Mithali 23
1 Unapoketi kula pamoja na mtawala, angalia kwa uangalifu kilichopo mbele yako,
When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently 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 be a man given to appetite.
3 Usitamani vinono vyake maana ni chakula cha uongo.
Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful food.
4 Usifanye kazi sana ili kupata mali; uwe na busara ya kutosha ili ujue wakati wa kuacha.
Labour not to be rich: cease from your own wisdom.
5 Je utaruhusu macho yako yaangaze juu yake? Itaondoka, maana itawaa mabawa kama tai na kuruka angani.
Will you set your eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
6 Usile chakula cha yule mwenye jicho baya- na usiwe na shauku ya vinono vyake,
Eat you not the bread of him that has an evil eye, neither desire you his dainty meats:
7 maana ni mtu mwenye kuhesabu gharama ya chakula. “Kula na kunywa!” anakuambia, lakini moyo wake haupo pamoja nawe.
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, says he to you; but his heart is not with you.
8 Utatapika kiasi kidogo ulichokula na utakuwa umepoteza sifa zako njema.
The morsel which you have eaten shall you vomit up, and lose your sweet words.
9 Usiongee katika usikivu wa mpumbavu, maana atadharau hekima ya maneno yako.
Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Usihamishe jiwe la mpaka wa kale au kunyang'anya mashamba ya yatima,
Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
11 maana Mkombozi wao ni imara na atatetea kesi yao dhidi yako.
For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with you.
12 Elekeza moyo wako katika mafundisho na masikio yako kwenye maneno ya maarifa.
Apply your heart unto instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Usizuie kuadilisha mtoto, maana ukimchapa kwa fimbo, hatakufa.
Withhold not correction from the child: for if you beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
You shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from hell. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwanangu, kama moyo wako una busara, basi moyo wangu utafurahi pia;
My son, if your heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
16 sehemu zangu ndani kabisa zitafurahi sana midomo yako inaponena haki.
Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when your lips speak right things.
17 Usiruhusu moyo wako kuwahusudu wenye dhambi, lakini endelea kumcha Yehova siku zote.
Let not your heart envy sinners: but be you in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
18 Hakika tumaini lako halitaondolewa na siku zako za hapo baadaye.
For surely there is an end; and your expectation shall not be cut off.
19 Sikia- wewe! - mwanangu, na uwe mwenye busara na uelekeze moyo wako katika njia.
Hear you, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the way.
20 Usishirikiane pamoja na walevi, au pamoja na walaji wa nyama walafi,
Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
21 maana mlevi na mlafi wanakuwa masikini na usingizi utawavika kwa matambara.
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
22 Msikilize baba yako ambaye alikuzaa na usimdharau mama yako wakati akiwa mzee.
Hearken unto your father that brings forth you, and despise not your mother when she is old.
23 Inunue kweli, lakini usiiuze; nunua hekima, nidhamu, na ufahamu.
Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24 Baba yake mwenye haki atafurahia sana, na yule amzaaye mtoto mwenye busara atamfurahia.
The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that bring forths a wise child shall have joy of him.
25 Mfurahishe baba yako na mama yako na yule aliyekuzaa afurahie.
Your father and your mother shall be glad, and she that bare you shall rejoice.
26 Mwanangu, nipe moyo wako na macho yako yachunguze njia zangu.
My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 Maana malaya ni shimo refu, na mke wa mume mwingine ni kisima chembamba.
For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28 Anavizia kama mnyang'anyi na huongeza idadi ya wadanganyifu miongoni mwa wanadamu.
She also lies in wait as for a prey, and increases the transgressors 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 has woe? who has sorrow? who has contentions? who has babbling? who has wounds without cause? who has redness of eyes?
30 Ni wale ambao huzengea kwenye mvinyo, wale wanaojaribu kuchanganya mvinyo.
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
31 Usiutazame mvinyo ukiwa mwekundu, wakati unametameta kwenye kikombe na kutelemka kwa uraini.
Look not you upon the wine when it is red, when it gives his colour in the cup, when it moves itself aright.
32 Mwisho wake unauma kama nyoka na sumu yake kama kifutu.
At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.
33 Macho yako yataona vitu vigeni na moyo wako utatamka vitu vya ukaidi.
your eyes shall behold strange women, and your heart shall utter perverse things.
34 Utakuwa kama anayelala kwenye bahari au anayelala juu ya mlingoti. “
Yea, you shall be as he that lies down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lies upon the top of a mast.
35 Wamenipiga,” utasema, “lakini sikuumia. Wamenichapa, lakini sikuwa na hisia. Nitaamka lini? Nitatafuta kinywaji kingine.”
They have stricken me, shall you say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
