Mithali 25
1 Hizi ni mithali zaidi za Solomoni, zilizonakiliwa na watu wa Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda:
Here are more wise sayings/words that Solomon [wrote]. Some men who worked for Hezekiah, the king of Judah, copied them [from a scroll that Solomon had written].
2 Ni Utukufu wa Mungu kuficha jambo, bali ni utukufu wa wafalme kuchunguza jambo.
[We consider] God to be great because he (acts in mysterious ways/does things that we cannot understand); [we consider] kings to be great because they explain things.
3 Kama mbingu zilivyo juu na nchi ilivyo chini, ndivyo ambavyo mioyo ya wafalme haichunguziki.
[It is not possible for anyone to measure] how high the sky is or how deep the earth/ocean is; likewise [SIM], it is not possible for us to know [all] that kings are thinking.
4 Ondoa takataka kwenye madini ya fedha, nako ndani yake kutatokea chombo cha mfua fedha.
[If workers] burn out the impure bits that are in silver, a man who makes things from silver can make something beautiful from the silver.
5 Ondoa waovu mbele ya mfalme, nacho kiti chake cha enzi kitaimarishwa kwa njia ya haki.
[Similarly, if] wicked [advisors] are taken away from a king, his government will remain secure, because [the king will be able to] act justly.
6 Usijikweze mwenyewe mbele ya mfalme, wala usidai nafasi miongoni mwa watu wakuu;
When you stand in front of a king, do not try to (impress him/honor yourself) and do not (act like you are important/ask to sit where important people sit; )
7 ni afadhali yeye akuambie, “Njoo huku juu,” kuliko yeye kukuaibisha mbele ya mkuu. Kile ulichokiona kwa macho yako
it is better if someone tells you to sit closer [to the king] than for [someone to tell you], while the king is listening, to sit further away in order that someone who is more important [may sit closer to the king].
8 usiharakishe kukipeleka mahakamani, maana utafanya nini mwishoni kama jirani yako atakuaibisha?
Do not quickly go to a court [to tell the judge about] something that you have seen, because another witness may later [say something that proves that you are wrong, and as a result] you will be disgraced/ashamed. If that happens, (what will you do?/you will not know what to do.) [RHQ]
9 Kama ukifanya shauri na jirani yako, usisaliti siri ya mtu mwingine,
If you and someone else think differently about some matter, settle it between yourselves, and do not tell others any secret [that he has told you].
10 ama yeye aisikiaye aweza kukuaibisha na kamwe sifa yako mbaya haitaondoka.
If others find out that you have told secrets, you will be ashamed, and from that time on, (you will have a bad reputation/people will think badly about you).
11 Neno lisemwalo kwa wakati ufaao ni kama matunda ya mtofaa ya dhahabu yaliyowekwa kwenye vijalizo vya fedha.
Something that is said that is [very] appropriate is [as delightful as seeing] [SIM] gold apples/ornaments in a silver bowl.
12 Kama vile kipuli cha dhahabu au pambo la dhahabu safi, ndivyo lilivyo karipio la mtu mwenye hekima kwa sikio lisikilizalo.
When a wise person rebukes/warns someone [SYN] who is willing to listen, that is [as valuable as] [SIM] a gold ring or a gold chain.
13 Kama vile ubaridi wa theluji wakati wa mavuno ndivyo alivyo mjumbe mwaminifu kwa wale wamtumao, huburudisha roho za bwana zake.
A messenger who (is reliable/tells someone else exactly what he was told to say) refreshes [the spirits of] his bosses who sent him like [SIM] (snow/cold water) refreshes [the ground] at the time that [people] harvest crops.
14 Kama vile mawingu na upepo pasipo mvua ndivyo alivyo mtu ajisifuye kwa zawadi ambazo hatoi.
When someone promises to give a gift to us but never gives it, [that disappoints us] as much as [SIM] clouds and wind that come but do not bring any rain.
15 Kwa njia ya uvumilivu mtawala aweza kushawishiwa, nao ulimi laini waweza kuvunja mfupa.
If someone keeps requesting a ruler long enough to do something, he will [often] agree to do it; similarly, by speaking [MTY] gently we can [often] convince [others that what we say is right] [IDM].
16 Ukipata asali, kula kiasi tu cha kukutosha, ukila zaidi, utatapika.
If you find some honey, do not eat a lot of it, because doing that may cause you to vomit.
17 Ingiza mguu wako nyumbani kwa jirani yako mara chache, ukizidisha, atakukinai na atakuchukia.
Do not go to your neighbor’s house very often [to talk with him]; if you go [very] often, he will get tired of listening to you and start to hate you.
18 Kama vile rungu au upanga au mshale mkali ndivyo alivyo mtu atoaye ushuhuda wa uongo dhidi ya jirani yake.
To falsely accuse others [in court] is like [SIM] [attacking them with] a war-club or a sword or a sharp arrow.
19 Kama vile jino bovu au mguu uliolemaa, ndivyo ilivyo kumtegemea mtu asiye mwaminifu wakati wa shida.
Depending on unreliable people when you have troubles is [as bad] as [trying to eat when] you have a bad/hurting tooth or [trying to walk when] your foot is crippled.
20 Kama vile avuaye mavazi siku ya baridi, au kama siki iliyomwagwa juu ya magadi, ndivyo alivyo yeye amuimbiaye nyimbo mtu mwenye moyo mzito.
Singing to someone who is depressed [just causes him to feel worse]; it is like [SIM] taking off clothes on a very cold day or like putting vinegar on a wound.
21 Kama adui yako ana njaa, mpe chakula ale; kama ana kiu, mpe maji anywe.
If your enemies are hungry, give them something to eat; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink;
22 Kwa kufanya hivyo, unaweka makaa ya moto yanayowaka kichwani pake, naye Bwana atakupa thawabu.
doing that will cause them to feel ashamed [IDM], and Yahweh will reward you for doing that.
23 Kama vile upepo wa kaskazini uletavyo mvua, ndivyo ulimi usingiziao uletavyo uso wa hasira.
When wind blows from the right direction, it will rain; [similarly] [SIM], if we gossip about others, that causes them to look at us very angrily.
24 Ni afadhali kuishi pembeni mwa paa la nyumba, kuliko kuishi nyumba moja na mke mgomvi.
It is better to live ([alone/by yourself]) in the corner of an attic/housetop than to live inside the house with a wife who is [always] nagging.
25 Kama vile maji baridi kwa nafsi iliyochoka ndivyo zilivyo habari njema kutoka nchi ya mbali.
Receiving good news from a country far away refreshes our spirits like [SIM] cold water refreshes us when we are very thirsty.
26 Kama vile chemchemi iliyotibuliwa matope au kisima kilichotiwa taka ndivyo alivyo mtu mwenye haki akishiriki na waovu.
When a righteous/good person (gives in/yields) to wicked [people], that is [as bad] as [SIM] a spring that becomes muddied or a fountain that becomes polluted.
27 Si vyema kula asali nyingi sana, wala si heshima kujitafutia heshima yako mwenyewe.
It is not good to eat too much honey, and trying to get people to praise you is also not good.
28 Kama vile mji ambao kuta zake zimebomoka ndivyo alivyo mtu ambaye hawezi kujitawala mwenyewe.
People who (cannot control their tempers/quickly become very angry) [are unable to defend their behavior]; that is like [having] a city without a wall around it, [with the result that no one can defend it].
