Mithali 23
1 Unapoketi kula pamoja na mtawala, angalia kwa uangalifu kilichopo mbele yako,
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, Consider well what is before thee;
2 na kama ni mtu unayependa kula chakula sana weka kisu kooni.
For thou wilt put a knife to thy throat, If thou art a man given to appetite!
3 Usitamani vinono vyake maana ni chakula cha uongo.
Long not for his dainties. For they are deceitful meat.
4 Usifanye kazi sana ili kupata mali; uwe na busara ya kutosha ili ujue wakati wa kuacha.
Toil not to become rich; Cease from this, thy wisdom.
5 Je utaruhusu macho yako yaangaze juu yake? Itaondoka, maana itawaa mabawa kama tai na kuruka angani.
Wilt thou let thine eyes fly toward them? They are gone! For riches truly make to themselves wings; They fly away like the eagle toward heaven.
6 Usile chakula cha yule mwenye jicho baya- na usiwe na shauku ya vinono vyake,
Eat not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, And long not for his dainties;
7 maana ni mtu mwenye kuhesabu gharama ya chakula. “Kula na kunywa!” anakuambia, lakini moyo wake haupo pamoja nawe.
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. “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.
The morsel, which thou hast eaten, thou shalt vomit up; And thou wilt have thrown away thy 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 thy words.
10 Usihamishe jiwe la mpaka wa kale au kunyang'anya mashamba ya yatima,
Remove not the ancient landmark, And enter not into the fields of the fatherless!
11 maana Mkombozi wao ni imara na atatetea kesi yao dhidi yako.
For their avenger is mighty; He will maintain their cause against thee.
12 Elekeza moyo wako katika mafundisho na masikio yako kwenye maneno ya maarifa.
Apply thy heart to instruction, And thine ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Usizuie kuadilisha mtoto, maana ukimchapa kwa fimbo, hatakufa.
Withhold not correction from a child; If thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Beat him thyself with the rod, And thou shalt rescue him from the underworld. (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.
Yea, my reins shall exult, When thy lips speak right things.
17 Usiruhusu moyo wako kuwahusudu wenye dhambi, lakini endelea kumcha Yehova siku zote.
Let not thy heart envy sinners, But continue thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long;
18 Hakika tumaini lako halitaondolewa na siku zako za hapo baadaye.
For surely there shall be a reward, And thine expectation shall not be cut off.
19 Sikia- wewe! - mwanangu, na uwe mwenye busara na uelekeze moyo wako katika njia.
Hear thou, my son, and be wise; And let thy heart go forward in the way!
20 Usishirikiane pamoja na walevi, au pamoja na walaji wa nyama walafi,
Be not thou among winebibbers, And 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 will clothe a man with rags.
22 Msikilize baba yako ambaye alikuzaa na usimdharau mama yako wakati akiwa mzee.
Hearken to thy father, who begat thee, And despise not thy mother when she is old.
23 Inunue kweli, lakini usiiuze; nunua hekima, nidhamu, na ufahamu.
Buy the truth, and sell it not; Buy wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24 Baba yake mwenye haki atafurahia sana, na yule amzaaye mtoto mwenye busara atamfurahia.
The father of a righteous man shall greatly rejoice; Yea, he who begetteth a wise child shall have joy in him.
25 Mfurahishe baba yako na mama yako na yule aliyekuzaa afurahie.
Let thy father and thy mother have joy; Yea, let her that bore thee rejoice!
26 Mwanangu, nipe moyo wako na macho yako yachunguze njia zangu.
My son, give me thy heart, And let thine eyes observe my ways!
27 Maana malaya ni shimo refu, na mke wa mume mwingine ni kisima chembamba.
For a harlot is a deep ditch; Yea, a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28 Anavizia kama mnyang'anyi na huongeza idadi ya wadanganyifu miongoni mwa wanadamu.
Like a robber she lieth in wait, And 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 contentions? Who anxiety? Who wounds without cause? Who dimness of eyes?
30 Ni wale ambao huzengea kwenye mvinyo, wale wanaojaribu kuchanganya mvinyo.
They that tarry long at the wine; They that go in to seek mixed wine.
31 Usiutazame mvinyo ukiwa mwekundu, wakati unametameta kwenye kikombe na kutelemka kwa uraini.
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it sparkleth in the cup, When it goeth down smoothly.
32 Mwisho wake unauma kama nyoka na sumu yake kama kifutu.
At the last it biteth like a serpent, And stingeth like an adder.
33 Macho yako yataona vitu vigeni na moyo wako utatamka vitu vya ukaidi.
Thine eyes will look upon strange women, And thy heart will utter perverse things.
34 Utakuwa kama anayelala kwenye bahari au anayelala juu ya mlingoti. “
Yea, thou shalt be as one that lieth down in the midst of the sea, And as one that lieth down 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 [[shalt thou say]], —I suffered no pain! They have beaten me, —I felt it not! When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
