Mithali 1
1 Mithali za Solomoni mwana wa Daudi, mfalme wa Israeli:
These are the (proverbs/wise sayings) that come from Solomon, the King of Israel, who was the son of [King] David.
2 Kwa kupata hekima na nidhamu; kwa kufahamu maneno ya busara;
(These proverbs [PRS] can teach people/By studying these proverbs, people can learn) how to be wise and how to obey what these proverbs teach them. They will [also] help people to understand which teachings are wise.
3 kwa kujipatia nidhamu na busara, kufanya lililo sawa, haki na bila kupendelea;
These proverbs [PRS] will teach you how to discipline/control yourselves, how to conduct your lives, and how to do what is right and just [DOU].
4 huwapa busara wajinga, maarifa na akili kwa vijana;
They will show [people] who do not [yet] know much how to do things that are smart. They will show young people how to become wise and how to make good plans/decisions.
5 wenye hekima na wasikilize nao waongeze elimu yao, wenye kupambanua na wapate mwongozo;
Those who are wise should also pay attention [to these proverbs], in order to become more wise, and those who understand [these teachings] will receive good advice/guidance.
6 kwa kufahamu mithali na mifano, misemo na vitendawili vya wenye hekima.
Then they will be able to understand the meaning of proverbs and parables/metaphors, these wise sayings and (riddles/sayings that are difficult to understand).
7 Kumcha Bwana ndicho chanzo cha maarifa, lakini wapumbavu hudharau hekima na adabu.
If [you want to be] wise, you must begin by revering Yahweh. [Only] foolish people despise wisdom and good advice/discipline.
8 Mwanangu, sikiliza mwongozo wa baba yako, wala usiyaache mafundisho ya mama yako.
My son, pay attention to what [I], your father, am teaching you. And do not reject what your mother teaches you.
9 Hayo yatakuwa taji la maua la neema kichwani pako, na mkufu wa kuipamba shingo yako.
What we teach you [will make you respected like having] a lovely turban around your head and [like] a [beautiful] necklace to put around your neck.
10 Mwanangu, kama wenye dhambi wakikushawishi, usikubaliane nao.
My son, if sinners tempt/entice you [to do what is wrong], say “No” to them.
11 Kama wakisema, “Twende tufuatane; tukamvizie mtu na kumwaga damu, njoo tukavizie nafsi isiyo na hatia;
They may say, “Come with us! Join us! We will hide and then kill [MTY] someone [who passes by]. We will ambush some helpless/innocent people.
We will kill them [HYP] and get rid of them completely, [just] like [people who are buried in] graves are gone forever. While they are in good health, we will send them to the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
13 Tutapata aina zote za vitu vya thamani na kujaza nyumba zetu kwa nyara.
And we will seize all the things that they own. We will fill our houses with these things!
14 Njoo ushirikiane nasi, vitu vyote tutakavyopata tutagawana.”
[So], come with us! Join our group! We will share with you the things that we steal.”
15 Mwanangu, usiandamane nao. Usiweke mguu wako katika njia zao,
My son, do not accompany them! Do not walk on the roads with them!
16 kwa kuwa miguu yao hukimbilia kwenye dhambi, ni wepesi kumwaga damu.
They rush to do evil deeds! They hurry to murder [MTY] people.
17 Tazama ni jinsi gani ilivyo kazi bure kutandaza wavu wakati ndege wote wanakuona!
It is useless to put out a (trap/net to catch a bird) because when a bird sees it, [it stays away from it].
18 Watu hawa huvizia kumwaga damu yao wenyewe; hujivizia tu wenyewe!
But those wicked people are not like the birds, [because they do not realize] that when they prepare to ambush someone to kill him, they will be killed themselves!
19 Huu ndio mwisho wa wote ambao wanajipatia mali kwa hila; huuondoa uhai wa wale wenye mali.
That is what happens to people who eagerly try to get things [by violently attacking others]. They will only destroy themselves!
20 Hekima huita kwa sauti kuu barabarani, hupaza sauti yake kwenye viwanja vikubwa;
Wisdom [PRS] shouts to people in the streets, and calls out to people in the (plazas/town squares).
21 kwenye makutano ya barabara za mji zenye makelele mengi hupaza sauti, kwenye malango ya mji hutoa hotuba yake:
Wisdom calls out in noisy places, and at the entrances to cities.
22 “Enyi wajinga, mtangʼangʼania ujinga wenu hadi lini? Mpaka lini wenye mizaha watafurahia mizaha, na wapumbavu kuchukia maarifa?
[Wisdom says], “How long will you stupid people continue to enjoy doing foolish things [RHQ]? How long will you people who ridicule God enjoy doing that [RHQ]? How long will you foolish people refuse to know [what things are right] [RHQ]?
23 Kama mngekuwa mmeitikia karipio langu, ningekuwa nimemimina roho yangu kwenu na kuwafahamisha maneno yangu.
If you pay attention to me when I rebuke you, I will tell you what I am thinking in my inner being; I will give you some good advice.
24 Lakini kwa kuwa mlinikataa nilipowaita na hakuna yeyote aliyekubali niliponyoosha mkono wangu,
But when I called to you, you refused to listen. I beckoned to you to come to me, but you ignored me.
25 kwa kuwa mliyapuuza mashauri yangu yote na hamkukubali karipio langu,
I tried to advise you, but you refused to listen to me. I tried to correct you, but you rejected what I told you.
26 mimi nami nitawacheka katika maafa yenu, nitawadhihaki wakati janga litawapata:
So [now], when you are experiencing troubles/disasters, I will laugh at you. When things happen that cause you to be afraid, I will make fun of you.
27 wakati janga litawapata kama tufani, wakati maafa yatawazoa kama upepo wa kisulisuli, wakati dhiki na taabu zitawalemea.
When calamities strike you like a big storm, when disasters hit you like a violent wind, when [all kinds of things] distress you and give you trouble, [I will ridicule you!]
28 “Ndipo watakaponiita lakini sitawajibu; watanitafuta lakini hawatanipata.
[Wisdom also says], “When foolish people call to me [to help them], I will not answer them. They will search for me diligently/everywhere, but they will not find me.
29 Kwa kuwa walichukia maarifa, wala hawakuchagua kumcha Bwana,
They refused to know [what things are right], and they decided not to revere Yahweh.
30 kwa kuwa hawakukubali mashauri yangu, na kukataa maonyo yangu,
They would not accept my advice, and they did not pay attention when I tried to correct them.
31 watakula matunda ya njia zao, na watashibishwa matunda ya hila zao.
So they will endure what will result [MET, DOU] from the evil way they have lived/behaved and the evil things they have planned to do.
32 Kwa kuwa ukaidi wa wajinga utawaua, nako kuridhika kwa wajinga kutawaangamiza.
Those who turn away from me are stupid/foolish; they will die because of doing that.
33 Lakini yeyote anisikilizaye ataishi kwa usalama, atatulia, bila kuwa na hofu ya madhara.”
But those who pay attention to me will live peacefully and safely, and they will not be afraid that something will harm them.”
