Proverbs 21
1 Yahweh controls what kings do [MTY] [like] he controls how streams flow; he causes kings to do just what he wants them to do.
Moyo wa mfalme ni mfereji wa maji katika mkono wa Yehova; anaugeuza popote anakopenda.
2 People always think that what they do is right, but Yahweh judges our (motives/reasons [for doing things)] [MTY].
Kila njia ya mtu ni sawa katika macho yake mwenyewe, lakini ni Yehova anayeipima mioyo.
3 Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to Yahweh than [bringing] sacrifices [to him].
Kutenda haki na adili hukubaliwa zaidi na Yehova kuliko sadaka.
4 Being proud and arrogant [DOU] is [like] a lamp [MTY] [that guides] wicked people; being proud and arrogant characterizes (wicked people’s whole behavior/everything that wicked people do).
Macho ya kiburi na moyo wa majivuno- taa ya waovu- ni dhambi.
5 People who plan carefully will surely have plenty [of what they need]; those who act too quickly [to become rich] will become poor.
Mipango ya mwenye juhudi huelekea kwenye mafanikio tu, bali kila mtu anayetenda kwa haraka huelekea umasikini.
6 Money that people acquire [by cheating others] by lying [MTY] to them will soon disappear [like] a mist, and doing that will [soon] lead to their death.
Kujipatia utajiri kwa ulimi wa uongo ni mvuke unaopita upesi na mtego ambao unafisha.
7 Wicked [people] refuse to do what is right/just, but they will be ruined because of the violent things [PRS] that they do.
Vurugu ya waovu itawaburuta mbali, maana wanakataa kutenda haki.
8 Guilty [people continually do what is evil; it is as though] [MET] they are walking on a crooked road; but righteous/innocent people [always] do what is right.
Njia ya mwenye hatia ni ukatiri, bali mwenye usafi hutenda yaliyo ya haki.
9 It is better to live in the corner of an attic/housetop [by yourself] than to live inside the house with a wife who is always nagging.
Bora kuishi kwenye kona ya juu darini kuliko katika nyumba pamoja na mke mgonvi.
10 Wicked [people] [SYN] are always wanting [to do what is] evil; they never act mercifully toward anyone.
Hamu ya mwovu ni uchu wa mabaya; jirani yake haoni ukarimu katika macho yake.
11 When those who ridicule [others] are punished, [even] those who do not have good sense [see that, and] they become wise, and when those who are wise are taught, they become wiser.
Mwenye dhihaka anapoadhibiwa mjinga hupata busara, na mtu mwenye busara anapofundishwa, anaongeza maarifa.
12 [God], the one [who is completely] righteous, knows [what happens inside] the houses of wicked [people], and [he will cause] those people to be completely ruined/destroyed.
Atendaye haki huilinda nyumba ya mwovu; huwashusha waovu kwenye uharibifu.
13 There are people who refuse to listen when poor people cry out [for help]; [but some day] they themselves will cry out [for help], and no one will hear them.
Anayeziba masikio yake kwenye kilio cha masikini, pia atalia, lakini hatajibiwa.
14 When someone is angry [with you], if you secretly give him a gift, he will stop being angry.
Zawadi ya siri hutuliza hasira na zawadi ya kificho hutuliza ghadhabu kuu.
15 Good/Righteous [people] are happy when they [see others do] what is just/fair, but those who do what is evil are terrified [when they think about what may happen to them].
Haki ikitendeka, huleta furaha kwa mwenye kutenda wema, lakini huleta hofu kubwa kwa watenda mabaya.
16 Those who stop behaving like those who have good sense behave will [soon] discover that they have gone to the place where dead people are.
Yule anayezurura kutoka kwenye njia ya ufahamu, atapumzika kwenye kusanyiko la wafu.
17 Those who spend their money to buy (things that give them pleasure/things that cause them to feel happy) will become poor; those who love [to spend money to buy] wine and nice/fancy food [MTY] will never become rich.
Anayependa raha atakuwa masikini; anayependa divai na mafuta hawezi kuwa tajiri.
18 Wicked [people] bring on themselves the sufferings that they were trying to cause righteous [people] to experience [DOU].
Mtu mbaya ni fidia kwa yule atendaye haki, na mdanganyifu ni fidia kwa waaminifu.
19 It is better to live [alone] in a desert than [to live] with a wife who is [always] nagging and complaining.
Bora kuishi jangwani kuliko kuishi pamoja na mwanamke ambaye huchochea sana ugomvi na malalamiko.
20 Wise people have many valuable things in their houses, but foolish people [quickly] spend/waste [all their money].
Hazina yenye thamani na mafuta vipo nyumbani kwa mwenye busara, bali mtu mpumbavu huviharibu.
21 Those who [always] try to act in a fair and kind way [toward others] will live [a long time] and be honored/respected.
Mtu atendaye haki na mwema -huyu mtu hupata uzima, haki na heshima.
22 A wise army commander [helps his troops] climb over a wall [to attack] a city that is defended by a strong army, with the result that they are able to (get over/destroy) the high walls that their enemies trusted [would protect them].
Mtu mwenye busara huupima mji wa mashujaa, na huiangusha ngome wanayoitumaini.
23 Those who are very careful about what they say [MTY] are [able to] avoid trouble.
Anayelinda kinywa chake na ulimi wake hujilinda mwenyewe na taabu.
24 Those who make fun of [everything that is good] are proud and conceited [DOU]; they [always] act in an inconsiderate way [toward others].
Mtu mwenye kiburi na maringo- “Dhihaka” ndilo jina lake - hutenda kwa majivuno na kujidai.
25 Lazy people, who refuse to work, [will] die [of hunger] because they [SYN] do not earn [money to buy food].
Shauku ya mtu mvivu itamuua, maana mikono yake hukataa kufanya kazi.
26 All during the day [wicked people] desire to obtain things, but righteous [people] have plenty, [with the result that] they [are able to] give things generously to others.
Kwa siku nzima hupatwa na uchu na uchu zaidi, lakini atendaye haki hutoa na wala hazuii.
27 [Yahweh] detests the sacrifices that wicked [people] offer [to him]; [but he] detests it even more when they [think that they will escape being punished for] their evil deeds because of the sacrifices that they bring.
Sadaka ya mwovu ni chukizo; huwa ni chukizo zaidi anapoileta kwa nia mbaya.
28 Those who tell lies in court will be punished; no one stops/silences witnesses who say what is truthful/reliable.
Shahidi wa uongo ataangamia, bali anayesikiliza ataongea kwa muda wote.
29 Wicked people pretend [that they know everything], but righteous people think carefully about [what will happen because of] what they do.
Mtu mwovu huufanya uso wake kuwa mgumu, bali mtu mwadilifu ni thabiti juu ya njia zake.
30 [Thinking that we are] wise, and that we understand many things, and that we have good insight, does not help us if Yahweh is (acting against/not pleased with) us.
Hakuna hekima, hakuna ufahamu, na hakuna shauri linaloweza kusimama kinyume na Yehova.
31 We [can] get horses ready to fight in a battle, but Yahweh is the one who enables us to (win victories/defeat our enemies).
Farasi hutayarishwa kwa siku ya mapigano, lakini ushindi hupatikana kwa Yehova.
