Proverbs 8
1 Doth not, wisdom, cry aloud? and, understanding, send forth her voice?
Je, hekima haitani? Je, ufahamu hapazi sauti?
2 At the top of the high places above the way, at the place where paths meet, she taketh her stand:
Juu ya miinuko karibu na njia, penye njia panda, ndipo asimamapo;
3 Beside the gates, at the entrance of the city, —at the going in of the openings, she shouteth: —
kando ya malango yaelekeayo mjini, kwenye maingilio, hulia kwa sauti kubwa, akisema:
4 Unto you, O men, I call, and, my voice, is unto the sons of men;
“Ni ninyi wanaume, ninaowaita; ninapaza sauti yangu kwa wanadamu wote.
5 Understand, ye simple ones, shrewdness, and, ye dullards understand sense;
Ninyi ambao ni wajinga, pateni akili; ninyi mlio wapumbavu, pateni ufahamu.
6 Hear, for, princely things, will I speak, and the opening of my lips shall be of equity;
Sikilizeni, kwa maana nina mambo muhimu ya kusema; ninafungua midomo yangu kusema lililo sawa.
7 For, faithfulness, shall my mouth softly utter, but, the abomination of my lips, shall be lawlessness;
Kinywa changu husema lililo kweli, kwa maana midomo yangu huchukia uovu.
8 In righteousness, shall be all the sayings of my mouth, nothing therein, shall be crafty or perverse;
Maneno yote ya kinywa changu ni haki; hakuna mojawapo lililopotoka wala ukaidi.
9 All of them, shall be plain, to them who would understand, and just, to such as would gain knowledge.
Kwa wenye kupambanua yote ni sahihi; hayana kasoro kwa wale wenye maarifa.
10 Receive my correction, and not silver, and knowledge, rather than choicest gold.
Chagua mafundisho yangu badala ya fedha, maarifa badala ya dhahabu safi,
11 For better is wisdom, than ornaments of coral, and, no delightful things, can equal her.
kwa maana hekima ina thamani kuliko marijani na hakuna chochote unachohitaji kinacholingana naye.
12 I, wisdom, inhabit shrewdness, —and, the knowledge of sagacious things, I gain.
“Mimi hekima, nakaa pamoja na busara; ninamiliki maarifa na busara.
13 The reverence of Yahweh, is to hate wickedness: pride, arrogance, and the way of wickedness; And a mouth of perverse things, do I hate.
Kumcha Bwana ni kuchukia uovu; ninachukia kiburi na majivuno, tabia mbaya na mazungumzo potovu.
14 Mine, are counsel, and effective working, I, am understanding, mine, is valour:
Ushauri na hukumu sahihi ni vyangu; nina ufahamu na nina nguvu.
15 By me, kings reign, and dignitaries decree righteousness;
Kwa msaada wangu wafalme hutawala na watawala hutunga sheria zilizo za haki,
16 By me, rulers govern, and nobles—all the righteous judges:
kwa msaada wangu wakuu hutawala, na wenye vyeo wote watawalao dunia.
17 I love, them who love me, and, they who diligently seek me, find me:
Nawapenda wale wanipendao, na wale wanitafutao kwa bidii wataniona.
18 Riches and honour, are with me, lordly wealth, and righteousness;
Utajiri na heshima viko kwangu, utajiri udumuo na mafanikio.
19 Better is my fruit, than gold—yea fine gold, and mine increase, than choice silver;
Tunda langu ni bora kuliko dhahabu safi; kile nitoacho hupita fedha iliyo bora.
20 In the way of righteousness, I march along, in the middle of the paths of justice:
Natembea katika njia ya unyofu katika mapito ya haki,
21 That I may cause them who love me to inherit substance, and, their treasuries, I may fill.
nawapa utajiri wale wanipendao na kuzijaza hazina zao.
22 Yahweh, had constituted me the beginning of his way, before his works, at the commencement of that time;
“Bwana aliniumba mwanzoni mwa kazi yake, kabla ya matendo yake ya zamani;
23 At the outset of the ages, had I been established, in advance of the antiquities of the earth;
niliteuliwa tangu milele, tangu mwanzoni, kabla ya dunia kuumbwa.
24 When there was no resounding deep, I had been brought forth, when there were no fountains, abounding with water;
Wakati hazijakuwepo bahari, nilikwishazaliwa, wakati hazijakuwepo chemchemi zilizojaa maji;
25 Ere yet the mountains had been settled, before the hills, had I been brought forth;
kabla milima haijawekwa mahali pake, kabla vilima havijakuwepo, nilikwishazaliwa,
26 Or ever he had made the land and the wastes, or the top of the dry parts of the world:
kabla hajaumba dunia wala mashamba yake au vumbi lolote la dunia.
27 When he prepared the heavens, there, was I! When he decreed a vault upon the face of the resounding deep;
Nilikuwepo alipoziweka mbingu mahali pake, wakati alichora mstari wa upeo wa macho juu ya uso wa kilindi,
28 When he made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the resounding deep, waxed strong;
wakati aliweka mawingu juu na kuziweka imara chemchemi za bahari,
29 When he fixed for the sea its bound, that, the waters, should not go beyond his bidding, when he decreed the foundations of the earth: —
wakati aliiwekea bahari mpaka wake ili maji yasivunje agizo lake, na wakati aliweka misingi ya dunia.
30 Then became I beside him, a firm and sure worker, then became I filled with delight, day by day, exulting before him on every occasion;
Wakati huo nilikuwa fundi stadi kando yake. Nilijazwa na furaha siku baada ya siku, nikifurahi daima mbele zake,
31 Exulting in the fruitful land of his earth, Yea, my fulness of delight, was with the sons of men.
nikifurahi katika dunia yake yote nami nikiwafurahia wanadamu.
32 Now, therefore, ye sons, hearken to me, for how happy are they who, to my ways, pay regard!
“Basi sasa wanangu, nisikilizeni; heri wale wanaozishika njia zangu.
33 Hear ye correction, and be wise, and do not neglect.
Sikilizeni mafundisho yangu mwe na hekima; msiyapuuze.
34 How happy the man that doth hearken to me, —keeping guard at my doors, day by day, watching at the posts of my gates;
Heri mtu yule anisikilizaye mimi, akisubiri siku zote malangoni mwangu, akingoja kwenye vizingiti vya mlango wangu.
35 For, he that findeth me, findeth life, and hath obtained favour from Yahweh;
Kwa maana yeyote anipataye mimi amepata uzima na kujipatia kibali kutoka kwa Bwana.
36 But, he that misseth me, wrongeth his own soul, all who hate me, love death.
Lakini yeyote ashindwaye kunipata hujiumiza mwenyewe; na wote wanichukiao mimi hupenda mauti.”
