Mithali 23
1 Unapoketi kula pamoja na mtawala, angalia kwa uangalifu kilichopo mbele yako,
When you take your seat at the feast with a ruler, give thought with care to what is before you;
2 na kama ni mtu unayependa kula chakula sana weka kisu kooni.
And put a knife to your throat, if you have a strong desire for food.
3 Usitamani vinono vyake maana ni chakula cha uongo.
Have no desire for his delicate food, for it is the bread of deceit.
4 Usifanye kazi sana ili kupata mali; uwe na busara ya kutosha ili ujue wakati wa kuacha.
Take no care to get wealth; let there be an end to your desire for money.
5 Je utaruhusu macho yako yaangaze juu yake? Itaondoka, maana itawaa mabawa kama tai na kuruka angani.
Are your eyes lifted up to it? it is gone: for wealth takes to itself wings, like an eagle in flight up to heaven.
6 Usile chakula cha yule mwenye jicho baya- na usiwe na shauku ya vinono vyake,
Do not take the food of him who has an evil eye, or have any desire for his delicate meat:
7 maana ni mtu mwenye kuhesabu gharama ya chakula. “Kula na kunywa!” anakuambia, lakini moyo wake haupo pamoja nawe.
For as the thoughts of his heart are, so is he: Take food and drink, he says to you; but his heart is not with you.
8 Utatapika kiasi kidogo ulichokula na utakuwa umepoteza sifa zako njema.
The food which you have taken will come up again, and your pleasing words will be wasted.
9 Usiongee katika usikivu wa mpumbavu, maana atadharau hekima ya maneno yako.
Say nothing in the hearing of a foolish man, for he will put no value on the wisdom of your words.
10 Usihamishe jiwe la mpaka wa kale au kunyang'anya mashamba ya yatima,
Do not let the landmark of the widow be moved, and do not go into the fields of those who have no father;
11 maana Mkombozi wao ni imara na atatetea kesi yao dhidi yako.
For their saviour is strong, and he will take up their cause against you.
12 Elekeza moyo wako katika mafundisho na masikio yako kwenye maneno ya maarifa.
Give your heart to teaching, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Usizuie kuadilisha mtoto, maana ukimchapa kwa fimbo, hatakufa.
Do not keep back training from the child: for even if you give him blows with the rod, it will not be death to him.
Give him blows with the rod, and keep his soul safe from the underworld. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwanangu, kama moyo wako una busara, basi moyo wangu utafurahi pia;
My son, if your heart becomes wise, I, even I, will be glad in heart;
16 sehemu zangu ndani kabisa zitafurahi sana midomo yako inaponena haki.
And my thoughts in me will be full of joy when your lips say right things.
17 Usiruhusu moyo wako kuwahusudu wenye dhambi, lakini endelea kumcha Yehova siku zote.
Have no envy of sinners in your heart, but keep in the fear of the Lord all through the day;
18 Hakika tumaini lako halitaondolewa na siku zako za hapo baadaye.
For without doubt there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Sikia- wewe! - mwanangu, na uwe mwenye busara na uelekeze moyo wako katika njia.
Give ear, my son, and be wise, guiding your heart in the right way.
20 Usishirikiane pamoja na walevi, au pamoja na walaji wa nyama walafi,
Do not be among those who give themselves to wine-drinking, or among those who make themselves full with meat:
21 maana mlevi na mlafi wanakuwa masikini na usingizi utawavika kwa matambara.
For those who take delight in drink and feasting will come to be in need; and through love of sleep a man will be poorly clothed.
22 Msikilize baba yako ambaye alikuzaa na usimdharau mama yako wakati akiwa mzee.
Give ear to your father whose child you are, and do not keep honour from your mother when she is old.
23 Inunue kweli, lakini usiiuze; nunua hekima, nidhamu, na ufahamu.
Get for yourself that which is true, and do not let it go for money; get wisdom and teaching and good sense.
24 Baba yake mwenye haki atafurahia sana, na yule amzaaye mtoto mwenye busara atamfurahia.
The father of the upright man will be glad, and he who has a wise child will have joy because of him.
25 Mfurahishe baba yako na mama yako na yule aliyekuzaa afurahie.
Let your father and your mother be glad, let her who gave you birth have joy.
26 Mwanangu, nipe moyo wako na macho yako yachunguze njia zangu.
My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes take delight in my ways.
27 Maana malaya ni shimo refu, na mke wa mume mwingine ni kisima chembamba.
For a loose woman is a deep hollow, and a strange woman is a narrow water-hole.
28 Anavizia kama mnyang'anyi na huongeza idadi ya wadanganyifu miongoni mwa wanadamu.
Yes, she is waiting secretly like a beast for its food, and deceit by her is increased among men.
29 Nani mwenye taabu? Nani mwenye huzuni? Nani mwenye mapigano? Nani mwenye malalamiko? Nani mwenye majeraha bila sababu? Nani mwenye macho mekundu?
Who says, Oh! who says, Ah! who has violent arguments, who has grief, who has wounds without cause, whose eyes are dark?
30 Ni wale ambao huzengea kwenye mvinyo, wale wanaojaribu kuchanganya mvinyo.
Those who are seated late over the wine: those who go looking for mixed wine.
31 Usiutazame mvinyo ukiwa mwekundu, wakati unametameta kwenye kikombe na kutelemka kwa uraini.
Keep your eyes from looking on the wine when it is red, when its colour is bright in the cup, when it goes smoothly down:
32 Mwisho wake unauma kama nyoka na sumu yake kama kifutu.
In the end, its bite is like that of a snake, its wound like the wound of a poison-snake.
33 Macho yako yataona vitu vigeni na moyo wako utatamka vitu vya ukaidi.
Your eyes will see strange things, and you will say twisted things.
34 Utakuwa kama anayelala kwenye bahari au anayelala juu ya mlingoti. “
Yes, you will be like him who takes his rest on the sea, or on the top of a sail-support.
35 Wamenipiga,” utasema, “lakini sikuumia. Wamenichapa, lakini sikuwa na hisia. Nitaamka lini? Nitatafuta kinywaji kingine.”
They have overcome me, you will say, and I have no pain; they gave me blows without my feeling them: when will I be awake from my wine? I will go after it again.
