Mithali 1
1 Mithali za Solomoni mwana wa Daudi, mfalme wa Israeli:
The wise sayings of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel.
2 Kwa kupata hekima na nidhamu; kwa kufahamu maneno ya busara;
To have knowledge of wise teaching; to be clear about the words of reason:
3 kwa kujipatia nidhamu na busara, kufanya lililo sawa, haki na bila kupendelea;
To be trained in the ways of wisdom, in righteousness and judging truly and straight behaviour:
4 huwapa busara wajinga, maarifa na akili kwa vijana;
To make the simple-minded sharp, and to give the young man knowledge, and serious purpose:
5 wenye hekima na wasikilize nao waongeze elimu yao, wenye kupambanua na wapate mwongozo;
(The wise man, hearing, will get greater learning, and the acts of the man of good sense will be wisely guided: )
6 kwa kufahamu mithali na mifano, misemo na vitendawili vya wenye hekima.
To get the sense of wise sayings and secrets, and of the words of the wise and their dark sayings.
7 Kumcha Bwana ndicho chanzo cha maarifa, lakini wapumbavu hudharau hekima na adabu.
The fear of the Lord is the start of knowledge: but the foolish have no use for wisdom and teaching.
8 Mwanangu, sikiliza mwongozo wa baba yako, wala usiyaache mafundisho ya mama yako.
My son, give ear to the training of your father, and do not give up the teaching of your mother:
9 Hayo yatakuwa taji la maua la neema kichwani pako, na mkufu wa kuipamba shingo yako.
For they will be a crown of grace for your head, and chain-ornaments about your neck.
10 Mwanangu, kama wenye dhambi wakikushawishi, usikubaliane nao.
My son, if sinners would take you out of the right way, do not go with them.
11 Kama wakisema, “Twende tufuatane; tukamvizie mtu na kumwaga damu, njoo tukavizie nafsi isiyo na hatia;
If they say, Come with us; let us make designs against the good, waiting secretly for the upright, without cause;
Let us overcome them living, like the underworld, and in their strength, as those who go down to death; (Sheol h7585)
13 Tutapata aina zote za vitu vya thamani na kujaza nyumba zetu kwa nyara.
Goods of great price will be ours, our houses will be full of wealth;
14 Njoo ushirikiane nasi, vitu vyote tutakavyopata tutagawana.”
Take your chance with us, and we will all have one money-bag:
15 Mwanangu, usiandamane nao. Usiweke mguu wako katika njia zao,
My son, do not go with them; keep your feet from their ways:
16 kwa kuwa miguu yao hukimbilia kwenye dhambi, ni wepesi kumwaga damu.
For their feet are running after evil, and they are quick to take a man's life.
17 Tazama ni jinsi gani ilivyo kazi bure kutandaza wavu wakati ndege wote wanakuona!
Truly, to no purpose is the net stretched out before the eyes of the bird:
18 Watu hawa huvizia kumwaga damu yao wenyewe; hujivizia tu wenyewe!
And they are secretly waiting for their blood and making ready destruction for themselves.
19 Huu ndio mwisho wa wote ambao wanajipatia mali kwa hila; huuondoa uhai wa wale wenye mali.
Such is the fate of everyone who goes in search of profit; it takes away the life of its owners.
20 Hekima huita kwa sauti kuu barabarani, hupaza sauti yake kwenye viwanja vikubwa;
Wisdom is crying out in the street; her voice is loud in the open places;
21 kwenye makutano ya barabara za mji zenye makelele mengi hupaza sauti, kwenye malango ya mji hutoa hotuba yake:
Her words are sounding in the meeting-places, and in the doorways of the town:
22 “Enyi wajinga, mtangʼangʼania ujinga wenu hadi lini? Mpaka lini wenye mizaha watafurahia mizaha, na wapumbavu kuchukia maarifa?
How long, you simple ones, will foolish things be dear to you? and pride a delight to the haters of authority? how long will the foolish go on hating knowledge?
23 Kama mngekuwa mmeitikia karipio langu, ningekuwa nimemimina roho yangu kwenu na kuwafahamisha maneno yangu.
Be turned again by my sharp words: see, I will send the flow of my spirit on you, and make my words clear to you.
24 Lakini kwa kuwa mlinikataa nilipowaita na hakuna yeyote aliyekubali niliponyoosha mkono wangu,
Because your ears were shut to my voice; no one gave attention to my out-stretched hand;
25 kwa kuwa mliyapuuza mashauri yangu yote na hamkukubali karipio langu,
You were not controlled by my guiding, and would have nothing to do with my sharp words:
26 mimi nami nitawacheka katika maafa yenu, nitawadhihaki wakati janga litawapata:
So in the day of your trouble I will be laughing; I will make sport of your fear;
27 wakati janga litawapata kama tufani, wakati maafa yatawazoa kama upepo wa kisulisuli, wakati dhiki na taabu zitawalemea.
When your fear comes on you like a storm, and your trouble like a rushing wind; when pain and sorrow come on you.
28 “Ndipo watakaponiita lakini sitawajibu; watanitafuta lakini hawatanipata.
Then I will give no answer to their cries; searching for me early, they will not see me:
29 Kwa kuwa walichukia maarifa, wala hawakuchagua kumcha Bwana,
For they were haters of knowledge, and did not give their hearts to the fear of the Lord:
30 kwa kuwa hawakukubali mashauri yangu, na kukataa maonyo yangu,
They had no desire for my teaching, and my words of protest were as nothing to them.
31 watakula matunda ya njia zao, na watashibishwa matunda ya hila zao.
So the fruit of their way will be their food, and with the designs of their hearts they will be made full.
32 Kwa kuwa ukaidi wa wajinga utawaua, nako kuridhika kwa wajinga kutawaangamiza.
For the turning back of the simple from teaching will be the cause of their death, and the peace of the foolish will be their destruction.
33 Lakini yeyote anisikilizaye ataishi kwa usalama, atatulia, bila kuwa na hofu ya madhara.”
But whoever gives ear to me will take his rest safely, living in peace without fear of evil.
