Mithali 1
1 Mithali za Solomoni mwana wa Daudi, mfalme wa Israeli:
Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
2 Kwa kupata hekima na nidhamu; kwa kufahamu maneno ya busara;
to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
3 kwa kujipatia nidhamu na busara, kufanya lililo sawa, haki na bila kupendelea;
to receive the instruction of wisdom, righteousness and judgment, and equity;
4 huwapa busara wajinga, maarifa na akili kwa vijana;
to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
5 wenye hekima na wasikilize nao waongeze elimu yao, wenye kupambanua na wapate mwongozo;
He that is wise will hear, and will increase learning; and the intelligent will gain wise counsels:
6 kwa kufahamu mithali na mifano, misemo na vitendawili vya wenye hekima.
to understand a proverb and an allegory, the words of the wise and their enigmas.
7 Kumcha Bwana ndicho chanzo cha maarifa, lakini wapumbavu hudharau hekima na adabu.
The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge: fools despise 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 forsake not the teaching of thy mother;
9 Hayo yatakuwa taji la maua la neema kichwani pako, na mkufu wa kuipamba shingo yako.
for they shall be a garland of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
10 Mwanangu, kama wenye dhambi wakikushawishi, usikubaliane nao.
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent not.
11 Kama wakisema, “Twende tufuatane; tukamvizie mtu na kumwaga damu, njoo tukavizie nafsi isiyo na hatia;
If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those that go down into the pit; (Sheol h7585)
13 Tutapata aina zote za vitu vya thamani na kujaza nyumba zetu kwa nyara.
we shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
14 Njoo ushirikiane nasi, vitu vyote tutakavyopata tutagawana.”
cast in thy lot among us; we will all have one purse:
15 Mwanangu, usiandamane nao. Usiweke mguu wako katika njia zao,
— my son, walk not in the way with them, keep back thy foot from their path;
16 kwa kuwa miguu yao hukimbilia kwenye dhambi, ni wepesi kumwaga damu.
for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
17 Tazama ni jinsi gani ilivyo kazi bure kutandaza wavu wakati ndege wote wanakuona!
For in vain the net is spread in the sight of anything which hath wings.
18 Watu hawa huvizia kumwaga damu yao wenyewe; hujivizia tu wenyewe!
And these lay wait for their own blood; they lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 Huu ndio mwisho wa wote ambao wanajipatia mali kwa hila; huuondoa uhai wa wale wenye mali.
So are the paths of every one that is greedy of gain: it taketh away the life of its possessors.
20 Hekima huita kwa sauti kuu barabarani, hupaza sauti yake kwenye viwanja vikubwa;
Wisdom crieth without; she raiseth her voice in the broadways;
21 kwenye makutano ya barabara za mji zenye makelele mengi hupaza sauti, kwenye malango ya mji hutoa hotuba yake:
she calleth in the chief [place] of concourse, in the entry of the gates; in the city she uttereth her words:
22 “Enyi wajinga, mtangʼangʼania ujinga wenu hadi lini? Mpaka lini wenye mizaha watafurahia mizaha, na wapumbavu kuchukia maarifa?
How long, simple ones, will ye love simpleness, and scorners take pleasure in their scorning, and the foolish hate knowledge?
23 Kama mngekuwa mmeitikia karipio langu, ningekuwa nimemimina roho yangu kwenu na kuwafahamisha maneno yangu.
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour forth my spirit unto you, I will make known to you my words.
24 Lakini kwa kuwa mlinikataa nilipowaita na hakuna yeyote aliyekubali niliponyoosha mkono wangu,
Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one regarded;
25 kwa kuwa mliyapuuza mashauri yangu yote na hamkukubali karipio langu,
and ye have rejected all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
26 mimi nami nitawacheka katika maafa yenu, nitawadhihaki wakati janga litawapata:
I also will laugh in your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 wakati janga litawapata kama tufani, wakati maafa yatawazoa kama upepo wa kisulisuli, wakati dhiki na taabu zitawalemea.
when your fear cometh as sudden destruction, and your calamity cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon you:
28 “Ndipo watakaponiita lakini sitawajibu; watanitafuta lakini hawatanipata.
— then will they call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me early, and shall not find me.
29 Kwa kuwa walichukia maarifa, wala hawakuchagua kumcha Bwana,
Because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Jehovah;
30 kwa kuwa hawakukubali mashauri yangu, na kukataa maonyo yangu,
they would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof:
31 watakula matunda ya njia zao, na watashibishwa matunda ya hila zao.
therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 Kwa kuwa ukaidi wa wajinga utawaua, nako kuridhika kwa wajinga kutawaangamiza.
For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall cause them to perish.
33 Lakini yeyote anisikilizaye ataishi kwa usalama, atatulia, bila kuwa na hofu ya madhara.”
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be at rest from fear of evil.
