Mithali 1
1 Mithali za Solomoni mwana wa Daudi, mfalme wa Israeli:
The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, who reigned in Israel;
2 Kwa kupata hekima na nidhamu; kwa kufahamu maneno ya busara;
to know wisdom and instruction, and to perceive words of understanding;
3 kwa kujipatia nidhamu na busara, kufanya lililo sawa, haki na bila kupendelea;
to receive also hard saying, and to understand true justice, and [how] to direct judgment;
4 huwapa busara wajinga, maarifa na akili kwa vijana;
that he might give subtlety to the simple, and to the young man discernment and understanding.
5 wenye hekima na wasikilize nao waongeze elimu yao, wenye kupambanua na wapate mwongozo;
For by the hearing of these a wise man will be wiser, and man of understanding will gain direction;
6 kwa kufahamu mithali na mifano, misemo na vitendawili vya wenye hekima.
and will understand a parable, and a dark speech; the saying of the wise also, and riddles.
7 Kumcha Bwana ndicho chanzo cha maarifa, lakini wapumbavu hudharau hekima na adabu.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and [there is] good understanding to all that practise it: and piety toward God is the beginning of discernment; but the ungodly will set at nought wisdom and instruction.
8 Mwanangu, sikiliza mwongozo wa baba yako, wala usiyaache mafundisho ya mama yako.
Hear, [my] son, the instruction of thy father, and reject not the rules of thy mother.
9 Hayo yatakuwa taji la maua la neema kichwani pako, na mkufu wa kuipamba shingo yako.
For thou shalt receive for thine head a crown of graces, and a chain of gold round thy neck.
10 Mwanangu, kama wenye dhambi wakikushawishi, usikubaliane nao.
[My] son, let not ungodly men lead thee astray, neither consent thou [to them].
11 Kama wakisema, “Twende tufuatane; tukamvizie mtu na kumwaga damu, njoo tukavizie nafsi isiyo na hatia;
If they should exhort thee, saying, Come with us, partake in blood, and let us unjustly hide the just man in the earth:
and let us swallow him alive, as Hades [would], and remove the memorial of him from the earth: (Sheol h7585)
13 Tutapata aina zote za vitu vya thamani na kujaza nyumba zetu kwa nyara.
let us seize on his valuable property, and let us fill our houses with spoils:
14 Njoo ushirikiane nasi, vitu vyote tutakavyopata tutagawana.”
but do thou cast in thy lot with us, and let us all provide a common purse, and let us have one pouch:
15 Mwanangu, usiandamane nao. Usiweke mguu wako katika njia zao,
go not in the way with them, but turn aside thy foot from their paths:
16 kwa kuwa miguu yao hukimbilia kwenye dhambi, ni wepesi kumwaga damu.
[For their feet run to do evil, and are swift to shed blood. ]
17 Tazama ni jinsi gani ilivyo kazi bure kutandaza wavu wakati ndege wote wanakuona!
for nets are not without cause spread for birds.
18 Watu hawa huvizia kumwaga damu yao wenyewe; hujivizia tu wenyewe!
For they that are concerned in murder store up evils for themselves; and the overthrow of transgressors is evil.
19 Huu ndio mwisho wa wote ambao wanajipatia mali kwa hila; huuondoa uhai wa wale wenye mali.
These are the ways of all that perform lawless deeds; for by ungodliness they destroy their own life.
20 Hekima huita kwa sauti kuu barabarani, hupaza sauti yake kwenye viwanja vikubwa;
Wisdom sings aloud in passages, and in the broad places speaks boldly.
21 kwenye makutano ya barabara za mji zenye makelele mengi hupaza sauti, kwenye malango ya mji hutoa hotuba yake:
And she makes proclamation on the top of the walls, and sits by the gates of princes; and at the gates of the city boldly says,
22 “Enyi wajinga, mtangʼangʼania ujinga wenu hadi lini? Mpaka lini wenye mizaha watafurahia mizaha, na wapumbavu kuchukia maarifa?
So long as the simple cleave to justice, they shall not be ashamed: but the foolish being lovers of haughtiness, having become ungodly have hated knowledge, and are become subject to reproofs.
23 Kama mngekuwa mmeitikia karipio langu, ningekuwa nimemimina roho yangu kwenu na kuwafahamisha maneno yangu.
Behold, I will bring forth to you the utterance of my breath, and I will instruct you in my speech.
24 Lakini kwa kuwa mlinikataa nilipowaita na hakuna yeyote aliyekubali niliponyoosha mkono wangu,
Since I called, and ye did not hearken; and I spoke at length, and ye gave no heed;
25 kwa kuwa mliyapuuza mashauri yangu yote na hamkukubali karipio langu,
but ye set at nought my counsels, and disregarded my reproofs;
26 mimi nami nitawacheka katika maafa yenu, nitawadhihaki wakati janga litawapata:
therefore I also will laugh at your destruction; and I will rejoice against [you] when ruin comes upon you:
27 wakati janga litawapata kama tufani, wakati maafa yatawazoa kama upepo wa kisulisuli, wakati dhiki na taabu zitawalemea.
yea when dismay suddenly comes upon you, and [your] overthrow shall arrive like a tempest; and when tribulation and distress shall come upon you, or when ruin shall come upon you.
28 “Ndipo watakaponiita lakini sitawajibu; watanitafuta lakini hawatanipata.
For it shall be that when ye call upon me, I will not hearken to you: wicked men shall seek me, but shall not find [me].
29 Kwa kuwa walichukia maarifa, wala hawakuchagua kumcha Bwana,
For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the word of the Lord:
30 kwa kuwa hawakukubali mashauri yangu, na kukataa maonyo yangu,
neither would they attend to my counsels, but derided my reproofs.
31 watakula matunda ya njia zao, na watashibishwa matunda ya hila zao.
Therefore shall they eat the fruits of their own way, and shall be filled with their own ungodliness.
32 Kwa kuwa ukaidi wa wajinga utawaua, nako kuridhika kwa wajinga kutawaangamiza.
For because they wronged the simple, they shall be slain; and an inquisition shall ruin the ungodly.
33 Lakini yeyote anisikilizaye ataishi kwa usalama, atatulia, bila kuwa na hofu ya madhara.”
But he that hearkens to me shall dwell in confidence, and shall rest securely from all evil.
