Mithali 23
1 Unapoketi kula pamoja na mtawala, angalia kwa uangalifu kilichopo mbele yako,
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
2 na kama ni mtu unayependa kula chakula sana weka kisu kooni.
For thou puttest a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man of a craving desire.
3 Usitamani vinono vyake maana ni chakula cha uongo.
Do not long for his savory meats; they are deceitful food.
4 Usifanye kazi sana ili kupata mali; uwe na busara ya kutosha ili ujue wakati wa kuacha.
Fatigue thyself not to become rich; because thou hast understanding, forbear.
5 Je utaruhusu macho yako yaangaze juu yake? Itaondoka, maana itawaa mabawa kama tai na kuruka angani.
When thou lettest merely thy eyes fly over it, it is no more: for it will ever make itself wings: like an eagle will it fly toward heaven.
6 Usile chakula cha yule mwenye jicho baya- na usiwe na shauku ya vinono vyake,
Eat not the bread of a man with an evil eye, and do not long for his savory meats;
7 maana ni mtu mwenye kuhesabu gharama ya chakula. “Kula na kunywa!” anakuambia, lakini moyo wake haupo pamoja nawe.
For as though there were a division in his soul, so doth he act: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
8 Utatapika kiasi kidogo ulichokula na utakuwa umepoteza sifa zako njema.
Thy morsel which thou hast eaten must thou spit out, and thou hast wasted thy pleasant words.
9 Usiongee katika usikivu wa mpumbavu, maana atadharau hekima ya maneno yako.
Speak not before the ears of a fool; for he will despise the intelligence of thy words.
10 Usihamishe jiwe la mpaka wa kale au kunyang'anya mashamba ya yatima,
Remove not the ancient landmark, and into the fields of the fatherless must thou not enter;
11 maana Mkombozi wao ni imara na atatetea kesi yao dhidi yako.
For their redeemer is strong; he will indeed plead their cause with thee.
12 Elekeza moyo wako katika mafundisho na masikio yako kwenye maneno ya maarifa.
Apply thy heart unto instruction, and thy ears to the sayings of knowledge.
13 Usizuie kuadilisha mtoto, maana ukimchapa kwa fimbo, hatakufa.
Withhold not from a lad correction; for if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Thou wilt indeed beat him with the rod; but thou wilt deliver his soul from perdition. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwanangu, kama moyo wako una busara, basi moyo wangu utafurahi pia;
My son, If thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
16 sehemu zangu ndani kabisa zitafurahi sana midomo yako inaponena haki.
And my reins shall exult when thy lips speak what is equitable.
17 Usiruhusu moyo wako kuwahusudu wenye dhambi, lakini endelea kumcha Yehova siku zote.
Let not thy heart be envious against sinners; but [remain] in the fear of the lord all the time.
18 Hakika tumaini lako halitaondolewa na siku zako za hapo baadaye.
For surely there is a future, and thy hope will not be cut off.
19 Sikia- wewe! - mwanangu, na uwe mwenye busara na uelekeze moyo wako katika njia.
Hear thou, my son, and become wise, and guide thy heart on the right way.
20 Usishirikiane pamoja na walevi, au pamoja na walaji wa nyama walafi,
Be not among those that drink wine immoderately, among those that over-indulge in eating flesh:
21 maana mlevi na mlafi wanakuwa masikini na usingizi utawavika kwa matambara.
For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty; and drowsiness clotheth a man in rags.
22 Msikilize baba yako ambaye alikuzaa na usimdharau mama yako wakati akiwa mzee.
Hearken unto thy father that hath begotten thee, and despise not thy mother although she be 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 will be greatly glad, and he that begetteth a wise child will have joy through him.
25 Mfurahishe baba yako na mama yako na yule aliyekuzaa afurahie.
Let [then] thy father and thy mother rejoice, and let her that hath born thee be glad.
26 Mwanangu, nipe moyo wako na macho yako yachunguze njia zangu.
Give, my son, thy heart unto me, and let thy eyes watch my ways.
27 Maana malaya ni shimo refu, na mke wa mume mwingine ni kisima chembamba.
For a harlot is a deep ditch, and a strange woman is a narrow well.
28 Anavizia kama mnyang'anyi na huongeza idadi ya wadanganyifu miongoni mwa wanadamu.
She also lieth in wait like a robber, and she increaseth the treacherous 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 hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath quarrels? who hath complaints? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30 Ni wale ambao huzengea kwenye mvinyo, wale wanaojaribu kuchanganya mvinyo.
They that tarry late over the wine: they that come to seek for mixed drink.
31 Usiutazame mvinyo ukiwa mwekundu, wakati unametameta kwenye kikombe na kutelemka kwa uraini.
Do not look on the wine when it looketh red, when it giveth its color in the cup, when it glideth down so readily.
32 Mwisho wake unauma kama nyoka na sumu yake kama kifutu.
At the last it will bite like a serpent, and like a basilisk will it sting.
33 Macho yako yataona vitu vigeni na moyo wako utatamka vitu vya ukaidi.
Thy eyes will see strange forms, and thy heart will speak perverse things.
34 Utakuwa kama anayelala kwenye bahari au anayelala juu ya mlingoti. “
And thou wilt be like one that lieth down in the heart of the sea, or as he that lieth on the top of a mast.
35 Wamenipiga,” utasema, “lakini sikuumia. Wamenichapa, lakini sikuwa na hisia. Nitaamka lini? Nitatafuta kinywaji kingine.”
“They smote me, [but] I suffered no pain; they struck me hard, [but] I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will continue to seek it again.”
