgumu kushawishiwa kuliko mji wenye nguvu, na kugombana ni kama makomeo ya ngome.
20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied.
Tumbo la mtu litashiba kutoka kwenye tunda la kinywa chake; atatoshelezwa kwa mavuno ya midomo yake.
21 Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
Uzima na kifo hutawaliwa kwa ulimi, na wale wenye kuupenda ulimi watakula tunda lake.
22 [Whoever] has found a wife has found good, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
Yeye apataye mke anapata kitu chema na kupokea fadhila kutoka kwa Yehova.
23 The poor speaks [with] supplications, And the rich answers fierce things.
Mtu masikini huomba rehema, lakini mtu tajiri hujibu kwa ukali.
24 A man with friends—to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
Anayejidai kwa marafiki wengi watamleta katika uharibifu, bali yupo rafiki ambaye huwa karibu kuliko ndugu.
