Mithali 29
1 Mtu anayeendelea kuwa na shingo ngumu baada ya maonyo mengi, ataangamia ghafula, wala hapati dawa.
Some people remain stubborn [IDM] [even] though they are often reproved/warned [about doing what is wrong], [but some day] they will be crushed/ruined, and nothing will be able to heal them.
2 Wenye haki wanapostawi, watu hufurahi; waovu watawalapo, watu hulia kwa huzuni.
When righteous [people] are rulers, people are happy, but when wicked [people] rule, people (groan/are miserable).
3 Mtu apendaye hekima huleta furaha kwa baba yake, bali aambatanaye na makahaba hutapanya mali yake.
Those who are eager to become wise cause their parents to be glad; those who spend their time with prostitutes will end up giving all their money to them.
4 Kwa haki mfalme huipa nchi uthabiti, bali mfalme aliye na tamaa ya rushwa huiangamiza.
When a king rules justly/fairly, he causes his nation to be strong, but a king who is concerned [only] with getting more money from the people ruins his nation.
5 Yeyote amsifuye jirani yake isivyostahili, anautandaza wavu kuitega miguu yake.
Those who (flatter others/say nice things to others [merely] to cause them to feel good) are really setting a trap for them (OR, for themselves) [SYN].
6 Mtu mbaya hutegwa na dhambi yake mwenyewe bali mwenye haki huweza kuimba na kufurahi.
Evil people will be trapped by the sins that they commit, but righteous/honest people will sing and be joyful/happy.
7 Mwenye haki hujali haki kwa ajili ya maskini, bali mwovu hajishughulishi na hilo.
Righteous/Good people know that poor [people] should be treated fairly/justly, [but] wicked people (are not concerned about/do not pay attention to) those matters at all.
8 Wenye mzaha huuchochea mji, bali watu wenye hekima hugeuzia mbali hasira.
Those who make fun of [everything that is good say things that] cause [everyone in] the city to (be agitated/in turmoil); those who are wise enable [people] to remain calm.
9 Kama mwenye hekima akienda mahakamani na mpumbavu, mpumbavu hukasirika na kudhihaki, wala hakuna amani.
If a wise person sues a foolish person, the foolish person merely laughs [at him] and yells [at him] and will not be quiet (OR, [the dispute will] not be resolved).
10 Watu wamwagao damu humchukia mtu mwadilifu na hutafuta kumuua mtu mnyofu.
Those who murder others hate people who (are honest/always do what is right), but righteous [people] try to protect them.
11 Mpumbavu huonyesha hasira yake yote, bali mwenye hekima hujizuia.
People who are wise are patient and restrain/control themselves when they are angry, but foolish people (quickly show others that they are very angry/do not restrain themselves at all).
12 Kama mtawala akisikiliza uongo, maafisa wake wote huwa waovu.
If a ruler (pays attention to/believes) [people who tell] lies, all his officials will [also] become wicked.
13 Mtu maskini na mtu anayeonea wanafanana kwa jambo hili: Bwana hutia nuru macho yao wote wawili.
There is one thing that is true about both poor people and those who oppress them: Yahweh enables all of them to see.
14 Kama mfalme akiwaamua maskini kwa haki, kiti chake cha enzi kitakuwa thabiti siku zote.
If kings judge poor [people] fairly, they will continue to rule for a long time.
15 Fimbo ya maonyo hutia hekima, bali mtoto aliyeachiwa bila maonyo humwaibisha mama yake.
If children are punished/spanked and reproved/warned, they become wise; but if they are allowed to do whatever they want to do, they [do things that] cause their mothers to be ashamed of them.
16 Wakati waovu wanapostawi, pia dhambi vivyo hivyo, lakini wenye haki wataliona anguko lao.
When wicked [people] rule, there are more crimes committed {people commit more crimes}, but [some day] those wicked people will (be defeated/no longer rule), and righteous [people] will see that happen.
17 Mrudi mwanao, naye atakupa amani, atakufurahisha nafsi yako.
If you discipline your children, they will no longer [do things that] will cause you to be worried; instead, they [will do things that] will delight you [SYN].
18 Mahali pasipo na ufunuo, watu kujizuia, bali ana heri mtu yule aishikaye sheria.
When the people [of a nation] do not receive messages that come directly from God, they do not control their behavior. [God] is pleased with those who obey his laws.
19 Mtumishi hawezi kuonywa kwa maneno matupu, ajapoelewa, hataitikia.
It is not possible to correct/discipline servants only by talking to them; they understand what you are saying, but they do not pay attention to it.
20 Je, unamwona mtu azungumzaye kwa haraka? Kuna matumaini zaidi kwa mpumbavu kuliko yeye.
[God] can help/bless foolish people more easily [RHQ] than he can help/bless people who speak without thinking first.
21 Kama mtu akimdekeza mtumishi wake tangu ujanani, atamletea sikitiko mwishoni.
If someone gives his servants everything that they want, starting from when they are young, some day those servants will take from him everything that he owns.
22 Mtu mwenye hasira huchochea ugomvi, naye mtu mwenye hasira ya haraka hutenda dhambi nyingi.
Those who [quickly] become angry cause [many] arguments, and they [also] commit many sins.
23 Kiburi cha mtu humshusha, bali mtu mwenye roho ya unyenyekevu hupata heshima.
Proud people will be disgraced; those who are humble will be respected.
24 Anayekubaliana na mwizi ni adui wa nafsi yake mwenyewe; huapishwa lakini hathubutu kushuhudia.
Those who help thieves [to steal] only hurt themselves; [when they are in court], they solemnly ask [God] to curse them [if they do not tell the truth], but they do not tell the truth [about the crime that was committed], [and as a result, God will curse them].
25 Kuwaogopa watu huwa ni mtego, bali yeyote amtumainiaye Bwana atakuwa salama.
It is [like] a dangerous trap [MET] [for people] to be (afraid of/worried about) what others will think about them, but those who trust in Yahweh are safe/protected.
26 Wengi hutafuta kusikilizwa na mtawala, bali mtu hupata haki kutoka kwa Bwana.
Many [people] request rulers to do things to help them, but Yahweh is [the only one] who surely does for people what is fair/just.
27 Mwenye haki huwachukia sana wasio waaminifu; waovu huwachukia sana wenye haki.
Righteous [people] hate/detest those who do what is evil, and wicked [people] hate [those whose behavior is always] good.
