Proverbs 23
1 When you sit down to eat a meal with a (government official/king), think carefully about what (OR, who) is in front of you.
Uketipo kula chakula na mtawala, angalia vyema kile kilicho mbele yako,
2 [Even] if you (have a big appetite/want to eat a lot of food), restrain yourself.
na utie kisu kooni mwako kama ukiwa mlafi.
3 Do not want to eat [a lot of] his fine food, because he may be trying to trick you.
Usitamani vyakula vyake vitamu kwa kuwa chakula hicho ni cha hila.
4 Do not [cause yourself to become very tired by] working very hard to become rich; be wise and stop doing that,
Usijitaabishe ili kuupata utajiri, uwe na hekima kuonyesha kujizuia.
5 because as soon as you look [MTY] at [all the money that you have acquired], it will be gone; it will [disappear as if it] suddenly grew wings [SIM] and flew up into the sky like an eagle.
Kufumba na kufumbua utajiri hutoweka, huwa kama umepata mabawa ghafula, ukaruka na kutoweka angani kama tai.
6 [If] someone who is stingy [invites you to a meal], do not eat [a lot of] his fine food,
Usile chakula cha mtu mchoyo, usitamani vyakula vyake vitamu,
7 because he will be thinking about how much [the food cost that you are eating]. He [will] say to you, “Eat and drink all that you want!”, but that is not what he [will] really be thinking.
kwa maana yeye ni aina ya mtu ambaye kila mara anafikiri juu ya gharama. Anakuambia, “Kula na kunywa,” lakini moyo wake hauko pamoja nawe.
8 [When you realize what he is really thinking, it will cause you to want to] vomit what you have eaten; and your kind words [telling him that you are enjoying the meal] will be wasted.
Utatapika kile kidogo ulichokula, nawe utakuwa umepoteza bure maneno yako ya kumsifu.
9 (Do not [waste time by]/It is useless) talking to foolish people; they will [only] despise the wise things that you say.
Usizungumze na mpumbavu, kwa maana atadhihaki hekima ya maneno yako.
10 Do not [steal someone’s property by] removing a boundary marker that has been there for a long time, and do not take for yourself the land that belongs to orphans,
Usisogeze jiwe la mpaka wa zamani wala kunyemelea kwenye mashamba ya yatima,
11 because Yahweh is strong, and he is [like] a relative that has the responsibility to defend them, he will [stand up in court and] argue for them and against you.
kwa kuwa Mtetezi wao ni mwenye nguvu, atalichukua shauri lao dhidi yako.
12 Pay attention to what [your teachers] teach you, and try to learn from the wise things that they say.
Elekeza moyo wako kwenye mafundisho na masikio yako kwenye maneno ya maarifa.
13 Do not refuse to discipline your children; if you punish/spank them, it will not cause them to die,
Usimnyime mtoto adhabu, ukimwadhibu kwa fimbo, hatakufa.
Mwadhibu kwa fimbo na kuiokoa nafsi yake kutoka mautini. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son/child, if you [SYN] become wise, I [SYN] will be very happy.
Mwanangu, kama moyo wako una hekima, basi moyo wangu utafurahi,
16 I [SYN] will rejoice when I hear you [SYN] say what is right/wise.
utu wangu wa ndani utafurahi, wakati midomo yako itakapozungumza lililo sawa.
17 Do not envy sinful people; instead, revere Yahweh all of your life.
Usiuruhusu moyo wako kuwaonea wivu wenye dhambi, bali kila mara uwe na bidii katika kumcha Bwana.
18 [If you do that], you will be happy in the future, and [God] will certainly [do for you what you are] confidently expecting him to do.
Hakika kuna tumaini la baadaye kwa ajili yako, nalo tarajio lako halitakatiliwa mbali.
19 My son/child, listen carefully to me and become wise, and think about (all that you do/your behavior).
Sikiliza, mwanangu na uwe na hekima, weka moyo wako kwenye njia iliyo sawa.
20 Do not associate with those who drink a lot of (wine/strong drink) or with those who (are gluttons/eat more than they should),
Usiwe miongoni mwa wanywao mvinyo, au wale walao nyama kwa pupa,
21 because drunkards and gluttons will become poor; and if all that you do is eat and sleep, you will [soon] (be wearing rags/not have any money to buy clothes).
kwa maana walevi na walafi huwa maskini, nako kusinzia huwavika matambara.
22 Pay attention to what your father tells you, and (do not neglect/take care of) [LIT] your mother when she is old.
Msikilize baba yako, aliyekuzaa, wala usimdharau mama yako atakapokuwa mzee.
23 Try to know/learn what is wise, and get good instruction and understanding; and do not throw those things away.
Nunua kweli wala usiiuze, pata hekima, adabu na ufahamu.
24 Righteous [children] will cause their parents to be very happy; those whose children are wise are proud of them.
Baba wa mwenye haki ana furaha kubwa, naye aliye na mwana mwenye hekima humfurahia.
25 [Do what will] cause your father to be glad and enable your mother [also] to be happy.
Baba yako na mama yako na wafurahi, mama aliyekuzaa na ashangilie!
26 My son, heed what I say to you, and allow what I do to be an example for you.
Mwanangu, nipe moyo wako, macho yako na yafuate njia zangu,
27 Prostitutes and immoral women [DOU] are [like] [MET] a deep pit or a well [that you may fall into].
kwa maana kahaba ni shimo refu na mwanamke mpotovu ni kisima chembamba.
28 They wait [for you] like robbers [SIM], and they cause many men to (be unfaithful to/have sex with women who are not) their wives.
Kama mnyangʼanyi, hungojea akivizia, naye huzidisha wasio waaminifu miongoni mwa wanaume.
29 I will tell you [RHQ] what kind of people are always miserable and sad. I will tell you [RHQ] which people are always causing arguments/quarrels and who are always complaining. I will tell you [RHQ] who are injured in fights and whose eyes are always red/bloodshot.
Ni nani mwenye ole? Ni nani mwenye huzuni? Ni nani mwenye ugomvi? Ni nani mwenye malalamiko? Ni nani aliye na majeraha yasiyo na sababu? Ni nani mwenye macho mekundu?
30 [It is] those who drink a lot of wine, who try drinking other kinds of strong drinks.
Ni hao wakaao sana kwenye mvinyo, hao waendao kuonja mabakuli ya mvinyo uliochanganywa.
31 Do not look with pleasure at red wine that looks nice, and which sparkles when it is [poured out] into cups, and which tastes good as you drink it,
Usiukodolee macho mvinyo wakati ukiwa mwekundu, wakati unapometameta kwenye bilauri, wakati ushukapo taratibu!
32 because the next morning [you will feel like] you have been bitten by a poisonous snake [DOU].
Mwishowe huuma kama nyoka na kutia sumu yake kama nyoka mwenye sumu.
33 You [SYN] will [think that you are] seeing strange/weird things, and you [SYN] will not be able to think clearly or speak clearly.
Macho yako yataona mambo mageni na moyo wako kuwazia mambo yaliyopotoka.
34 You will think you are in a ship that is tossing on the sea; you be like [SIM] someone who is trying to sleep when the ship is rolling from one side to the other.
Utakuwa kama alalaye katikati ya bahari, alalaye juu ya kamba ya merikebu.
35 You will say, “[I think that] someone struck me, but he did not hurt me; he hit me, but I did not feel it. When will I (wake up/feel normal again) in order that I can drink some more wine?”
Utasema, “Wamenipiga lakini sikuumia! Wamenichapa, lakini sisikii! Nitaamka lini ili nikanywe tena?”
