Mithali 23
1 Uketipo kula chakula na mtawala, angalia vyema kile kilicho mbele yako,
When you sit down to eat a meal with a (government official/king), think carefully about what (OR, who) is in front of you.
2 na utie kisu kooni mwako kama ukiwa mlafi.
[Even] if you (have a big appetite/want to eat a lot of food), restrain yourself.
3 Usitamani vyakula vyake vitamu kwa kuwa chakula hicho ni cha hila.
Do not want to eat [a lot of] his fine food, because he may be trying to trick you.
4 Usijitaabishe ili kuupata utajiri, uwe na hekima kuonyesha kujizuia.
Do not [cause yourself to become very tired by] working very hard to become rich; be wise and stop doing that,
5 Kufumba na kufumbua utajiri hutoweka, huwa kama umepata mabawa ghafula, ukaruka na kutoweka angani kama tai.
because as soon as you look [MTY] at [all the money that you have acquired], it will be gone; it will [disappear as if it] suddenly grew wings [SIM] and flew up into the sky like an eagle.
6 Usile chakula cha mtu mchoyo, usitamani vyakula vyake vitamu,
[If] someone who is stingy [invites you to a meal], do not eat [a lot of] his fine food,
7 kwa maana yeye ni aina ya mtu ambaye kila mara anafikiri juu ya gharama. Anakuambia, “Kula na kunywa,” lakini moyo wake hauko pamoja nawe.
because he will be thinking about how much [the food cost that you are eating]. He [will] say to you, “Eat and drink all that you want!”, but that is not what he [will] really be thinking.
8 Utatapika kile kidogo ulichokula, nawe utakuwa umepoteza bure maneno yako ya kumsifu.
[When you realize what he is really thinking, it will cause you to want to] vomit what you have eaten; and your kind words [telling him that you are enjoying the meal] will be wasted.
9 Usizungumze na mpumbavu, kwa maana atadhihaki hekima ya maneno yako.
(Do not [waste time by]/It is useless) talking to foolish people; they will [only] despise the wise things that you say.
10 Usisogeze jiwe la mpaka wa zamani wala kunyemelea kwenye mashamba ya yatima,
Do not [steal someone’s property by] removing a boundary marker that has been there for a long time, and do not take for yourself the land that belongs to orphans,
11 kwa kuwa Mtetezi wao ni mwenye nguvu, atalichukua shauri lao dhidi yako.
because Yahweh is strong, and he is [like] a relative that has the responsibility to defend them, he will [stand up in court and] argue for them and against you.
12 Elekeza moyo wako kwenye mafundisho na masikio yako kwenye maneno ya maarifa.
Pay attention to what [your teachers] teach you, and try to learn from the wise things that they say.
13 Usimnyime mtoto adhabu, ukimwadhibu kwa fimbo, hatakufa.
Do not refuse to discipline your children; if you punish/spank them, it will not cause them to die,
and it may save them from [going to] the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwanangu, kama moyo wako una hekima, basi moyo wangu utafurahi,
My son/child, if you [SYN] become wise, I [SYN] will be very happy.
16 utu wangu wa ndani utafurahi, wakati midomo yako itakapozungumza lililo sawa.
I [SYN] will rejoice when I hear you [SYN] say what is right/wise.
17 Usiuruhusu moyo wako kuwaonea wivu wenye dhambi, bali kila mara uwe na bidii katika kumcha Bwana.
Do not envy sinful people; instead, revere Yahweh all of your life.
18 Hakika kuna tumaini la baadaye kwa ajili yako, nalo tarajio lako halitakatiliwa mbali.
[If you do that], you will be happy in the future, and [God] will certainly [do for you what you are] confidently expecting him to do.
19 Sikiliza, mwanangu na uwe na hekima, weka moyo wako kwenye njia iliyo sawa.
My son/child, listen carefully to me and become wise, and think about (all that you do/your behavior).
20 Usiwe miongoni mwa wanywao mvinyo, au wale walao nyama kwa pupa,
Do not associate with those who drink a lot of (wine/strong drink) or with those who (are gluttons/eat more than they should),
21 kwa maana walevi na walafi huwa maskini, nako kusinzia huwavika matambara.
because drunkards and gluttons will become poor; and if all that you do is eat and sleep, you will [soon] (be wearing rags/not have any money to buy clothes).
22 Msikilize baba yako, aliyekuzaa, wala usimdharau mama yako atakapokuwa mzee.
Pay attention to what your father tells you, and (do not neglect/take care of) [LIT] your mother when she is old.
23 Nunua kweli wala usiiuze, pata hekima, adabu na ufahamu.
Try to know/learn what is wise, and get good instruction and understanding; and do not throw those things away.
24 Baba wa mwenye haki ana furaha kubwa, naye aliye na mwana mwenye hekima humfurahia.
Righteous [children] will cause their parents to be very happy; those whose children are wise are proud of them.
25 Baba yako na mama yako na wafurahi, mama aliyekuzaa na ashangilie!
[Do what will] cause your father to be glad and enable your mother [also] to be happy.
26 Mwanangu, nipe moyo wako, macho yako na yafuate njia zangu,
My son, heed what I say to you, and allow what I do to be an example for you.
27 kwa maana kahaba ni shimo refu na mwanamke mpotovu ni kisima chembamba.
Prostitutes and immoral women [DOU] are [like] [MET] a deep pit or a well [that you may fall into].
28 Kama mnyangʼanyi, hungojea akivizia, naye huzidisha wasio waaminifu miongoni mwa wanaume.
They wait [for you] like robbers [SIM], and they cause many men to (be unfaithful to/have sex with women who are not) their wives.
29 Ni nani mwenye ole? Ni nani mwenye huzuni? Ni nani mwenye ugomvi? Ni nani mwenye malalamiko? Ni nani aliye na majeraha yasiyo na sababu? Ni nani mwenye macho mekundu?
I will tell you [RHQ] what kind of people are always miserable and sad. I will tell you [RHQ] which people are always causing arguments/quarrels and who are always complaining. I will tell you [RHQ] who are injured in fights and whose eyes are always red/bloodshot.
30 Ni hao wakaao sana kwenye mvinyo, hao waendao kuonja mabakuli ya mvinyo uliochanganywa.
[It is] those who drink a lot of wine, who try drinking other kinds of strong drinks.
31 Usiukodolee macho mvinyo wakati ukiwa mwekundu, wakati unapometameta kwenye bilauri, wakati ushukapo taratibu!
Do not look with pleasure at red wine that looks nice, and which sparkles when it is [poured out] into cups, and which tastes good as you drink it,
32 Mwishowe huuma kama nyoka na kutia sumu yake kama nyoka mwenye sumu.
because the next morning [you will feel like] you have been bitten by a poisonous snake [DOU].
33 Macho yako yataona mambo mageni na moyo wako kuwazia mambo yaliyopotoka.
You [SYN] will [think that you are] seeing strange/weird things, and you [SYN] will not be able to think clearly or speak clearly.
34 Utakuwa kama alalaye katikati ya bahari, alalaye juu ya kamba ya merikebu.
You will think you are in a ship that is tossing on the sea; you be like [SIM] someone who is trying to sleep when the ship is rolling from one side to the other.
35 Utasema, “Wamenipiga lakini sikuumia! Wamenichapa, lakini sisikii! Nitaamka lini ili nikanywe tena?”
You will say, “[I think that] someone struck me, but he did not hurt me; he hit me, but I did not feel it. When will I (wake up/feel normal again) in order that I can drink some more wine?”
