Mithali 26
1 Kama theluji wakati wa kiangazi au mvua wakati wa mavuno, ndivyo asivyostahili heshima mpumbavu.
Like snow in summer and rain when the grain is being cut, so honour is not natural for the foolish.
2 Kama shomoro apigapigavyo mabawa yake au mbayuwayu katika kuruka kwake kasi, ndivyo ilivyo laana isiyo na sababu haimpati mtu.
As the sparrow in her wandering and the swallow in her flight, so the curse does not come without a cause.
3 Mjeledi kwa farasi, lijamu kwa punda, nayo fimbo kwa migongo ya wapumbavu!
A whip for the horse, a mouth-bit for the ass, and a rod for the back of the foolish.
4 Usimjibu mpumbavu sawasawa na upumbavu wake, ama wewe mwenyewe utakuwa kama yeye.
Do not give to the foolish man a foolish answer, or you will be like him.
5 Mjibu mpumbavu sawasawa na upumbavu wake, ama atakuwa mwenye hekima machoni pake mwenyewe.
Give a foolish man a foolish answer, or he will seem wise to himself.
6 Kama vile ilivyo kujikata miguu au kunywa hasara, ndivyo ilivyo kutuma ujumbe kwa mkono wa mpumbavu.
He who sends news by the hand of a foolish man is cutting off his feet and drinking in damage.
7 Kama miguu ya kiwete inavyoningʼinia ndivyo ilivyo mithali katika kinywa cha mpumbavu.
The legs of one who has no power of walking are hanging loose; so is a wise saying in the mouth of the foolish.
8 Kama kufunga jiwe kwenye kombeo, ndivyo ilivyo kumpa mpumbavu heshima.
Giving honour to a foolish man is like attempting to keep a stone fixed in a cord.
9 Kama mwiba kwenye mkono wa mlevi ndivyo ilivyo mithali kinywani mwa mpumbavu.
Like a thorn which goes up into the hand of a man overcome by drink, so is a wise saying in the mouth of a foolish man.
10 Kama mpiga upinde ambaye hujeruhi ovyo, ndivyo alivyo yeye aajiriye mpumbavu au yeyote apitaye njiani.
Like an archer wounding all who go by, is a foolish man overcome by drink.
11 Kama mbwa ayarudiavyo matapiko yake, ndivyo mpumbavu arudiavyo upumbavu wake.
Like a dog going back to the food which he has not been able to keep down, is the foolish man doing his foolish acts over again.
12 Je, unamwona mtu ajionaye mwenye hekima machoni pake mwenyewe? Liko tumaini zaidi kwa mpumbavu kuliko kwake.
Have you seen a man who seems to himself to be wise? There is more hope for the foolish than for him.
13 Mvivu husema, “Yuko simba barabarani, simba mkali anazunguka mitaa!”
The hater of work says, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
14 Kama vile mlango ugeukavyo kwenye bawaba zake, ndivyo mvivu ajigeuzavyo kitandani mwake.
A door is turned on its pillar, and the hater of work on his bed.
15 Mtu mvivu hutumbukiza mkono wake kwenye sahani, naye huchoka kuupeleka kwenye kinywa chake.
The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin: lifting it again to his mouth is a weariness to him.
16 Mtu mvivu ni mwenye hekima machoni pake mwenyewe, kuliko watu saba wawezao kujibu kwa busara.
The hater of work seems to himself wiser than seven men who are able to give an answer with good sense.
17 Kama yeye amkamataye mbwa kwa masikio, ndivyo alivyo mtu apitaye njiani na kujiingiza kwenye ugomvi usiomhusu.
He who gets mixed up in a fight which is not his business, is like one who takes a dog by the ears while it is going by.
18 Kama mtu mwendawazimu atupaye vijinga vya moto au mishale ya kufisha,
As one who is off his head sends about flaming sticks and arrows of death,
19 ndivyo alivyo mtu amdanganyaye jirani yake na kusema, “Nilikuwa nikifanya mzaha tu!”
So is the man who gets the better of his neighbour by deceit, and says, Am I not doing so in sport?
20 Bila kuni moto huzimika; pasipo uchongezi ugomvi humalizika.
Without wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no secret talk, argument is ended.
21 Kama makaa juu ya makaa yanayowaka, na kama kuni kwenye moto, ndivyo alivyo mtu mgomvi kwa kuchochea ugomvi.
Like breath on coals and wood on fire, so a man given to argument gets a fight started.
22 Maneno ya mchongezi ni kama chakula kitamu; huingia sehemu za ndani sana za mtu.
The words of one who says evil of his neighbour secretly are like sweet food, they go down into the inner parts of the stomach.
23 Kama rangi ingʼaayo iliyopakwa kwenye vyombo vya udongo ndivyo ilivyo midomo laini pamoja na moyo mbaya.
Smooth lips and an evil heart are like a vessel of earth plated with silver waste.
24 Mtu mwenye nia ya kudhuru wengine hujificha kwa maneno ya midomo yake, lakini moyoni mwake huficha udanganyifu.
With his lips the hater makes things seem what they are not, but deceit is stored up inside him;
25 Ingawa maneno yake huvutia, usimwamini, kwa maana machukizo saba hujaza moyo wake.
When he says fair words, have no belief in him; for in his heart are seven evils:
26 Nia yake ya kudhuru wengine inaweza kufichwa na udanganyifu, lakini uovu wake utafichuliwa kwenye kusanyiko.
Though his hate is covered with deceit, his sin will be seen openly before the meeting of the people.
27 Kama mtu akichimba shimo, atatumbukia ndani yake, kama mtu akivingirisha jiwe, litamrudia.
He who makes a hole in the earth will himself go falling into it: and on him by whom a stone is rolled the stone will come back again.
28 Ulimi wa uongo, huwachukia wale unaowaumiza, nacho kinywa cha kujipendekeza hutenda uharibifu.
A false tongue has hate for those who have clean hearts, and a smooth mouth is a cause of falling.
