Mithali 13
1 Mwana mwenye hekima husikia mafundisho ya babaye, bali mwenye dharau hasikilizi maonyo.
Children who are wise (pay attention/heed it) when their parents discipline/correct them; but foolish children do not pay attention when someone rebukes them [for their bad behavior].
2 Kutoka tunda la midomo yake mtu hufurahia mambo mema, bali wasio waaminifu wanatamani sana jeuri.
Good people are rewarded [IDM] for the good things [MET] that they say, but those who desire to deceive others are [very] eager to act violently.
3 Yeye alindaye midomo yake hulinda nafsi yake, bali yeye asemaye kwa haraka ataangamia.
Those who are [very] careful about what they say [MTY] will live a long life; those who talk (without thinking/too much) will ruin themselves.
4 Mvivu hutamani sana na hapati kitu, bali nafsi ya mwenye bidii hutoshelezwa kikamilifu.
People who are lazy want things very much, but they will not get anything [HYP]. People who work hard will get all that they want.
5 Mwenye haki huchukia uongo, bali waovu huleta aibu na fedheha.
Righteous/Honest people hate/detest lies, but what wicked people do (is very disgraceful/stinks) [DOU].
6 Haki humlinda mtu mwadilifu, bali uovu humwangusha mwenye dhambi.
The behavior [PRS] of those who always do what is right will protect them, but sinful [behavior will] ruin wicked people.
7 Mtu mmoja hujifanya tajiri, kumbe hana chochote; mwingine hujifanya maskini, kumbe ana utajiri mwingi.
Some people who have nothing pretend to be rich, but other people who are very rich pretend to be poor.
8 Utajiri wa mtu waweza kukomboa maisha yake, bali mtu maskini hasikii kitisho.
Rich people are able to pay people who want to kill them, [with the result that they will be protected, not killed], but poor people [do not have to worry about that because] no one threatens to kill them.
9 Nuru ya mwenye haki hungʼaa sana, bali taa ya mwovu itazimwa.
Righteous [people] are like a lamp [MET] that shines brightly, but wicked [people] are like [MET] a lamp that will [soon] be extinguished.
10 Kiburi huzalisha magomvi tu, bali hekima hupatikana kwa wale wanaozingatia ushauri.
[People] who are arrogant/proud [always] cause strife; those who are wise ask [other people] for good advice.
11 Fedha isiyo ya halali hupungua, bali yeye akusanyaye fedha kidogo kidogo huongezeka.
Those who acquire a lot of money quickly [by doing what is wrong, probably] will lose it [quickly], but if people earn money slowly, the amount of money they have will increase.
12 Kilichotarajiwa kikikawia kuja moyo huugua, bali tumaini lililotimizwa ni mti wa uzima.
When people do not receive the things that they are expecting to receive, (it causes them to despair/they become very sad); but if you receive what you are desiring to get, that [will be like a tree] [MET] [whose fruit gives you] life (OR, that will cause you to be joyful).
13 Yeye anayedharau mafundisho anajiletea maangamizi, bali yeye anayeheshimu agizo hupewa tuzo.
Those who despise [the good] advice [that others give them] are bringing ruin on themselves; those who pay attention to that advice will (be secure/succeed).
14 Mafundisho ya mwenye busara ni chemchemi ya uzima, ili kumwepusha mtu na mitego ya mauti.
What wise [people] teach is [like] a fountain whose [water] gives life [MET]; what they teach you will help you to escape when something dangerous is threatening to kill you [MET].
15 Ufahamu mzuri hupata upendeleo, bali njia ya asiye mwaminifu ni ngumu.
[People] respect those who have good sense, but those who cannot be trusted are on the road to being ruined/destroyed (OR, will have a lot of difficulties/troubles).
16 Kila mwenye busara hutenda kwa maarifa, bali mpumbavu hudhihirisha upumbavu wake.
Those who have good sense always think carefully/wisely before they do something; foolish people show [by what they say and do] that they are foolish.
17 Mjumbe mwovu huanguka kwenye taabu, bali mjumbe mwaminifu huleta uponyaji.
Messengers who are not reliable cause trouble, but those who faithfully [deliver their messages] cause people to act peacefully.
18 Yeye anayedharau maonyo hupata umaskini na aibu, bali yeye anayekubali maonyo huheshimiwa.
Those who refuse to pay attention when others discipline/correct them will become poor and disgraced; [people] respect those who accept it when they are rebuked [for their bad behavior].
19 Tarajio lililotimizwa ni tamu kwa nafsi, bali wapumbavu huchukia sana kuacha ubaya.
It is delightful to receive what we desire; foolish people hate/refuse to turn away from doing evil.
20 Yeye atembeaye na mwenye hekima atapata hekima, bali rafiki wa mpumbavu hupata madhara.
Those who habitually associate with wise people become wise; those who (are close friends of/associate with) foolish people will (regret it/be ruined).
21 Balaa humwandama mtenda dhambi, bali mafanikio ni thawabu kwa mwenye haki.
Sinners have trouble [PRS] wherever they go, but things will go well for righteous [people].
22 Mtu mwema huwaachia wana wa wanawe urithi, bali mali ya wenye dhambi imehifadhiwa kwa ajili ya wenye haki.
When good people [die], their grandchildren inherit their money; but when sinners [die], the money that they had will end up in the hands of righteous [people].
23 Shamba la mtu maskini laweza kuzalisha chakula kingi, bali dhuluma hukifutilia mbali.
[Sometimes] poor [people’s] fields produce plenty of food, but unjust people take away all that food.
24 Yeye aizuiaye fimbo yake hampendi mwanawe, bali yeye ampendaye huwa mwangalifu kumwadibisha.
Those who do not punish their children [for bad behavior] do not [really] love them; those who love their children start to discipline them when the children are still young.
25 Mwenye haki hula mpaka akaridhisha moyo wake, bali tumbo la mwovu hutaabika kwa njaa.
Righteous [people] have enough food to eat and be satisfied, but the stomachs of wicked [people] [SYN] are [always] empty.
