Mithali 15
1 Jawabu la upole huondoa ghadhabu, bali neno la ukatili huchochea hasira.
When people are angry with you, reply to them gently, and it will calm them; but if you reply harshly to them, it causes them to become more angry.
2 Ulimi wa watu mwenye hekima husifu maarifa, bali kinywa cha wapumbavu humwaga upuuzi.
When wise [people] speak [MTY], it causes those who hear what they say to want to know more; foolish people continually say [MTY] what is foolish.
3 Macho ya Yehova yapo kila mahali, yakiwatazama juu ya waovu na wema.
Yahweh sees [MTY] [what is happening] everywhere; he observes what bad [people do] as well as what good [people do].
4 Ulimi unaoponya ni mti wa uzima, bali ulimi wa udanganyifu huvunja moyo.
Those who speak [MTY] kindly to people are [like] [MET] trees [whose fruit gives] life; speaking what is false causes people to (despair/feel very discouraged).
5 Mpumbavu hudharau marudi ya baba yake, bali yeye anayejifunza kutokana na masahihisho ni mwenye hekima.
Foolish children despise their parents when their parents correct/discipline them; wise children accept it.
6 Katika nyumba ya wale watendao haki kuna hazina kubwa, bali mapato ya watu waovu huwapa taabu.
There are many valuable things in the houses of righteous [people]; the wealth of wicked [people] causes them to have troubles/difficulties.
7 Midomo ya wenye hekima husambaza maarifa, bali mioyo ya wapumbavu haifanyi hivyo.
What wise [people] teach [MTY] causes others to know much more, [but] foolish people cannot teach others what is useful.
8 Yehova anachukia sadaka za watu waovu, bali maombi ya watu waadilifu ndiyo furaha yake.
Yahweh detests the sacrifices that are offered by wicked [people]; what delights/pleases him very much are the prayers of righteous/good [people].
9 Yehova anachukia njia ya watu waovu, bali anampenda yule ambaye huandama haki.
Yahweh hates/detests the behavior of wicked [people], but he loves those who always do what is righteous/just/fair.
10 Marudi ya ukatili hungojea kwa yeyote ambaye huiacha njia na yule ambaye huchukia masahihisho atakufa.
Those who do what is wrong will be severely punished; those who do not want to be corrected will die.
11 Kuzimu na uharibifu vipo wazi mbele za Yehova; je si zaidi sana mioyo ya wana wa wanadamu? (Sheol h7585)
Yahweh knows [what is happening in] the place where dead people [DOU] are, so he certainly knows [RHQ] what people are thinking. (Sheol h7585)
12 Mwenye mzaha huchukia masahihisho; hatakwenda kwa wenye hekima.
Some people do not want to be corrected; they never go to wise [people to seek good advice from them].
13 Moyo wenye furaha husababisha uchangamfu wa uso, bali huzuni huvunja moyo.
When people are happy, they have smiles on their faces; but when they are sad, [by looking at their faces we can see that] they are sad.
14 Moyo wa mwenye ufahamu hutafuta maarifa, bali kinywa cha wapumbavu hujilisha kwenye upuuzi.
Those who have good sense want to learn more; foolish people [MTY] are very satisfied with being foolish/ignorant.
15 Siku zote za watu waliokandamizwa ni taabu, bali moyo wenye furaha unakaramu daima.
Those who are oppressed constantly have difficulties, but those who (OR, if they) are happy, [it is as though] [MET] they are having a big feast every day.
16 Bora kitu kidogo pamoja na kumcha Mungu kuliko hazina kubwa pamoja na ghasia.
Being poor and revering Yahweh is better than being rich and having a lot of troubles.
17 Bora mlo wenye mboga kukiwa na upendo kuliko kuandaliwa ndama aliyenona kwa chuki.
Eating meals with [people whom you] love and having only vegetables to eat is better than eating with [people who] hate [each other and] having lots of good meat [to eat].
18 Mtu mwenye hasira huchochea mabishano, bali mtu ambaye hukawia kukasirika hutuliza ugomvi.
Those who quickly become angry cause arguments/quarreling, but those who do not quickly become angry cause people to act peacefully.
19 Mapito ya mtu goigoi ni kama sehemu yenye uwa wa miiba, bali mapito ya mtu mwadilifu ni njia kuu iliyojengwa imara.
Lazy people constantly [have difficulties] [MET]; [it is as though they are] walking through thorns; but those who are honest and hard-working [will have few difficulties; it is as though they are walking] on a level highway [MET].
20 Mwana mwenye busara huleta furaha kwa baba yake, bali mtu mpumbavu humdharau mama yake.
Children who are wise cause their parents to be happy; it is foolish children who despise their parents.
21 Upuuzi humfurahia mtu ambaye amepungukiwa akili, bali mwenye ufahamu hutembea katika njia nyofu.
Foolish people are happy to [continually] act foolishly; those who have good sense do what is right.
22 Mipango huharibika ambapo hakuna ushauri, bali washauri wengi wanafanikiwa.
If there is no one to give us good advice, we will not accomplish what we are planning to do; but when we have many [good] advisors, we will succeed.
23 Mtu anapata furaha wakati anapotoa jibu la kufaa; je ni zuri kiasi gani neno kwa wakati muafaka!
People rejoice when they are able to reply well to what others have asked them; [truly], it is very delightful to be able to say the right thing at the right time.
Wise people walk on a road that leads up to a long life; they do not walk on a road that leads down to the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
25 Yehova hurarua urithi wa mwenye kiburi, bali huzilinda mali za mjane.
Yahweh tears down the houses of proud [people], but he protects the property of widows.
26 Yehova huyachukia mawazo ya watu waovu, bali maneno ya upole ni safi.
Yahweh detests what wicked [people] are thinking [about doing]; [but] when people say what is kind, he considers those words to be pure.
27 Mporaji huleta shida kwenye familia yake, bali yeye ambaye huchukia rushwa ataishi.
Those who try hard to get money by acting dishonestly cause trouble for their family; those who refuse to accept bribes will live [for a long time].
28 Moyo wa yule atendaye haki hutafakari kabla ya kujibu, bali kinywa cha watu waovu humwanga ubaya wake wote.
Righteous/Good [people] think carefully before they answer [what others ask them]; wicked [people] very quickly say what is evil.
29 Yehova yupo mbali na watu waovu, bali husikia maombi ya wale watendao haki.
Yahweh does not listen [MTY] to what wicked [people request him to do]; he listens to righteous [people] when they pray.
30 Nuru ya macho huleta furaha moyoni na habari njema ni afya kwenye mwili.
If people have a smile on their faces, it makes them/others happy, and [when people hear] good news, it refreshes their spirits [MTY].
31 Kama utazingatia wakati mtu anapokurekebisha jinsi ya kuishi, utabaki miongoni mwa watu wenye busara.
If people pay attention when [people] correct/warn them, they will become wise.
32 Yeye anayekataa karipio hujidharau mwenyewe, bali yule asikilizaye masahihisho hujipatia ufahamu.
If people refuse to listen [when others try] to correct them, they are despising/hurting themselves; those who (pay attention/heed) when [others] warn them (become wiser/acquire good sense).
33 Kumcha Yehova hufundisha hekima na unyenyekevu huja kabla ya heshima.
If you revere Yahweh, you will learn how to become wise, but [only] after you become humble will [people] honor you.
