Mithali 15
1 Jawabu la upole hugeuza ghadhabu, bali neno liumizalo huchochea hasira.
When people are angry with you, reply to them gently, and it will calm them; but if you reply harshly to them, it causes them to become more angry.
2 Ulimi wa mwenye hekima husifu maarifa, bali kinywa cha mpumbavu hufoka upumbavu.
When wise [people] speak [MTY], it causes those who hear what they say to want to know more; foolish people continually say [MTY] what is foolish.
3 Macho ya Bwana yako kila mahali, yakiwaangalia waovu na wema.
Yahweh sees [MTY] [what is happening] everywhere; he observes what bad [people do] as well as what good [people do].
4 Ulimi uletao uponyaji ni mti wa uzima, bali ulimi udanganyao huponda roho.
Those who speak [MTY] kindly to people are [like] [MET] trees [whose fruit gives] life; speaking what is false causes people to (despair/feel very discouraged).
5 Mpumbavu hubeza maonyo ya baba yake, bali yeyote akubaliye maonyo huonyesha busara.
Foolish children despise their parents when their parents correct/discipline them; wise children accept it.
6 Nyumba ya mwenye haki ina hazina kubwa, bali mapato ya waovu huwaletea taabu.
There are many valuable things in the houses of righteous [people]; the wealth of wicked [people] causes them to have troubles/difficulties.
7 Midomo ya mwenye hekima hueneza maarifa, bali sivyo ilivyo mioyo ya wapumbavu.
What wise [people] teach [MTY] causes others to know much more, [but] foolish people cannot teach others what is useful.
8 Bwana huchukia sana dhabihu za waovu, bali maombi ya wanyofu humfurahisha Mungu.
Yahweh detests the sacrifices that are offered by wicked [people]; what delights/pleases him very much are the prayers of righteous/good [people].
9 Bwana huchukia sana njia ya waovu, bali huwapenda wale wafuatao haki.
Yahweh hates/detests the behavior of wicked [people], but he loves those who always do what is righteous/just/fair.
10 Adhabu kali humngoja yeye aachaye njia; yeye achukiaye maonyo atakufa.
Those who do what is wrong will be severely punished; those who do not want to be corrected will die.
Yahweh knows [what is happening in] the place where dead people [DOU] are, so he certainly knows [RHQ] what people are thinking. (Sheol h7585)
12 Mwenye mzaha huchukia maonyo; hatataka shauri kwa mwenye hekima.
Some people do not want to be corrected; they never go to wise [people to seek good advice from them].
13 Moyo wenye furaha hufanya uso uchangamke, bali maumivu ya moyoni huponda roho.
When people are happy, they have smiles on their faces; but when they are sad, [by looking at their faces we can see that] they are sad.
14 Moyo wa mwenye ufahamu hutafuta maarifa, bali kinywa cha mpumbavu hujilisha upumbavu.
Those who have good sense want to learn more; foolish people [MTY] are very satisfied with being foolish/ignorant.
15 Siku zote za wanaoonewa ni za taabu, bali moyo mchangamfu una karamu ya kudumu.
Those who are oppressed constantly have difficulties, but those who (OR, if they) are happy, [it is as though] [MET] they are having a big feast every day.
16 Afadhali kuwa na kidogo pamoja na kumcha Bwana, kuliko mali nyingi pamoja na ghasia.
Being poor and revering Yahweh is better than being rich and having a lot of troubles.
17 Afadhali chakula cha mboga mahali palipo na upendo kuliko nyama ya ndama iliyonona pamoja na chuki.
Eating meals with [people whom you] love and having only vegetables to eat is better than eating with [people who] hate [each other and] having lots of good meat [to eat].
18 Mtu mwepesi wa hasira huchochea ugomvi, bali mtu mvumilivu hutuliza ugomvi.
Those who quickly become angry cause arguments/quarreling, but those who do not quickly become angry cause people to act peacefully.
19 Njia ya mvivu imezibwa na miiba, bali njia ya mwenye haki ni barabara kuu.
Lazy people constantly [have difficulties] [MET]; [it is as though they are] walking through thorns; but those who are honest and hard-working [will have few difficulties; it is as though they are walking] on a level highway [MET].
20 Mwana mwenye hekima huleta furaha kwa baba yake, bali mtu mpumbavu humdharau mama yake.
Children who are wise cause their parents to be happy; it is foolish children who despise their parents.
21 Upumbavu humfurahisha mtu ambaye hana akili, bali mtu mwenye ufahamu hushika njia iliyonyooka.
Foolish people are happy to [continually] act foolishly; those who have good sense do what is right.
22 Mipango hushindwa kufanikiwa kwa ajili ya kukosa ushauri, bali kukiwa na washauri wengi hufanikiwa.
If there is no one to give us good advice, we will not accomplish what we are planning to do; but when we have many [good] advisors, we will succeed.
23 Mtu hupata furaha katika kutoa jibu linalofaa: je, ni zuri namna gani neno lililotoka kwa wakati wake!
People rejoice when they are able to reply well to what others have asked them; [truly], it is very delightful to be able to say the right thing at the right time.
24 Mapito ya uzima huelekea juu kwa ajili ya wenye hekima kumwepusha asiende chini kaburini. (Sheol h7585)
Wise people walk on a road that leads up to a long life; they do not walk on a road that leads down to the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
25 Bwana hubomoa nyumba ya mtu mwenye kiburi, bali huilinda mipaka ya mjane isiguswe.
Yahweh tears down the houses of proud [people], but he protects the property of widows.
26 Bwana huchukia sana mawazo ya mwovu, bali mawazo ya wale walio safi humfurahisha yeye.
Yahweh detests what wicked [people] are thinking [about doing]; [but] when people say what is kind, he considers those words to be pure.
27 Mtu mwenye tamaa huletea jamaa yake taabu, bali yeye achukiaye rushwa ataishi.
Those who try hard to get money by acting dishonestly cause trouble for their family; those who refuse to accept bribes will live [for a long time].
28 Moyo wa mwenye haki hupima majibu yake, bali kinywa cha mwovu hufoka ubaya.
Righteous/Good [people] think carefully before they answer [what others ask them]; wicked [people] very quickly say what is evil.
29 Bwana yuko mbali na waovu, bali husikia maombi ya wenye haki.
Yahweh does not listen [MTY] to what wicked [people request him to do]; he listens to righteous [people] when they pray.
30 Mtazamo wa tabasamu huleta furaha moyoni, nazo habari njema huipa mifupa afya.
If people have a smile on their faces, it makes them/others happy, and [when people hear] good news, it refreshes their spirits [MTY].
31 Yeye asikilizaye maonyo yatoayo uzima atakuwa miongoni mwa wenye hekima.
If people pay attention when [people] correct/warn them, they will become wise.
32 Yeye anayedharau maonyo hujidharau mwenyewe, bali yeyote anayekubali maonyo hupata ufahamu.
If people refuse to listen [when others try] to correct them, they are despising/hurting themselves; those who (pay attention/heed) when [others] warn them (become wiser/acquire good sense).
33 Kumcha Bwana humfundisha mtu hekima, nao unyenyekevu huja kabla ya heshima.
If you revere Yahweh, you will learn how to become wise, but [only] after you become humble will [people] honor you.
