Proverbs 23
1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what [is] before thee:
Unapoketi kula pamoja na mtawala, angalia kwa uangalifu kilichopo mbele yako,
2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou [art] a man given to appetite.
na kama ni mtu unayependa kula chakula sana weka kisu kooni.
3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they [are] deceitful food.
Usitamani vinono vyake maana ni chakula cha uongo.
4 Labor not to be rich: cease from thy own wisdom.
Usifanye kazi sana ili kupata mali; uwe na busara ya kutosha ili ujue wakati wa kuacha.
5 Wilt thou set thy eyes upon that which is not? for [riches] certainly make to themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle towards heaven.
Je utaruhusu macho yako yaangaze juu yake? Itaondoka, maana itawaa mabawa kama tai na kuruka angani.
6 Eat thou not the bread of [him that hath] an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainties:
Usile chakula cha yule mwenye jicho baya- na usiwe na shauku ya vinono vyake,
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so [is] he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart [is] not with thee.
maana ni mtu mwenye kuhesabu gharama ya chakula. “Kula na kunywa!” anakuambia, lakini moyo wake haupo pamoja nawe.
8 The morsel [which] thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
Utatapika kiasi kidogo ulichokula na utakuwa umepoteza sifa zako njema.
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
Usiongee katika usikivu wa mpumbavu, maana atadharau hekima ya maneno yako.
10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
Usihamishe jiwe la mpaka wa kale au kunyang'anya mashamba ya yatima,
11 For their redeemer [is] mighty; he will plead their cause with thee.
maana Mkombozi wao ni imara na atatetea kesi yao dhidi yako.
12 Apply thy heart to instruction, and thy ears to the words of knowledge.
Elekeza moyo wako katika mafundisho na masikio yako kwenye maneno ya maarifa.
13 Withhold not correction from the child: for [if] thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Usizuie kuadilisha mtoto, maana ukimchapa kwa fimbo, hatakufa.
Ni wewe unayepaswa kumchapa kwa fimbo na kuikoa nafsi yake kuzimu. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
Mwanangu, kama moyo wako una busara, basi moyo wangu utafurahi pia;
16 Yes, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
sehemu zangu ndani kabisa zitafurahi sana midomo yako inaponena haki.
17 Let not thy heart envy sinners: but [be thou] in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
Usiruhusu moyo wako kuwahusudu wenye dhambi, lakini endelea kumcha Yehova siku zote.
18 For surely there is an end; and thy expectation shall not be cut off.
Hakika tumaini lako halitaondolewa na siku zako za hapo baadaye.
19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thy heart in the way.
Sikia- wewe! - mwanangu, na uwe mwenye busara na uelekeze moyo wako katika njia.
20 Be not among wine-bibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
Usishirikiane pamoja na walevi, au pamoja na walaji wa nyama walafi,
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe [a man] with rags.
maana mlevi na mlafi wanakuwa masikini na usingizi utawavika kwa matambara.
22 Hearken to thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
Msikilize baba yako ambaye alikuzaa na usimdharau mama yako wakati akiwa mzee.
23 Buy the truth, and sell [it] not; [also] wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Inunue kweli, lakini usiiuze; nunua hekima, nidhamu, na ufahamu.
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise [child] shall have joy of him.
Baba yake mwenye haki atafurahia sana, na yule amzaaye mtoto mwenye busara atamfurahia.
25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bore thee shall rejoice.
Mfurahishe baba yako na mama yako na yule aliyekuzaa afurahie.
26 My son, give me thy heart, and let thy eyes observe my ways.
Mwanangu, nipe moyo wako na macho yako yachunguze njia zangu.
27 For a lewd woman [is] a deep ditch; and a strange woman [is] a narrow pit.
Maana malaya ni shimo refu, na mke wa mume mwingine ni kisima chembamba.
28 She also lieth in wait as [for] a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.
Anavizia kama mnyang'anyi na huongeza idadi ya wadanganyifu miongoni mwa wanadamu.
29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Nani mwenye taabu? Nani mwenye huzuni? Nani mwenye mapigano? Nani mwenye malalamiko? Nani mwenye majeraha bila sababu? Nani mwenye macho mekundu?
30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Ni wale ambao huzengea kwenye mvinyo, wale wanaojaribu kuchanganya mvinyo.
31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its color in the cup, [when] it moveth itself aright.
Usiutazame mvinyo ukiwa mwekundu, wakati unametameta kwenye kikombe na kutelemka kwa uraini.
32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
Mwisho wake unauma kama nyoka na sumu yake kama kifutu.
33 Thy eyes shall behold strange women, and thy heart shall utter perverse things.
Macho yako yataona vitu vigeni na moyo wako utatamka vitu vya ukaidi.
34 And thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
Utakuwa kama anayelala kwenye bahari au anayelala juu ya mlingoti. “
35 They have stricken me, [wilt thou say], [and] I was not sick; they have beaten me, [and] I felt [it] not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
Wamenipiga,” utasema, “lakini sikuumia. Wamenichapa, lakini sikuwa na hisia. Nitaamka lini? Nitatafuta kinywaji kingine.”
