Mithali 16
1 Mipango ya moyoni ni ya mwanadamu, bali jibu la ulimi hutoka kwa Bwana.
People plan what they want to do, but Yahweh is the one who decides [MTY] what really will happen.
2 Njia zote za mtu huonekana safi machoni pake mwenyewe, bali makusudi hupimwa na Bwana.
People may think that their actions are right, but Yahweh really knows why people do what they do.
3 Mkabidhi Bwana lolote ufanyalo, nayo mipango yako itafanikiwa.
(Request/Rely on) Yahweh to direct what you plan to do; [if you do that], you will succeed in what you plan.
4 Bwana hufanya kila kitu kwa kusudi lake mwenyewe; hata waovu kwa siku ya maangamizi.
Yahweh knows why he does everything that he does; he has even prepared the wicked for the time that he will punish them.
5 Bwana huwachukia sana wote wenye kiburi cha moyo. Uwe na hakika kwa hili: Hawataepuka kuadhibiwa.
Yahweh hates/detests everyone who is proud [IDM]; you can be certain [IDM] that they will be punished [LIT].
6 Kwa upendo na uaminifu uovu huondolewa; kwa kumcha Bwana mtu hujiepusha na ubaya.
Be loyal to Yahweh and faithfully [obey] him; if you do that, he will forgive you for having sinned. If we revere him, nothing evil will happen to us (OR, he will prevent evil things from happening to us).
7 Njia za mtu zinapompendeza Bwana, huwafanya hata adui zake waishi naye kwa amani.
When our behavior pleases Yahweh, he even causes our enemies to act peacefully toward us.
8 Afadhali kitu kidogo pamoja na haki kuliko mapato mengi pamoja na udhalimu.
It is better to have a small amount of money that is earned honestly than to have a lot of money that is acquired dishonestly.
9 Moyo wa mtu huifikiri njia yake, bali Bwana huelekeza hatua zake.
People plan what they want to do, but Yahweh directs/determines what they will [really] be able to do.
10 Midomo ya mfalme huzungumza kwa hekima ya kiungu, wala kinywa chake hakipotoshi haki.
[If] God directs what a king says, what he decides is [always] right/fair.
11 Vipimo na mizani za halali hutoka kwa Bwana; mawe yote ya kupimia yaliyo katika mfuko ameyafanya yeye.
Yahweh wants us to use scales that are correct; the weights in his bag are correct, [because] he made them.
12 Wafalme huchukia sana kutenda maovu, kwa maana kiti cha ufalme hufanywa imara kwa njia ya haki.
Kings detest those who do evil, because [it is people doing what] is fair/right that causes their governments to be [MTY] strong.
13 Wafalme hufurahia midomo ya uaminifu; humthamini mtu asemaye kweli.
Kings are delighted to hear people say [MTY] what is true; they love those who say what is right/honest.
14 Ghadhabu ya mfalme ni mjumbe wa mauti, bali mtu mwenye hekima ataituliza.
If a king becomes angry, he [may] command that someone be executed, [so] wise people will [try to] cause him to be calm.
15 Uso wa mfalme ungʼaapo, inamaanisha uhai; upendeleo wake ni kama wingu la mvua wakati wa vuli.
If a king has a smile [MTY] on his face, he will enable people to have a [long] life (OR, he will not order people to be executed); his being pleased [with people] is [as delightful] as rain in the springtime [when seeds are planted].
16 Ni bora kiasi gani kupata hekima kuliko dhahabu, kuchagua ufahamu kuliko fedha!
Becoming wise is better than aquiring gold; getting good understanding/insight is better than acquiring silver.
17 Njia kuu ya wanyofu huepuka ubaya; yeye aichungaye njia yake, huchunga maisha yake.
Those whose behavior [MET] is good/right turn away from doing evil; those who guard their conduct [MTY] protect their lives.
18 Kiburi hutangulia maangamizi, roho ya majivuno hutangulia maanguko.
Being proud will (lead to your having/cause you to have) disasters; despising others will result in your being ruined.
19 Ni afadhali kuwa mnyenyekevu katika roho miongoni mwa walioonewa kuliko kugawana nyara pamoja na wenye kiburi.
It is better to be humble and poor than [to associate with] proud [people] and [to become rich by] dividing with them (plunder/goods captured in a battle).
20 Yeyote anayekubali mafundisho hustawi, tena amebarikiwa yeye anayemtumaini Bwana.
Those who heed good teaching/instruction will prosper; happy are those who trust in Yahweh.
21 Wenye hekima moyoni huitwa wenye ufahamu, na maneno ya kupendeza huchochea mafundisho.
People say that those who are wise learn what is right/good behavior, and those who talk pleasantly [are able to] influence others [to do what is right].
22 Ufahamu ni chemchemi ya uzima kwa wale walio nao, bali upumbavu huleta adhabu kwa wapumbavu.
Being wise is [like having] a fountain that gives life [MET], but foolish people are punished as a result of their acting foolishly.
23 Moyo wa mtu mwenye hekima huongoza kinywa chake, na midomo yake huchochea mafundisho.
Those who are wise think carefully before they talk, and as a result they are able to influence/persuade others [to do what is right].
24 Maneno ya kupendeza ni kama sega la asali, ni matamu kwa nafsi na uponyaji kwenye mifupa.
Kind words are like honey [SIM]: We enjoy them both, and both cause our bodies to be healthy/strong.
25 Iko njia ionekanayo kuwa sawa kwa mtu, bali mwisho wake huelekeza mautini.
There are some kinds of behavior [MET] that people think are right, but (walking on those roads [MET]/continually doing those things) causes those people to die.
26 Shauku ya mfanyakazi humhimiza kufanya kazi; njaa yake humsukuma aendelee.
If a worker (has an appetite/is hungry), that urges him to work hard because he [SYN] wants to [earn money to buy things to] eat.
27 Mtu mbaya kabisa hupanga mabaya, maneno yake ni kama moto uunguzao.
Worthless people plan [ways to cause] trouble [for others], and [even] what they say [injures people] like a hot fire does [SIM].
28 Mtu mpotovu huchochea ugomvi, nayo maongezi ya upuzi hutenganisha marafiki wa karibu.
Deceitful people cause strife/quarreling among other people; those who say false things about other people cause people who are friends to become enemies.
29 Mtu mkali humvuta jirani yake na kumwongoza katika mapito yale mabaya.
Those who act violently entice/encourage others [to also act violently] and lead them along a road that will end in disaster.
30 Yeye akonyezaye kwa jicho lake anapanga upotovu; naye akazaye midomo yake amenuia mabaya.
People [sometimes] show with [one of] their eyes [to signal to their friends that they are] planning to do something to harm [others]; they smirk when they are about to do something evil.
31 Mvi ni taji ya utukufu; hupatikana kwa maisha ya uadilifu.
Gray hair is [like] a glorious crown [MET] that is given to people who have always behaved righteously.
32 Ni afadhali mtu mstahimilivu kuliko shujaa, mtu anayeitawala hasira yake kuliko yule autekaye mji.
Those who do not become angry quickly are better than those who are powerful; it is better to (control your temper/keep yourself from becoming very angry) than to conquer a city.
33 Kura hupigwa kwa siri, lakini kila uamuzi wake hutoka kwa Bwana.
People (cast lots/throw marked stones) [to decide what should be done], but God is the one who truly decides what will happen.
