Mithali 1
1 Mithali za Solomoni mwana wa Daudi, mfalme wa Israeli:
Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
2 Kwa kupata hekima na nidhamu; kwa kufahamu maneno ya busara;
For knowing wisdom and instruction, For understanding sayings of intelligence,
3 kwa kujipatia nidhamu na busara, kufanya lililo sawa, haki na bila kupendelea;
For receiving the instruction of wisdom, Righteousness, judgment, and uprightness,
4 huwapa busara wajinga, maarifa na akili kwa vijana;
For giving to simple ones—prudence, To a youth—knowledge and discretion.
5 wenye hekima na wasikilize nao waongeze elimu yao, wenye kupambanua na wapate mwongozo;
(The wise hear and increase learning, And the intelligent obtain counsels.)
6 kwa kufahamu mithali na mifano, misemo na vitendawili vya wenye hekima.
For understanding a proverb and its sweetness, Words of the wise and their acute sayings.
7 Kumcha Bwana ndicho chanzo cha maarifa, lakini wapumbavu hudharau hekima na adabu.
Fear of YHWH [is the] beginning of knowledge, Fools have despised wisdom and instruction!
8 Mwanangu, sikiliza mwongozo wa baba yako, wala usiyaache mafundisho ya mama yako.
Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, And do not leave the law of your mother,
9 Hayo yatakuwa taji la maua la neema kichwani pako, na mkufu wa kuipamba shingo yako.
For they [are] a graceful wreath to your head, And chains to your neck.
10 Mwanangu, kama wenye dhambi wakikushawishi, usikubaliane nao.
My son, if sinners entice you, do not be willing.
11 Kama wakisema, “Twende tufuatane; tukamvizie mtu na kumwaga damu, njoo tukavizie nafsi isiyo na hatia;
If they say, “Come with us, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,
We swallow them as Sheol—alive, And whole—as those going down [to] the pit, (Sheol h7585)
13 Tutapata aina zote za vitu vya thamani na kujaza nyumba zetu kwa nyara.
We find every precious substance, We fill our houses [with] spoil,
14 Njoo ushirikiane nasi, vitu vyote tutakavyopata tutagawana.”
You cast your lot among us, One purse is—to all of us.”
15 Mwanangu, usiandamane nao. Usiweke mguu wako katika njia zao,
My son! Do not go in the way with them, Withhold your foot from their path,
16 kwa kuwa miguu yao hukimbilia kwenye dhambi, ni wepesi kumwaga damu.
For their feet run to evil, And they hurry to shed blood.
17 Tazama ni jinsi gani ilivyo kazi bure kutandaza wavu wakati ndege wote wanakuona!
Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.
18 Watu hawa huvizia kumwaga damu yao wenyewe; hujivizia tu wenyewe!
And they lay wait for their own blood, They watch secretly for their own lives.
19 Huu ndio mwisho wa wote ambao wanajipatia mali kwa hila; huuondoa uhai wa wale wenye mali.
So [are] the paths of every gainer of dishonest gain, It takes the life of its owners.
20 Hekima huita kwa sauti kuu barabarani, hupaza sauti yake kwenye viwanja vikubwa;
Wisdom cries aloud in an out-place, She gives forth her voice in broad places,
21 kwenye makutano ya barabara za mji zenye makelele mengi hupaza sauti, kwenye malango ya mji hutoa hotuba yake:
She calls at the head of the multitudes, In the openings of the gates, In the city she says her sayings:
22 “Enyi wajinga, mtangʼangʼania ujinga wenu hadi lini? Mpaka lini wenye mizaha watafurahia mizaha, na wapumbavu kuchukia maarifa?
“Until when, you simple, do you love simplicity? And have scorners desired their scorning? And do fools hate knowledge?
23 Kama mngekuwa mmeitikia karipio langu, ningekuwa nimemimina roho yangu kwenu na kuwafahamisha maneno yangu.
Turn back at my reproof, behold, I pour forth my spirit to you, I make known my words with you.
24 Lakini kwa kuwa mlinikataa nilipowaita na hakuna yeyote aliyekubali niliponyoosha mkono wangu,
Because I have called, and you refuse, I stretched out my hand, and none is attending,
25 kwa kuwa mliyapuuza mashauri yangu yote na hamkukubali karipio langu,
And you slight all my counsel, And you have not desired my reproof.
26 mimi nami nitawacheka katika maafa yenu, nitawadhihaki wakati janga litawapata:
I also laugh in your calamity, I deride when your fear comes,
27 wakati janga litawapata kama tufani, wakati maafa yatawazoa kama upepo wa kisulisuli, wakati dhiki na taabu zitawalemea.
When your fear comes as destruction, And your calamity comes as a windstorm, When adversity and distress come on you.
28 “Ndipo watakaponiita lakini sitawajibu; watanitafuta lakini hawatanipata.
Then they call me, and I do not answer, They seek me earnestly, and do not find me.
29 Kwa kuwa walichukia maarifa, wala hawakuchagua kumcha Bwana,
Because that they have hated knowledge, And have not chosen the fear of YHWH.
30 kwa kuwa hawakukubali mashauri yangu, na kukataa maonyo yangu,
They have not consented to my counsel, They have despised all my reproof,
31 watakula matunda ya njia zao, na watashibishwa matunda ya hila zao.
And they eat of the fruit of their way, And they are filled from their own counsels.
32 Kwa kuwa ukaidi wa wajinga utawaua, nako kuridhika kwa wajinga kutawaangamiza.
For the turning of the simple slays them, And the security of the foolish destroys them.
33 Lakini yeyote anisikilizaye ataishi kwa usalama, atatulia, bila kuwa na hofu ya madhara.”
And whoever is listening to me dwells confidently, And [is] quiet from fear of evil!”
