Proverbs 23
1 When you sit to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you,
Uketipo kula chakula na mtawala, angalia vyema kile kilicho mbele yako,
2 and put a knife to your throat if you are a person who likes to eat a lot of food.
na utie kisu kooni mwako kama ukiwa mlafi.
3 Do not crave his delicacies, for it is the food of lies.
Usitamani vyakula vyake vitamu kwa kuwa chakula hicho ni cha hila.
4 Do not work too hard to gain wealth; be wise enough to know when to stop.
Usijitaabishe ili kuupata utajiri, uwe na hekima kuonyesha kujizuia.
5 Will you let your eyes light upon it? It will be gone, for it will surely take up wings like an eagle and fly off to the sky.
Kufumba na kufumbua utajiri hutoweka, huwa kama umepata mabawa ghafula, ukaruka na kutoweka angani kama tai.
6 Do not eat the food of one with an evil eye— and do not crave his delicacies,
Usile chakula cha mtu mchoyo, usitamani vyakula vyake vitamu,
7 for he is the kind of man who counts the price of the food. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
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 You will vomit up the little you have eaten and you will have wasted your compliments.
Utatapika kile kidogo ulichokula, nawe utakuwa umepoteza bure maneno yako ya kumsifu.
9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Usizungumze na mpumbavu, kwa maana atadhihaki hekima ya maneno yako.
10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of orphans,
Usisogeze jiwe la mpaka wa zamani wala kunyemelea kwenye mashamba ya yatima,
11 for their Redeemer is strong and he will plead their case against you.
kwa kuwa Mtetezi wao ni mwenye nguvu, atalichukua shauri lao dhidi yako.
12 Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
Elekeza moyo wako kwenye mafundisho na masikio yako kwenye maneno ya maarifa.
13 Do not withhold instruction from a child, for if you discipline him, he will not die.
Usimnyime mtoto adhabu, ukimwadhibu kwa fimbo, hatakufa.
Mwadhibu kwa fimbo na kuiokoa nafsi yake kutoka mautini. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart also will be glad;
Mwanangu, kama moyo wako una hekima, basi moyo wangu utafurahi,
16 my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
utu wangu wa ndani utafurahi, wakati midomo yako itakapozungumza lililo sawa.
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of Yahweh all the day.
Usiuruhusu moyo wako kuwaonea wivu wenye dhambi, bali kila mara uwe na bidii katika kumcha Bwana.
18 Surely there is a future and your hope will not be cut off.
Hakika kuna tumaini la baadaye kwa ajili yako, nalo tarajio lako halitakatiliwa mbali.
19 Hear—you!—my son, and be wise and direct your heart in the way.
Sikiliza, mwanangu na uwe na hekima, weka moyo wako kwenye njia iliyo sawa.
20 Do not associate with drunkards, or with gluttonous eaters of meat,
Usiwe miongoni mwa wanywao mvinyo, au wale walao nyama kwa pupa,
21 for the drunkard and the glutton become poor and slumber will clothe them with rags.
kwa maana walevi na walafi huwa maskini, nako kusinzia huwavika matambara.
22 Listen to your father who begot you and do not despise your mother when she is old.
Msikilize baba yako, aliyekuzaa, wala usimdharau mama yako atakapokuwa mzee.
23 Buy the truth, but do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
Nunua kweli wala usiiuze, pata hekima, adabu na ufahamu.
24 The father of the righteous person will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will be glad in him.
Baba wa mwenye haki ana furaha kubwa, naye aliye na mwana mwenye hekima humfurahia.
25 Let your father and your mother be glad and let her who bore you rejoice.
Baba yako na mama yako na wafurahi, mama aliyekuzaa na ashangilie!
26 My son, give me your heart and let your eyes observe my ways.
Mwanangu, nipe moyo wako, macho yako na yafuate njia zangu,
27 For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an immoral woman is a narrow well.
kwa maana kahaba ni shimo refu na mwanamke mpotovu ni kisima chembamba.
28 She lies in wait like a robber and she increases the number of the treacherous among humanity.
Kama mnyangʼanyi, hungojea akivizia, naye huzidisha wasio waaminifu miongoni mwa wanaume.
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has fights? Who has complaining? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has bloodshot eyes?
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 Those who linger over wine, those who try the mixed wine.
Ni hao wakaao sana kwenye mvinyo, hao waendao kuonja mabakuli ya mvinyo uliochanganywa.
31 Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
Usiukodolee macho mvinyo wakati ukiwa mwekundu, wakati unapometameta kwenye bilauri, wakati ushukapo taratibu!
32 In the last it bites like a serpent and it stings like an adder.
Mwishowe huuma kama nyoka na kutia sumu yake kama nyoka mwenye sumu.
33 Your eyes will see strange things and your heart will utter perverse things.
Macho yako yataona mambo mageni na moyo wako kuwazia mambo yaliyopotoka.
34 You will be as one who sleeps on the high seas or lies on the top of a mast.
Utakuwa kama alalaye katikati ya bahari, alalaye juu ya kamba ya merikebu.
35 “They hit me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt. They beat me, but I did not feel it. When will I wake up? I will seek another drink.”
Utasema, “Wamenipiga lakini sikuumia! Wamenichapa, lakini sisikii! Nitaamka lini ili nikanywe tena?”
