Mithali 30
1 Misemo ya Aguri mwana wa Yake, usia: Huyu mtu alimwambia Ithieli, naam, kwa Ithieli na kwa Ukali:
The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, from Massa. The man says: I am full of weariness, O God, I am full of weariness; O God, I have come to an end:
2 “Mimi ni mjinga kuliko wanadamu wote; sina ufahamu wa kibinadamu.
For I am more like a beast than any man, I have no power of reasoning like a man:
3 Sijajifunza hekima, wala sina maarifa ya kumjua yeye Aliye Mtakatifu.
I have not got wisdom by teaching, so that I might have the knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Ni nani ameshapanda mbinguni na kushuka? Ni nani ameshakusanya upepo kwenye vitanga vya mikono yake? Ni nani ameshafungia maji kwenye nguo yake? Ni nani ameimarisha miisho yote ya dunia? Jina lake ni nani, na mwanawe anaitwa nani? Niambie kama unajua!
Who has gone up to heaven and come down? who has taken the winds in his hands, prisoning the waters in his robe? by whom have all the ends of the earth been fixed? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if you are able to say?
5 “Kila neno la Mungu ni kamilifu; yeye ni ngao kwa wale wanaomkimbilia.
Every word of God is tested: he is a breastplate to those who put their faith in him.
6 Usiongeze kwenye maneno yake, ama atakukemea na kukuthibitisha kuwa mwongo.
Make no addition to his words, or he will make clear your error, and you will be seen to be false.
7 “Ninakuomba vitu viwili, Ee Bwana; usininyime kabla sijafa:
I have made request to you for two things; do not keep them from me before my death:
8 Uutenge mbali nami udanganyifu na uongo; usinipe umaskini wala utajiri, bali unipe chakula cha kunitosha kila siku.
Put far from me all false and foolish things: do not give me great wealth or let me be in need, but give me only enough food:
9 Nisije nikawa na vingi vya kuzidi nikakukana na kusema, ‘Bwana ni nani?’ Au nisije nikawa maskini nikaiba, nami nikaliaibisha jina la Mungu wangu.
For fear that if I am full, I may be false to you and say, Who is the Lord? or if I am poor, I may become a thief, using the name of my God wrongly.
10 “Usimchongee mtumishi kwa bwana wake, asije akakulaani, ukapatilizwa kwalo.
Do not say evil of a servant to his master, or he will put a curse on you, and you will get into trouble.
11 “Wako watu wale ambao huwalaani baba zao na wala hawawabariki mama zao;
There is a generation who put a curse on their father, and do not give a blessing to their mother.
12 wale ambao ni safi machoni pao wenyewe kumbe hawakuoshwa uchafu wao;
There is a generation who seem to themselves to be free from sin, but are not washed from their unclean ways.
13 wale ambao daima macho yao ni ya kiburi, ambao kutazama kwao ni kwa dharau;
There is a generation, O how full of pride are their eyes! O how their brows are lifted up!
14 wale ambao meno yao ni panga na ambao mataya yao yamewekwa visu kuwaangamiza maskini katika nchi, na wahitaji kutoka miongoni mwa wanadamu.
There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, their strong teeth like knives, for the destruction of the poor from the earth, and of those who are in need from among men.
15 “Mruba anao binti wawili waliao, ‘Nipe! Nipe!’ “Kuna vitu vitatu visivyotosheka kamwe, naam, viko vinne visivyosema, ‘Yatosha!’:
The night-spirit has two daughters, Give, give. There are three things which are never full, even four which never say, Enough:
16 Ni kaburi, tumbo lisilozaa, nchi isiyoshiba maji kamwe, na moto, usiosema kamwe, ‘Yatosha!’ (Sheol h7585)
The underworld, and the woman without a child; the earth which never has enough water, and the fire which never says, Enough. (Sheol h7585)
17 “Jicho lile limdhihakilo baba, lile linalodharau kumtii mama, litangʼolewa na kunguru wa bondeni, litaliwa na tai.
The eye which makes sport of a father, and sees no value in a mother when she is old will be rooted out by the ravens of the valley, and be food for the young eagles.
18 “Kuna vitu vitatu vinavyonishangaza sana, naam, vinne nisivyovielewa:
There are three things, the wonder of which overcomes me, even four things outside my knowledge:
19 Ni mwendo wa tai katika anga, mwendo wa nyoka juu ya mwamba, mwendo wa meli katika maji makuu ya bahari, nao mwendo wa mtu pamoja na msichana.
The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a snake on a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a girl.
20 “Huu ndio mwendo wa mwanamke mzinzi, hula akapangusa kinywa chake na kusema, ‘Sikufanya chochote kibaya.’
This is the way of a false wife; she takes food, and, cleaning her mouth, says, I have done no wrong.
21 “Kwa mambo matatu nchi hutetemeka, naam, kwa mambo manne haiwezi kuvumilia:
For three things the earth is moved, and there are four which it will not put up with:
22 Mtumwa awapo mfalme, mpumbavu ashibapo chakula,
A servant when he becomes a king; a man without sense when his wealth is increased;
23 mwanamke asiyependwa aolewapo, naye mtumishi wa kike achukuapo nafasi ya bibi yake.
A hated woman when she is married; and a servant-girl who takes the place of her master's wife.
24 “Vitu vinne duniani vilivyo vidogo, lakini vina akili nyingi sana:
There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are very wise:
25 Mchwa ni viumbe wenye nguvu ndogo, hata hivyo hujiwekea akiba ya chakula chao wakati wa kiangazi.
The ants are a people not strong, but they put by a store of food in the summer;
26 Pelele ni viumbe vyenye uwezo mdogo hata hivyo hujitengenezea nyumba zao kwenye miamba.
The conies are only a feeble people, but they make their houses in the rocks;
27 Nzige hawana mfalme, hata hivyo huenda pamoja vikosi vikosi.
The locusts have no king, but they all go out in bands;
28 Mjusi anaweza kushikwa kwa mkono, hata hivyo huonekana katika majumba ya kifalme.
You may take the lizard in your hands, but it is in kings' houses.
29 “Viko vitu vitatu ambavyo vinapendeza katika mwendo wao, naam, vinne ambavyo hutembea kwa mwendo wa madaha:
There are three things whose steps are good to see, even four whose goings are fair:
30 simba, mwenye nguvu miongoni mwa wanyama, asiyerudi nyuma kwa chochote;
The lion, which is strongest among beasts, not turning from his way for any;
31 jogoo atembeaye kwa maringo, pia beberu, naye mfalme pamoja na jeshi lake lililomzunguka.
The war-horse, and the he-goat, and the king when his army is with him.
32 “Ikiwa umefanya upumbavu na ukajitukuza mwenyewe, au kama umepanga mabaya, basi funika mdomo wako na mkono wako.
If you have done foolishly in lifting yourself up, or if you have had evil designs, put your hand over your mouth.
33 Kwa maana kama vile kusukasuka maziwa hutoa siagi, na pia kule kufinya pua hutoa damu, kadhalika kuchochea hasira hutokeza ugomvi.”
The shaking of milk makes butter, and the twisting of the nose makes blood come: so the forcing of wrath is a cause of fighting.
