Mithali 6
1 Mwanangu, kama umekuwa mdhamini wa jirani yako, ikiwa umeshika mikono kwa kuweka ahadi kwa ajili ya mwingine,
My son! If you have been guarantor for your friend, Have struck your hand for a stranger,
2 kama umetegwa na ulichosema, umenaswa kwa maneno ya kinywa chako,
Have been snared with sayings of your mouth, Have been captured with sayings of your mouth,
3 basi fanya hivi mwanangu, ili ujiweke huru, kwa kuwa umeanguka mikononi mwa jirani yako: Nenda ukajinyenyekeshe kwake; msihi jirani yako!
Do this now, my son, and be delivered, For you have come into the hand of your friend. Go, trample on yourself, and strengthen your friend,
4 Usiruhusu usingizi machoni pako, usiruhusu kope zako zisinzie.
Do not give sleep to your eyes, And slumber to your eyelids,
5 Jiweke huru, kama swala mkononi mwa mwindaji, kama ndege kutoka kwenye mtego wa mwindaji.
Be delivered as a roe from the hand, And as a bird from the hand of a fowler.
6 Ewe mvivu, mwendee mchwa; zitafakari njia zake ukapate hekima!
Go to the ant, O slothful one, See her ways and be wise;
7 Kwa maana yeye hana msimamizi, wala mwangalizi, au mtawala,
Which has no captain, overseer, and ruler,
8 lakini hujiwekea akiba wakati wa kiangazi na hukusanya chakula chake wakati wa mavuno.
She prepares her bread in summer, She has gathered her food in harvest.
9 Ewe mvivu, utalala hata lini? Utaamka lini kutoka usingizi wako?
Until when, O slothful one, do you lie? When do you arise from your sleep?
10 Bado kulala kidogo, kusinzia kidogo, bado kukunja mikono kidogo upate kupumzika:
A little sleep, a little slumber, A little clasping of the hands to rest,
11 hivyo umaskini utakuja juu yako kama mnyangʼanyi, na kupungukiwa kutakujia kama mtu mwenye silaha.
And your poverty has come as a traveler, And your want as an armed man.
12 Mtu mbaya sana na mlaghai, ambaye huzungukazunguka na maneno ya upotovu,
A man of worthlessness, a man of iniquity, Walking [with] perverseness of mouth,
13 ambaye anakonyeza kwa jicho lake, anayetoa ishara kwa miguu yake na kuashiria kwa vidole vyake,
Winking with his eyes, speaking with his feet, Directing with his fingers,
14 ambaye hupanga ubaya kwa udanganyifu moyoni mwake: daima huchochea fitina.
Contrariness [is] in his heart, devising evil at all times, He sends forth contentions.
15 Kwa hiyo maafa yatamkumba ghafula; ataangamizwa mara, pasipo msaada.
Therefore his calamity comes suddenly, He is broken instantly—and no healing.
16 Kuna vitu sita anavyovichukia Bwana, naam, viko saba vilivyo chukizo kwake:
These six has YHWH hated, Indeed, seven [are] abominations to His soul:
17 macho ya kiburi, ulimi udanganyao, mikono imwagayo damu isiyo na hatia,
High eyes, False tongues, And hands shedding innocent blood,
18 moyo uwazao mipango miovu, miguu iliyo myepesi kukimbilia uovu,
A heart devising thoughts of vanity, Feet hastening to run to evil,
19 shahidi wa uongo ambaye humwaga uongo, na mtu ambaye huchochea fitina kati ya ndugu.
A false witness [who] breathes out lies, And one sending forth contentions between brothers.
20 Mwanangu, zishike amri za baba yako, wala usiyaache mafundisho ya mama yako.
Keep, my son, the command of your father, And do not leave the law of your mother.
21 Yafunge katika moyo wako daima, yakaze kuizunguka shingo yako.
Bind them on your heart continually, Tie them on your neck.
22 Wakati utembeapo, yatakuongoza; wakati ulalapo, yatakulinda; wakati uamkapo, yatazungumza nawe.
In your going up and down, it leads you, In your lying down, it watches over you, And you have awoken—it talks [with] you.
23 Kwa maana amri hizi ni taa, mafundisho haya ni mwanga na maonyo ya maadili ni njia ya uzima,
For the command [is] a lamp, And the Law a light, And a way of life [are] reproofs of instruction,
24 yakikulinda na mwanamke aliyepotoka, kutokana na maneno laini ya mwanamke aliyepotoka.
To preserve you from an evil woman, From the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
25 Moyo wako usitamani uzuri wake wala macho yake yasikuteke,
Do not desire her beauty in your heart, And do not let her take you with her eyelids.
26 kwa maana kahaba atakufanya uwe maskini, hata ukose kipande cha mkate, naye mwanamke mzinzi huwinda maisha yako hasa.
For a harlot consumes to a cake of bread, And an adulteress hunts the precious soul.
27 Je, mtu aweza kuchotea moto kwenye paja lake bila nguo zake kuungua?
Does a man take fire into his bosom, And are his garments not burned?
28 Je, mtu aweza kutembea juu ya makaa ya moto yanayowaka bila miguu yake kuungua?
Does a man walk on the hot coals, And are his feet not scorched?
29 Ndivyo alivyo mtu alalaye na mke wa mwanaume mwingine; hakuna yeyote amgusaye huyo mwanamke ambaye hataadhibiwa.
So [is] he who has gone in to the wife of his neighbor, None who touches her is innocent.
30 Watu hawamdharau mwizi kama akiiba kukidhi njaa yake wakati ana njaa.
They do not despise the thief, When he steals to fill his soul when he is hungry,
31 Pamoja na hayo, kama akikamatwa, lazima alipe mara saba, ingawa inamgharimu utajiri wote wa nyumba yake.
And being found he repays sevenfold, He gives all the substance of his house.
32 Lakini mwanaume aziniye na mwanamke hana akili kabisa; yeyote afanyaye hivyo hujiangamiza mwenyewe.
He who commits adultery [with] a woman lacks heart, He who does it is destroying his soul.
33 Mapigo na aibu ni fungu lake na aibu yake haitafutika kamwe;
He finds a stroke and shame, And his reproach is not wiped away,
34 kwa maana wivu huamsha ghadhabu ya mume, naye hataonyesha huruma alipizapo kisasi.
For jealousy [is] the fury of a man, And he does not spare in a day of vengeance.
35 Hatakubali fidia yoyote; atakataa malipo, hata yakiwa makubwa kiasi gani.
He does not accept the appearance of any atonement, Indeed, he does not consent, Though you multiply bribes!
