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, [even] the prophecy: the man spoke to Ithiel, even to Ithiel and Ucal,
2 “Mimi ni mjinga kuliko wanadamu wote; sina ufahamu wa kibinadamu.
Surely I [am] more brutish than [any] man, and have not the understanding of a man.
3 Sijajifunza hekima, wala sina maarifa ya kumjua yeye Aliye Mtakatifu.
I neither learned wisdom, nor have 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 into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what [is] his name, and what [is] his son's name, if thou canst tell?
5 “Kila neno la Mungu ni kamilifu; yeye ni ngao kwa wale wanaomkimbilia.
Every word of God [is] pure: he [is] a shield to them that put their trust in him.
6 Usiongeze kwenye maneno yake, ama atakukemea na kukuthibitisha kuwa mwongo.
Add thou not to his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 “Ninakuomba vitu viwili, Ee Bwana; usininyime kabla sijafa:
Two [things] have I required of thee; deny [them] not to me 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 food convenient for 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 [thee], and say, Who [is] the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God [in vain].
10 “Usimchongee mtumishi kwa bwana wake, asije akakulaani, ukapatilizwa kwalo.
Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found 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, and [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, O how lofty are their eyes! and 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.
[There is] a generation, whose teeth [are as] swords, and their jaw-teeth [as] knives, to devour the poor 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 horse-leech hath two daughters, [crying], Give, give. There are three [things that] are never satisfied, [yes], four [things] say not, [It is] enough:
16 Ni kaburi, tumbo lisilozaa, nchi isiyoshiba maji kamwe, na moto, usiosema kamwe, ‘Yatosha!’ (Sheol h7585)
The grave; and the barren womb; the earth [that] is not filled with water; and the fire [that] 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 [its] father, and despiseth to obey [its] 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 which] are too wonderful for me, yes, four which 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 air; 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:
For three [things] the earth is disquieted, and for four [which] it cannot bear:
22 Mtumwa awapo mfalme, mpumbavu ashibapo chakula,
For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with food.
23 mwanamke asiyependwa aolewapo, naye mtumishi wa kike achukuapo nafasi ya bibi yake.
For an odious [woman] when she is married; and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24 “Vitu vinne duniani vilivyo vidogo, lakini vina akili nyingi sana:
There are four [things which are] little upon 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, yet they prepare their food in the summer;
26 Pelele ni viumbe vyenye uwezo mdogo hata hivyo hujitengenezea nyumba zao kwenye miamba.
The conies [are but] a feeble people, yet they make their houses in the rocks;
27 Nzige hawana mfalme, hata hivyo huenda pamoja vikosi vikosi.
The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28 Mjusi anaweza kushikwa kwa mkono, hata hivyo huonekana katika majumba ya kifalme.
The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in king's palaces.
29 “Viko vitu vitatu ambavyo vinapendeza katika mwendo wao, naam, vinne ambavyo hutembea kwa mwendo wa madaha:
There are three [things] which go well, yes, four are comely in going:
30 simba, mwenye nguvu miongoni mwa wanyama, asiyerudi nyuma kwa chochote;
A lion, [which is] strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31 jogoo atembeaye kwa maringo, pia beberu, naye mfalme pamoja na jeshi lake lililomzunguka.
A greyhound; a he-goat also; and a king, against whom [there is] no rising 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] thy 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.”
Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
