Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
Mithali za Sulemani mwana wa Daudi, mfalme wa Israeli.
2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
Mithali hizi zinafundisha hekima na maarifa, kufundisha maneno ya busara,
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
ili mpate maarifa kwa ajili ya kuishi kwa kutenda wema, haki na adili.
4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
Mithali hizi zinatoa hekima kwa wale ambao hawakufunzwa, na kuwapa vijana maarifa na hadhari.
5 A wise [man] will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain to wise counsels:
Watu wenye busara wasikie na kuongeza elimu yao na watu wenye ufahamu wapate mwongozo,
6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
kwa kuelewa mithali, misemo, vitendawili na maneno ya wenye busara.
7 The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge: [but] fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Hofu ya Yehova ni chanzo cha maarifa- wapumbavu hudharau hekima na nidhamu.
8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Mwanangu, sikia fundisho la baba yako na wala usiziache kanuni za mama yako;
9 For they [shalt be] an ornament of grace to thy head, and chains about thy neck.
zitakuwa kilemba cha neema katika kichwa chako na jebu zinazoning'inia kwenye shingo yako.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
Mwanangu wenye dhambi wakikushawishi katika dhambi zao, kataa kuwafuata.
11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
Kama watasema, “haya tufuatae, tuvizie ili kufanya mauaji, tujifiche ili tuwashambulie watu wasio na hatia, pasipo sababu.
12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: (Sheol h7585)
Haya tuwameza wakiwa hai, kama kuzimu inavyowachukua wenye afya, na kuwa kama wale waangukao kwenye shimoni. (Sheol h7585)
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
Tutapata vitu vyote vya thamani; tutazijaza nyumba zetu vile tunavyoiba kwa wengine.
14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:
Weka vitu vyako kwetu; tutakuwa na mfuko moja kwa pamoja.”
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
Mwanangu, usitembee katika njia moja pamoja nao; usiruhusu mguu wako kugusa katika mapito yao;
16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
miguu ya hukimbilia mabaya na huharakisha kumwaga damu.
17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
Kwa kuwa haina maana kumtegea ndege mtego wakati ndege anaona.
18 And they lay wait for their [own] blood; they lurk privily for their [own] lives.
Watu hawa huvizia kujiua wenyewe—wanatega mtego kwa ajili yao wenyewe.
19 So [are] the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; [who] taketh away the life of its owners.
Ndivyo zilivyo njia za kila ambaye hupata utajiri kwa udhalimu; mapato ya udhalimu huondoa uhai wa wenye utajiri.
20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:
Hekima inalia kwa sauti mtaani, inapaza sauti katika viwanja;
21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, [saying],
katika mitaa inalia kwa sauti kuu, kwenye maingilio ya milango ya mji inasema “
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
Mpaka lini enyi wajinga mtapenda kuwa wajinga? Mpaka lini enyi wenye dhihaka mtapenda dhihaka, na hadi lini enyi wapumbavu, mtachukia maarifa?
23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit to you, I will make known to you my words.
Zingatia karipio langu; nitatoa mawazo yangu kwa ajili yenu; nitawafahamisha maneno yangu.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
Nimeita, nanyi mkakataa kusikiliza; nimeunyosha mkono wangu, wala hakuna aliyezingatia.
25 But ye have set at naught all my counsel, and rejected my reproof:
Lakini mumedharau mafundisho yangu yote na wala hamkuzingatia maelekezo yangu.
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
Nitacheka katika taabu yenu, nitawadhihaki wakati wa kupatwa taabu-
27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
hofu ya kutisha itawapata kama tufani na maafa yatawakumba kama upepo wa kisulisuli, taabu na uchungu vitawapata.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
Halafu wataniita, nami sitawajibu; wataniita katika hali ya kukata tamaa lakini hawataniona.
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
Kwa sababu wamechukia maarifa na hawakuchagua kuwa na hofu ya Yehova,
30 They rejected my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
hawakufuata mafundisho yangu na wakayadharau masahihisho yangu yote.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
Watakula matunda ya njia zao, na watashibishwa kwa matunda ya hila zao wenyewe.
32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
kwa maana wajinga hufa wanaporudi nyuma, na kutojali kwa wapumbavu kutawaangamiza.
33 But whoever hearkeneth to me shall dwell in safety, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
Bali kila anisikilizaye ataishi kwa usalama na atapumzika salama pasipo hofu ya maafa.
