Mithali 5
1 Mwanangu, sikiliza kwa makini hekima yangu, sikiliza vizuri maneno yangu ya busara,
My son, attend to my wisdom. Incline thine ear to my understanding,
2 ili uweze kutunza busara na midomo yako ihifadhi maarifa.
that thou may preserve discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
3 Kwa maana midomo ya mwanamke kahaba hudondoza asali, na maneno ya kinywa chake ni laini kuliko mafuta;
For the lips of an interloping woman drop honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil.
4 lakini mwisho wake ni mchungu kama nyongo, mkali kama upanga ukatao kuwili.
But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.
5 Miguu yake hushuka kuelekea kwenye kifo; hatua zake huelekea moja kwa moja kaburini. (Sheol h7585)
Her feet go down to death. Her steps take hold on Sheol, (Sheol h7585)
6 Yeye hafikiri juu ya njia ya uzima; njia zake zimepotoka, lakini yeye hajui.
so that she does not find the level path of life. Her ways are unstable, and she does not know.
7 Sasa basi wanangu, nisikilizeni; msiache ninalowaambia.
Now therefore, ye sons, hearken to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth.
8 Njia zenu ziwe mbali naye, msiende karibu na mlango wa nyumba yake,
Remove thy way far from her, and do not come near the door of her house,
9 usije ukatoa nguvu zako nzuri kwa wengine na miaka yako kwa aliye mkatili,
lest thou give thine honor to others, and thy years to the cruel,
10 wageni wasije wakasherehekea utajiri wako na jitihada yako ikatajirisha nyumba ya mwanaume mwingine.
lest strangers be filled with thy strength, and thy labors be in the house of an alien,
11 Mwishoni mwa maisha yako utalia kwa uchungu, wakati nyama na mwili wako vimechakaa.
and thou mourn at thy latter end when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
12 Utasema, “Tazama jinsi gani nilivyochukia adhabu! Tazama jinsi moyo wangu ulivyodharau maonyo!
and say, How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof.
13 Sikuwatii walimu wangu wala kuwasikiliza wakufunzi wangu.
Neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me!
14 Nimefika ukingoni mwa maangamizi kabisa katikati ya kusanyiko lote.”
I was almost in all evil in the midst of the assembly and congregation.
15 Kunywa maji kutoka kwenye kisima chako mwenyewe, maji yanayotiririka kutoka kwenye kisima chako mwenyewe.
Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
16 Je, chemchemi zako zifurike katika barabara za mji na vijito vyako vya maji viwanjani?
Should thy springs be dispersed abroad, and streams of water in the streets?
17 Na viwe vyako mwenyewe, kamwe visishirikishwe wageni.
Let them be for thyself alone, and not for strangers with thee.
18 Chemchemi yako na ibarikiwe na umfurahie mke wa ujana wako.
Let thy fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of thy youth:
19 Kulungu jike apendaye, kulungu mzuri: matiti yake na yakutosheleze siku zote, nawe utekwe daima na upendo wake.
a loving hind and a pleasant doe. Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times, and be thou ravished always with her love.
20 Kwa nini mwanangu, utekwe na mwanamke kahaba? Kwa nini ukumbatie kifua cha mke wa mwanaume mwingine?
For why should thou, my son, be ravished with an interloping woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
21 Kwa maana njia za mtu ni wazi kabisa mbele za Bwana, naye huyapima mapito yake yote.
For the ways of man are before the eyes of Jehovah, and he makes level all his paths.
22 Matendo mabaya ya mtu mwovu humnasa yeye mwenyewe; kamba za dhambi yake humkamata kwa nguvu.
His own iniquities shall take a wicked man, and he shall be held with the cords of his sin.
23 Atakufa kwa kukosa nidhamu, akipotoshwa kwa upumbavu wake mwenyewe.
He shall die for lack of instruction. And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
