Mithali 1
1 Mithali za Sulemani mwana wa Daudi, mfalme wa Israeli.
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, the king of Israel:
2 Mithali hizi zinafundisha hekima na maarifa, kufundisha maneno ya busara,
To know wisdom and instruction; to comprehend the sayings of understanding;
3 ili mpate maarifa kwa ajili ya kuishi kwa kutenda wema, haki na adili.
To accept the instruction of intelligence, righteousness, and justice, and equity;
4 Mithali hizi zinatoa hekima kwa wale ambao hawakufunzwa, na kuwapa vijana maarifa na hadhari.
To give to the simple prudence, to the youth knowledge and discretion.
5 Watu wenye busara wasikie na kuongeza elimu yao na watu wenye ufahamu wapate mwongozo,
The wise will hear, and will increase [his] information; and the man of understanding will obtain wise counsels:
6 kwa kuelewa mithali, misemo, vitendawili na maneno ya wenye busara.
To understand a proverb, and a sage sentence; the words of the wise, and their riddles.
7 Hofu ya Yehova ni chanzo cha maarifa- wapumbavu hudharau hekima na nidhamu.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: wisdom and instruction fools [alone] despise.
8 Mwanangu, sikia fundisho la baba yako na wala usiziache kanuni za mama yako;
Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, and cast not off the teaching of thy mother;
9 zitakuwa kilemba cha neema katika kichwa chako na jebu zinazoning'inia kwenye shingo yako.
For a wreath of grace are they unto thy head, and chains for thy throat.
10 Mwanangu wenye dhambi wakikushawishi katika dhambi zao, kataa kuwafuata.
My son, if sinners wish to entice thee, consent thou not.
11 Kama watasema, “haya tufuatae, tuvizie ili kufanya mauaji, tujifiche ili tuwashambulie watu wasio na hatia, pasipo sababu.
If they should say, Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us watch in concealment for the uselessly innocent;
12 Haya tuwameza wakiwa hai, kama kuzimu inavyowachukua wenye afya, na kuwa kama wale waangukao kwenye shimoni. (Sheol h7585)
We will swallow them up like the grave alive; and the men of integrity, as those that go down into the pit; (Sheol h7585)
13 Tutapata vitu vyote vya thamani; tutazijaza nyumba zetu vile tunavyoiba kwa wengine.
We shall find all [kinds of] precious wealth, we will fill our houses with booty;
14 Weka vitu vyako kwetu; tutakuwa na mfuko moja kwa pamoja.”
Thy lot must thou cast in our midst; one purse shall be for us all:
15 Mwanangu, usitembee katika njia moja pamoja nao; usiruhusu mguu wako kugusa katika mapito yao;
My son, walk not thou on the way with them; withhold thy foot from their path;
16 miguu ya hukimbilia mabaya na huharakisha kumwaga damu.
For their feet run after evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
17 Kwa kuwa haina maana kumtegea ndege mtego wakati ndege anaona.
For uselessly is the net spread out before the eyes of every winged bird:
18 Watu hawa huvizia kujiua wenyewe—wanatega mtego kwa ajili yao wenyewe.
While they lie in wait for their [own] blood; they watch in concealment for their [own] lives.
19 Ndivyo zilivyo njia za kila ambaye hupata utajiri kwa udhalimu; mapato ya udhalimu huondoa uhai wa wenye utajiri.
So are the paths of every one that is greedy after [unlawful] gain; it taketh away the life of those that own it.
20 Hekima inalia kwa sauti mtaani, inapaza sauti katika viwanja;
Wisdom crieth loudly without; in the public places she uttereth her voice;
21 katika mitaa inalia kwa sauti kuu, kwenye maingilio ya milango ya mji inasema “
At the corner of noisy streets she calleth, at the entrances of gates; in the city she sayeth her speeches:
22 Mpaka lini enyi wajinga mtapenda kuwa wajinga? Mpaka lini enyi wenye dhihaka mtapenda dhihaka, na hadi lini enyi wapumbavu, mtachukia maarifa?
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners take their delight in scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
23 Zingatia karipio langu; nitatoa mawazo yangu kwa ajili yenu; nitawafahamisha maneno yangu.
Turn back to my admonition: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
24 Nimeita, nanyi mkakataa kusikiliza; nimeunyosha mkono wangu, wala hakuna aliyezingatia.
Whereas I called, and ye refused; I stretched out my hand, and no man was attentive;
25 Lakini mumedharau mafundisho yangu yote na wala hamkuzingatia maelekezo yangu.
And ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would not accept my admonition:
26 Nitacheka katika taabu yenu, nitawadhihaki wakati wa kupatwa taabu-
[Therefore] I also will truly laugh at your calamity; I will deride [you] when your terror cometh;
27 hofu ya kutisha itawapata kama tufani na maafa yatawakumba kama upepo wa kisulisuli, taabu na uchungu vitawapata.
When your terror cometh like the tempest-cloud, and your calamity hasteneth like a whirlwind; when there come upon you distress and affliction.
28 Halafu wataniita, nami sitawajibu; wataniita katika hali ya kukata tamaa lakini hawataniona.
Then will they call me, but I will not answer; they will seek me earnestly, but they shall not find me;
29 Kwa sababu wamechukia maarifa na hawakuchagua kuwa na hofu ya Yehova,
For the reason that they hated knowledge, and the fear of the Lord they did not choose;
30 hawakufuata mafundisho yangu na wakayadharau masahihisho yangu yote.
[That] they would not attend to my counsel: [that] they rejected all my admonition.
31 Watakula matunda ya njia zao, na watashibishwa kwa matunda ya hila zao wenyewe.
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and from their own counsels shall they be satisfied.
32 kwa maana wajinga hufa wanaporudi nyuma, na kutojali kwa wapumbavu kutawaangamiza.
For the defection of the simple will slay them, and the prosperity of fools will cause them to be lost.
33 Bali kila anisikilizaye ataishi kwa usalama na atapumzika salama pasipo hofu ya maafa.
But he that hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be at rest from the dread of evil.
