Mithali 27
1 Usijisifu kwa ajili ya kesho, kwa kuwa hujui ni nini kitakachozaliwa kwa siku moja.
Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day brings forth.
2 Mwache mwingine akusifu, wala si kinywa chako mwenyewe; mtu mwingine afanye hivyo na si midomo yako mwenyewe.
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth, A stranger, and not your own lips.
3 Jiwe ni zito na mchanga ni mzigo, lakini kukasirishwa na mpumbavu ni kuzito kuliko vyote viwili.
A stone [is] heavy, and the sand [is] heavy, And the anger of a fool Is heavier than them both.
4 Hasira ni ukatili na ghadhabu kali ni gharika, lakini ni nani awezaye kusimama mbele ya wivu?
Fury [is] fierce, and anger [is] overflowing, And who stands before jealousy?
5 Afadhali karipio la wazi kuliko upendo uliofichika.
Better [is] open reproof than hidden love.
6 Majeraha kutoka kwa rafiki yaonyesha uaminifu, bali kubusu kwa adui ni kwingi sana.
The wounds of a lover are faithful, And the kisses of an enemy [are] abundant.
7 Yeye aliyeshiba huchukia kabisa asali, bali kwa mwenye njaa hata kile kilicho kichungu kwake ni kitamu.
A satiated soul treads down a honeycomb, And every bitter thing [is] sweet [to] a hungry soul.
8 Kama ndege atangatangavyo mbali na kiota chake, ndivyo alivyo mtu atangatangaye mbali na nyumbani mwake.
As a bird wandering from her nest, So [is] a man wandering from his place.
9 Manukato na uvumba huleta furaha moyoni, nao uzuri wa rafiki huchipuka kutoka kwenye ushauri wake wa uaminifu.
Perfume and incense make the heart glad, And the sweetness of one’s friend—from counsel of the soul.
10 Usimwache rafiki yako wala rafiki wa baba yako, tena usiende nyumbani mwa ndugu yako wakati umepatwa na maafa. Bora jirani wa karibu kuliko ndugu aliye mbali.
Do not forsake your own friend and the friend of your father, And do not enter the house of your brother in a day of your calamity, A near neighbor [is] better than a brother far off.
11 Mwanangu, uwe na hekima, nawe ulete furaha moyoni mwangu, ndipo nitakapoweza kumjibu yeyote anitendaye kwa dharau.
Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, And I return a word [to] my reproacher.
12 Mtu mwenye busara huona hatari na kujificha, bali mjinga huendelea mbele nayo ikamtesa.
The prudent has seen the evil, he is hidden, The simple have passed on, they are punished.
13 Chukua vazi la yule awekaye dhamana kwa ajili ya mgeni; lishikilie iwe dhamana kama anafanya hivyo kwa ajili ya mwanamke mpotovu.
Take his garment when a stranger has been guarantor, And pledge it for a strange woman.
14 Kama mtu akimbariki jirani yake kwa sauti kuu asubuhi na mapema, itahesabiwa kama ni laana.
Whoever is greeting his friend with a loud voice, Rising early in the morning, It is reckoned a light thing to him.
15 Mke mgomvi ni kama matone yasiyokoma ya siku ya mvua.
A continual dropping in a day of rain, And a woman of contentions are alike,
16 Kumzuia yeye ni kama kuuzuia upepo au kukamata mafuta kwa kiganja cha mkono.
Whoever is hiding her has hidden the wind, And the ointment of his right hand calls out.
17 Kama vile chuma kinoavyo chuma, ndivyo mtu amnoavyo mwenzake.
Iron is sharpened by iron, And a man sharpens the face of his friend.
18 Yeye autunzaye mtini atakula tunda lake, naye amtunzaye bwana wake ataheshimiwa.
The keeper of a fig tree eats its fruit, And the preserver of his master is honored.
19 Kama uso uonekanavyo kwenye maji, ndivyo hivyo moyo wa mtu humwonyesha alivyo.
As [in] water the face [is] to face, So the heart of man to man.
Sheol and destruction are not satisfied, And the eyes of man are not satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 Kalibu ni kwa ajili ya fedha na tanuru kwa ajili ya dhahabu, bali mtu hupimwa kwa sifa azipokeazo.
A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And a man according to his praise.
22 Hata ukimtwanga mpumbavu kwenye kinu, ukimtwanga kama nafaka kwa mchi, hutauondoa upumbavu wake.
If you beat the foolish in a mortar, Among washed things—with a pestle, His folly does not turn aside from off him.
23 Hakikisha kuwa unajua hali ya makundi yako ya kondoo na mbuzi, angalia kwa bidii ngʼombe zako.
Know the face of your flock well, Set your heart to the droves,
24 Kwa kuwa utajiri haudumu milele, nayo taji haidumu vizazi vyote.
For riches [are] not for all time, Nor a crown to generation and generation.
25 Wakati majani makavu yameondolewa na mapya yamechipua, nayo majani toka milimani yamekusanywa,
The hay was revealed, and the tender grass seen, And the herbs of mountains gathered.
26 wana-kondoo watakupatia mavazi na mbuzi thamani ya shamba.
Lambs [are] for your clothing, And the price of the field [are] male goats,
27 Utakuwa na maziwa mengi ya mbuzi kukulisha wewe na jamaa yako, na kuwalisha watumishi wako wa kike.
And a sufficiency of goats’ milk [is] for your bread, For bread to your house, and life to your girls!
