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; the prophecy uttered by the man unto Ithiel, [even] unto Ithiel and Ucal:
2 “Mimi ni mjinga kuliko wanadamu wote; sina ufahamu wa kibinadamu.
Truly I am more stupid than any one; and I have not a man's intelligence.
3 Sijajifunza hekima, wala sina maarifa ya kumjua yeye Aliye Mtakatifu.
I have neither learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy.
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 hath ascended up into the heavens, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a mantle? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?
5 “Kila neno la Mungu ni kamilifu; yeye ni ngao kwa wale wanaomkimbilia.
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6 Usiongeze kwenye maneno yake, ama atakukemea na kukuthibitisha kuwa mwongo.
Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 “Ninakuomba vitu viwili, Ee Bwana; usininyime kabla sijafa:
Two things do I ask of thee; deny me [them] not before I die:
8 Uutenge mbali nami udanganyifu na uongo; usinipe umaskini wala utajiri, bali unipe chakula cha kunitosha kila siku.
Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my daily need:
9 Nisije nikawa na vingi vya kuzidi nikakukana na kusema, ‘Bwana ni nani?’ Au nisije nikawa maskini nikaiba, nami nikaliaibisha jina la Mungu wangu.
lest I be full and deny [thee], and say, Who is Jehovah? or lest I be poor and steal, and outrage the name of my God.
10 “Usimchongee mtumishi kwa bwana wake, asije akakulaani, ukapatilizwa kwalo.
Speak not too much about a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.
11 “Wako watu wale ambao huwalaani baba zao na wala hawawabariki mama zao;
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother;
12 wale ambao ni safi machoni pao wenyewe kumbe hawakuoshwa uchafu wao;
there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness;
13 wale ambao daima macho yao ni ya kiburi, ambao kutazama kwao ni kwa dharau;
there is a generation, — how lofty are their eyes, how their eyelids 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.
— a generation whose teeth are swords, and their jaw-teeth knives, to devour the afflicted from off the earth, and the needy from [among] men.
15 “Mruba anao binti wawili waliao, ‘Nipe! Nipe!’ “Kuna vitu vitatu visivyotosheka kamwe, naam, viko vinne visivyosema, ‘Yatosha!’:
The leech hath two daughters: Give, give. There are three [things] never satisfied; four which say not, It is enough:
16 Ni kaburi, tumbo lisilozaa, nchi isiyoshiba maji kamwe, na moto, usiosema kamwe, ‘Yatosha!’ (Sheol h7585)
— Sheol, and the barren womb; the earth which is not filled with water, and the fire which saith not, It is enough. (Sheol h7585)
17 “Jicho lile limdhihakilo baba, lile linalodharau kumtii mama, litangʼolewa na kunguru wa bondeni, litaliwa na tai.
The eye that mocketh at a father, and despiseth to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 “Kuna vitu vitatu vinavyonishangaza sana, naam, vinne nisivyovielewa:
There are three [things] too wonderful for me, and four that I know not:
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 heavens, the way of a serpent upon a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a maid.
20 “Huu ndio mwendo wa mwanamke mzinzi, hula akapangusa kinywa chake na kusema, ‘Sikufanya chochote kibaya.’
Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21 “Kwa mambo matatu nchi hutetemeka, naam, kwa mambo manne haiwezi kuvumilia:
Under three [things] the earth is disquieted, and under four it cannot bear up:
22 Mtumwa awapo mfalme, mpumbavu ashibapo chakula,
Under a servant when he reigneth, and a churl when he is filled with meat;
23 mwanamke asiyependwa aolewapo, naye mtumishi wa kike achukuapo nafasi ya bibi yake.
under an odious [woman] when she is married, and a handmaid when she is heir to her mistress.
24 “Vitu vinne duniani vilivyo vidogo, lakini vina akili nyingi sana:
There are four [things] little upon the earth, and they are exceeding wise:
25 Mchwa ni viumbe wenye nguvu ndogo, hata hivyo hujiwekea akiba ya chakula chao wakati wa kiangazi.
The ants, a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
26 Pelele ni viumbe vyenye uwezo mdogo hata hivyo hujitengenezea nyumba zao kwenye miamba.
the rock-badgers are but a feeble folk, yet they make their house in the cliff;
27 Nzige hawana mfalme, hata hivyo huenda pamoja vikosi vikosi.
the locusts have no king, yet they go forth all of them by bands;
28 Mjusi anaweza kushikwa kwa mkono, hata hivyo huonekana katika majumba ya kifalme.
thou takest hold of the lizard with the hands, yet is she in kings' palaces.
29 “Viko vitu vitatu ambavyo vinapendeza katika mwendo wao, naam, vinne ambavyo hutembea kwa mwendo wa madaha:
There are three [things] which have a stately step, and four are comely in going:
30 simba, mwenye nguvu miongoni mwa wanyama, asiyerudi nyuma kwa chochote;
The lion, mighty among beasts, which turneth not away for any;
31 jogoo atembeaye kwa maringo, pia beberu, naye mfalme pamoja na jeshi lake lililomzunguka.
a [horse] girt in the loins; or the he-goat; and a king, against whom none can rise up.
32 “Ikiwa umefanya upumbavu na ukajitukuza mwenyewe, au kama umepanga mabaya, basi funika mdomo wako na mkono wako.
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] the hand upon thy mouth.
33 Kwa maana kama vile kusukasuka maziwa hutoa siagi, na pia kule kufinya pua hutoa damu, kadhalika kuchochea hasira hutokeza ugomvi.”
For the pressing of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood; and the pressing of anger bringeth forth strife.
