Mithali 21
1 Moyo wa mfalme uko katika mkono wa Bwana; huuongoza kama mkondo wa maji, popote apendapo.
Yahweh controls what kings do [MTY] [like] he controls how streams flow; he causes kings to do just what he wants them to do.
2 Njia zote za mwanadamu huonekana sawa kwake, bali Bwana huupima moyo.
People always think that what they do is right, but Yahweh judges our (motives/reasons [for doing things)] [MTY].
3 Kufanya yaliyo sawa na haki inakubalika zaidi kwa Bwana kuliko dhabihu.
Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to Yahweh than [bringing] sacrifices [to him].
4 Macho ya kudharau na moyo wa kiburi, ambavyo ni taa ya waovu, vyote ni dhambi!
Being proud and arrogant [DOU] is [like] a lamp [MTY] [that guides] wicked people; being proud and arrogant characterizes (wicked people’s whole behavior/everything that wicked people do).
5 Mipango ya mwenye bidii huelekeza kwenye faida, kama vile kwa hakika pupa huelekeza kwenye umaskini.
People who plan carefully will surely have plenty [of what they need]; those who act too quickly [to become rich] will become poor.
6 Mali iliyopatikana kwa ulimi wa uongo ni mvuke upitao upesi na mtego wa kufisha.
Money that people acquire [by cheating others] by lying [MTY] to them will soon disappear [like] a mist, and doing that will [soon] lead to their death.
7 Jeuri ya waovu itawaburuta mbali, kwa kuwa wanakataa kufanya yaliyo sawa.
Wicked [people] refuse to do what is right/just, but they will be ruined because of the violent things [PRS] that they do.
8 Njia ya mwenye hatia ni ya upotovu, bali tabia ya mtu asiye na hatia ni nyofu.
Guilty [people continually do what is evil; it is as though] [MET] they are walking on a crooked road; but righteous/innocent people [always] do what is right.
9 Ni afadhali kuishi pembeni mwa paa la nyumba, kuliko kuishi nyumba moja na mke mgomvi.
It is better to live in the corner of an attic/housetop [by yourself] than to live inside the house with a wife who is always nagging.
10 Mtu mwovu hutamani sana ubaya, jirani yake hapati huruma kutoka kwake.
Wicked [people] [SYN] are always wanting [to do what is] evil; they never act mercifully toward anyone.
11 Wakati mwenye mzaha ameadhibiwa, mjinga hupata hekima; wakati mtu mwenye hekima afundishwapo, hupata maarifa.
When those who ridicule [others] are punished, [even] those who do not have good sense [see that, and] they become wise, and when those who are wise are taught, they become wiser.
12 Mwenye Haki huyajua yanayotendeka katika nyumba za waovu, naye atawaangamiza waovu.
[God], the one [who is completely] righteous, knows [what happens inside] the houses of wicked [people], and [he will cause] those people to be completely ruined/destroyed.
13 Mtu akiziba masikio asisikie kilio cha maskini, yeye pia atalia, wala hatajibiwa.
There are people who refuse to listen when poor people cry out [for help]; [but some day] they themselves will cry out [for help], and no one will hear them.
14 Zawadi itolewayo kwa siri hutuliza hasira na rushwa iliyofichwa kwenye nguo hutuliza ghadhabu kali.
When someone is angry [with you], if you secretly give him a gift, he will stop being angry.
15 Wakati haki imetendeka, huleta furaha kwa wenye haki, bali kitisho kwa watenda mabaya.
Good/Righteous [people] are happy when they [see others do] what is just/fair, but those who do what is evil are terrified [when they think about what may happen to them].
16 Mtu anayepotea kutoka mapito ya ufahamu, hupumzika katika kundi la waliokufa.
Those who stop behaving like those who have good sense behave will [soon] discover that they have gone to the place where dead people are.
17 Mtu apendaye anasa atakuwa maskini, yeyote apendaye mvinyo na mafuta kamwe hatakuwa tajiri.
Those who spend their money to buy (things that give them pleasure/things that cause them to feel happy) will become poor; those who love [to spend money to buy] wine and nice/fancy food [MTY] will never become rich.
18 Waovu huwa fidia kwa ajili ya wenye haki, nao wasio waaminifu kwa ajili ya wanyofu.
Wicked [people] bring on themselves the sufferings that they were trying to cause righteous [people] to experience [DOU].
19 Ni afadhali kuishi jangwani kuliko kuishi na mke mgomvi na mkorofi.
It is better to live [alone] in a desert than [to live] with a wife who is [always] nagging and complaining.
20 Katika nyumba ya mwenye hekima kuna akiba ya vyakula vizuri na mafuta, lakini mtu mpumbavu hutafuna vyote alivyo navyo.
Wise people have many valuable things in their houses, but foolish people [quickly] spend/waste [all their money].
21 Yeye afuatiaye haki na upendo hupata uzima, mafanikio na heshima.
Those who [always] try to act in a fair and kind way [toward others] will live [a long time] and be honored/respected.
22 Mtu mwenye hekima huushambulia mji wa wenye nguvu, na kuangusha ngome wanazozitegemea.
A wise army commander [helps his troops] climb over a wall [to attack] a city that is defended by a strong army, with the result that they are able to (get over/destroy) the high walls that their enemies trusted [would protect them].
23 Yeye alindaye kinywa chake na ulimi wake hujilinda na maafa.
Those who are very careful about what they say [MTY] are [able to] avoid trouble.
24 Mtu mwenye kiburi na majivuno, “Mdhihaki” ndilo jina lake; hutenda mambo kwa kiburi kilichozidi.
Those who make fun of [everything that is good] are proud and conceited [DOU]; they [always] act in an inconsiderate way [toward others].
25 Kutamani sana kwa mvivu kutakuwa kifo chake, kwa sababu mikono yake haitaki kufanya kazi.
Lazy people, who refuse to work, [will] die [of hunger] because they [SYN] do not earn [money to buy food].
26 Mchana kutwa hutamani zaidi, lakini mnyofu hutoa pasipo kuzuia.
All during the day [wicked people] desire to obtain things, but righteous [people] have plenty, [with the result that] they [are able to] give things generously to others.
27 Dhabihu ya mtu mwovu ni chukizo, si zaidi sana itolewapo kwa nia mbaya!
[Yahweh] detests the sacrifices that wicked [people] offer [to him]; [but he] detests it even more when they [think that they will escape being punished for] their evil deeds because of the sacrifices that they bring.
28 Shahidi wa uongo ataangamia, bali maneno ya mwenye kusikia yatadumu.
Those who tell lies in court will be punished; no one stops/silences witnesses who say what is truthful/reliable.
29 Mtu mwovu ana uso wa ushupavu, bali mtu mnyofu huzifikiria njia zake.
Wicked people pretend [that they know everything], but righteous people think carefully about [what will happen because of] what they do.
30 Hakuna hekima, wala akili, wala mpango unaoweza kufaulu dhidi ya Bwana.
[Thinking that we are] wise, and that we understand many things, and that we have good insight, does not help us if Yahweh is (acting against/not pleased with) us.
31 Farasi huandaliwa kwa ajili ya siku ya vita, bali ushindi huwa kwa Bwana.
We [can] get horses ready to fight in a battle, but Yahweh is the one who enables us to (win victories/defeat our enemies).
