Proverbs 22
1 More choice, is a name, than great riches, beyond silver and gold, is pleasant grace.
Heri kuchagua jina jema kuliko utajiri mwingi, kuheshimiwa ni bora kuliko fedha au dhahabu.
2 The rich and the poor, meet together, the maker of them all, is Yahweh.
Tajiri na maskini wanafanana kwa hili: Bwana ni Muumba wao wote.
3 A prudent man, seeth calamity, and hideth himself, but, the simple, pass on, and suffer.
Mtu mwenye busara huona hatari na kujificha, bali mjinga huendelea mbele kama kipofu nayo ikamtesa.
4 The reward of humility, is the reverence of Yahweh, riches, and honour, and life.
Unyenyekevu na kumcha Bwana huleta utajiri, heshima na uzima.
5 Thorns and snares, are in the way of the perverse, —he that guardeth his soul, shall be far from them.
Katika mapito ya waovu kuna miiba na mitego, bali yeye ailindaye nafsi yake hukaa mbali nayo.
6 Train up a youth, in the direction of his duty, even when he becometh old, he will not depart from it.
Mfundishe mtoto njia impasayo kuiendea, naye hataiacha hata akiwa mzee.
7 The rich, over the poor, beareth rule, —and, slave, is the borrower to the lender.
Matajiri huwatawala maskini naye akopaye ni mtumwa wa akopeshaye.
8 He that soweth perversity, shall reap trouble, and, the rod of his wrath, shall be ready.
Yeye aupandaye uovu huvuna taabu, nayo fimbo ya ghadhabu yake itaangamizwa.
9 A benevolent eye, the same, shall be blessed, —because he hath given of his bread to the poor.
Mtu mkarimu yeye mwenyewe atabarikiwa kwa kuwa hushiriki chakula chake na maskini.
10 Drive away the scoffer, that strife may depart, and quarrel, and contempt may cease.
Mfukuze mwenye dhihaka, na mvutano utatoweka; ugomvi na matukano vitakoma.
11 Yahweh loveth the pure in heart, gracious are his lips, his friend is the king!
Yeye apendaye moyo safi na yeye ambaye maneno yake ni ya neema, mfalme atakuwa rafiki yake.
12 The eyes of Yahweh, watch over knowledge, therefore hath he overturned the words of the treacherous.
Macho ya Bwana hulinda maarifa, bali huyapinga maneno ya asiye mwaminifu.
13 Saith the sluggard, A lion outside! Amidst the broadways, shall I be slain.
Mvivu husema, “Yuko simba nje!” au, “Nitauawa katika mitaa!”
14 A deep chasm, is the mouth of strange women, he with whom Yahweh is indignant, falleth there.
Kinywa cha mwanamke kahaba ni shimo refu; yeye aliye chini ya ghadhabu ya Bwana atatumbukia ndani yake.
15 Foolishness, is bound up in the heart of a youth, the rod of correction, shall drive it far from him.
Upumbavu umefungwa ndani ya moyo wa mtoto, bali fimbo ya adhabu itaufukuzia mbali naye.
16 He that oppresseth the poor, to make increase for himself, giving to the rich, shall surely come to want.
Yeye amwoneaye maskini ili kujiongezea mali, naye ampaye tajiri zawadi, wote huwa maskini.
17 Incline thine ear and hear the words of wise men, then, thy heart, wilt thou apply to my teaching;
Tega sikio na usikie misemo ya wenye hekima, elekeza moyo wako kwenye yale nifundishayo,
18 For sweet shall they be, when thou shalt keep them in thine inmost mind, they shall fit well together, upon thy lips.
kwa maana inapendeza unapoyahifadhi moyoni mwako na kuwa nayo yote tayari midomoni mwako.
19 That in Yahweh may be thy trust, I have made them known to thee to-day, even to thee.
Ili tumaini lako liwe katika Bwana, hata wewe, ninakufundisha leo.
20 Have I not written for thee noble things, with counsels and knowledge:
Je, sijakuandikia misemo thelathini, misemo ya mashauri na maarifa,
21 To cause thee to know the meaning of faithful sayings, that thou mayest give back faithful sayings to them who ask thee.
kukufundisha maneno ya kweli na ya kuaminika, ili uweze kutoa majibu sahihi kwake yeye aliyekutuma?
22 Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, neither crush thou the oppressed in the gate;
Usiwadhulumu maskini kwa sababu ni maskini, wala kumdhulumu mhitaji mahakamani,
23 For, Yahweh, will plead their cause, and will despoil their despoilers of life.
kwa sababu Bwana atalichukua shauri lao naye atawateka wao waliowateka.
24 Do not have friendship with one given to anger, and, with a wrathful man, shall thou not enter in:
Usifanye urafiki na mtu mwenye hasira ya haraka, usishirikiane na yule aliye mwepesi kukasirika,
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and take a snare to thy soul.
la sivyo utajifunza njia zake na kujiingiza mwenyewe kwenye mtego.
26 Be not of them who strike hands, of them who are sureties for debts:
Usiwe mwenye kupana mikono katika rehani, au kuweka dhamana kwa ajili ya madeni.
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should one take away thy bed from under thee?
Kama ukikosa njia ya kulipa, kitanda chako kitachukuliwa ukiwa umekilalia.
28 Do not move back the ancient boundary, which thy father’s made.
Usisogeze jiwe la mpaka wa zamani lililowekwa na baba zako.
29 Seest thou a man prompt in his business? before kings, shall he stand, he shall not stand before men who are obscure.
Je, unamwona mtu stadi katika kazi yake? Atahudumu mbele ya wafalme; hatahudumu mbele ya watu duni.
