< Mithali 30 >
1 Misemo ya Aguri mwana wa Yake, usia: Huyu mtu alimwambia Ithieli, naam, kwa Ithieli na kwa Ukali:
The words of Agur, son of Jakeh, [even] the oracle, —The utterance of the man, for Ithiel, for Ithiel and Ucal.
2 “Mimi ni mjinga kuliko wanadamu wote; sina ufahamu wa kibinadamu.
Surely, more brutish, am, I, than any man, nor doth, the understanding of a son of earth, pertain to me;
3 Sijajifunza hekima, wala sina maarifa ya kumjua yeye Aliye Mtakatifu.
Neither have I learned wisdom, nor, the knowledge of the Holy Ones, can I acquire.
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 the heavens and then descended? Who hath gathered the wind into his two hands? Who hath wrapped up the waters in a mantle? Who hath set up all the ends of the earth? What is his name and what the name of his son, when thou knowest?
5 “Kila neno la Mungu ni kamilifu; yeye ni ngao kwa wale wanaomkimbilia.
Every saying of God is refined, A shield, is, he, to them who seek refuge in him.
6 Usiongeze kwenye maneno yake, ama atakukemea na kukuthibitisha kuwa mwongo.
Do not add unto his words, lest he convict thee, and thou be found false.
7 “Ninakuomba vitu viwili, Ee Bwana; usininyime kabla sijafa:
Two things, have I asked of thee, withhold them not from me, ere yet I die:
8 Uutenge mbali nami udanganyifu na uongo; usinipe umaskini wala utajiri, bali unipe chakula cha kunitosha kila siku.
Vanity and falsehood, remove far from me, Neither poverty nor riches, give me, Feed me with the food appointed me:
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, and say—Who is Yahweh? or lest I be impoverished and steal, and do violence to the Name of my God.
10 “Usimchongee mtumishi kwa bwana wake, asije akakulaani, ukapatilizwa kwalo.
Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he revile thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 “Wako watu wale ambao huwalaani baba zao na wala hawawabariki mama zao;
A generation! Its father, it revileth, and, its mother, it doth not bless.
12 wale ambao ni safi machoni pao wenyewe kumbe hawakuoshwa uchafu wao;
A generation! Pure in its own eyes, yet, from its filth, hath it not been bathed,
13 wale ambao daima macho yao ni ya kiburi, ambao kutazama kwao ni kwa dharau;
A generation! How lofty are its eyes, and its eyelashes uplifted.
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! Swords, are its teeth, and, knives, its incisors, —to devour the humbled out of 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 vampire, hath two daughters, Give! Give! Three, there are will not be satisfied, four, have not said, Enough!
16 Ni kaburi, tumbo lisilozaa, nchi isiyoshiba maji kamwe, na moto, usiosema kamwe, ‘Yatosha!’ (Sheol )
Hades, and barrenness, —A land not satisfied with water, and fire, that saith not, Enough! (Sheol )
17 “Jicho lile limdhihakilo baba, lile linalodharau kumtii mama, litangʼolewa na kunguru wa bondeni, litaliwa na tai.
The eye that mocketh a father, and despiseth to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young of the eagle shall eat it.
18 “Kuna vitu vitatu vinavyonishangaza sana, naam, vinne nisivyovielewa:
Three, things there are, too difficult for me, yea, four, which I do not understand:
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 on the rock, —the way of a ship in the heart 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.’
So, is the way of a woman committing adultery, —she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no iniquity!
21 “Kwa mambo matatu nchi hutetemeka, naam, kwa mambo manne haiwezi kuvumilia:
Under three things, a land is stirred, yea, under four, she cannot bear up:
22 Mtumwa awapo mfalme, mpumbavu ashibapo chakula,
Under a servant, when he reigneth, and a base man, when he is surfeited with food;
23 mwanamke asiyependwa aolewapo, naye mtumishi wa kike achukuapo nafasi ya bibi yake.
Under a hateful woman, when she is married, and a handmaid when she driveth out her mistress.
24 “Vitu vinne duniani vilivyo vidogo, lakini vina akili nyingi sana:
Four, things there are, the small of the earth, —yet, they, are wiser than the 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 prepare they, in summer, their food;
26 Pelele ni viumbe vyenye uwezo mdogo hata hivyo hujitengenezea nyumba zao kwenye miamba.
The conies, a people of, no power, yet set they, among the crags, their house;
27 Nzige hawana mfalme, hata hivyo huenda pamoja vikosi vikosi.
King, is there none, to, the locusts, —yet go forth in swarms, do they all;
28 Mjusi anaweza kushikwa kwa mkono, hata hivyo huonekana katika majumba ya kifalme.
The lizard, with hands, reneweth its hold, —yet, the same, is in the palaces of the king.
29 “Viko vitu vitatu ambavyo vinapendeza katika mwendo wao, naam, vinne ambavyo hutembea kwa mwendo wa madaha:
Three, things there are which step along well, ye, four, which excel in going:
30 simba, mwenye nguvu miongoni mwa wanyama, asiyerudi nyuma kwa chochote;
The lion, hero among beasts, which turneth aside from the face of no one;
31 jogoo atembeaye kwa maringo, pia beberu, naye mfalme pamoja na jeshi lake lililomzunguka.
The greyhound, or the he-goat, —and a king, having a band of soldiers with him.
32 “Ikiwa umefanya upumbavu na ukajitukuza mwenyewe, au kama umepanga mabaya, basi funika mdomo wako na mkono wako.
If thou hast acted basely by lifting thyself up, —if thou hast plotted evil, [put thy] hand to [thy] mouth!
33 Kwa maana kama vile kusukasuka maziwa hutoa siagi, na pia kule kufinya pua hutoa damu, kadhalika kuchochea hasira hutokeza ugomvi.”
Surely, the pressing of milk, bringeth forth curd, and, the pressing of the nose, bringeth forth blood, and, the pressing of wrath, bringeth forth strife.