Mithali 2
1 Mwanangu, kama utayakubali maneno yangu na kuyaweka akiba maagizo yangu ndani mwako,
My son, if you accept my sayings, And lay up my commands with you,
2 kutega sikio lako kwenye hekima na kuweka moyo wako katika ufahamu,
To cause your ear to attend to wisdom, You incline your heart to understanding,
3 na kama ukiita busara na kuita kwa sauti ufahamu,
For if you call for intelligence, [And] give forth your voice for intelligence,
4 na kama utaitafuta kama fedha na kuitafuta sana kama hazina iliyofichwa,
If you seek her as silver, And search for her as hid treasures,
5 ndipo utakapoelewa kumcha Bwana na kupata maarifa ya Mungu.
Then you understand the fear of YHWH, And you find the knowledge of God.
6 Kwa maana Bwana hutoa hekima, na kinywani mwake hutoka maarifa na ufahamu.
For YHWH gives wisdom, Knowledge and understanding from His mouth.
7 Anahifadhi ushindi kwa ajili ya mwadilifu, yeye ni ngao kwa wale wasio na lawama,
Even to lay up substance for the upright, A shield for those walking uprightly.
8 kwa kuwa hulinda mwenendo wa mwenye haki na kuhifadhi njia ya waaminifu wake.
To keep the paths of judgment, And He preserves the way of His saints.
9 Ndipo utafahamu lipi lililo kweli na haki na sawa: yaani kila njia nzuri.
Then you understand righteousness, And judgment, and uprightness—every good path.
10 Kwa maana hekima itaingia moyoni mwako, nayo maarifa yataifurahisha nafsi yako.
For wisdom comes into your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
11 Busara itakuhifadhi na ufahamu utakulinda.
Thoughtfulness watches over you, Understanding keeps you,
12 Hekima itakuokoa kutoka njia za waovu, kutoka kwa watu ambao maneno yao yamepotoka,
To deliver you from an evil way, From any speaking contrary things,
13 wale waachao mapito yaliyonyooka wakatembea katika njia za giza,
Who are forsaking paths of uprightness, To walk in ways of darkness,
14 wale wapendao kutenda mabaya na kufurahia upotovu wa ubaya,
Who are rejoicing to do evil, They delight in [the] contrariness of the wicked,
15 ambao mapito yao yamepotoka na ambao ni wapotovu katika njia zao.
Whose paths [are] crooked, Indeed, they are perverted in their ways.
16 Itakuokoa pia kutokana na mwanamke kahaba, kutokana na mke aliyepotoka mwenye maneno ya kushawishi kutenda ubaya,
To deliver you from the strange woman, From the stranger who has made her sayings smooth,
17 aliyemwacha mwenzi wa ujana wake na kupuuza agano alilofanya mbele ya Mungu.
Who is forsaking the guide of her youth, And has forgotten the covenant of her God.
18 Kwa maana nyumba yake huelekea kwenye kifo na mapito yake kwenye roho za waliokufa.
For her house has inclined to death, And her paths to Rephaim.
19 Hakuna yeyote aendaye kwake akarudi, au kufikia mapito ya uzima.
None going in to her return, Nor do they reach the paths of life.
20 Hivyo utatembea katika njia za watu wema na kushikamana na mapito ya wenye haki.
That you go in the way of the good, And keep the paths of the righteous.
21 Kwa maana wanyofu wataishi katika nchi, nao wasio na lawama watabakia ndani yake.
For the upright inhabit the earth, And the perfect are left in it,
22 Bali waovu watakatiliwa mbali kutoka nchi, nao wasio waaminifu watangʼolewa kutoka humo.
And the wicked are cut off from the earth, And treacherous dealers plucked out of it!
