Mithali 23
1 Unapoketi kula pamoja na mtawala, angalia kwa uangalifu kilichopo mbele yako,
When you sit down to eat a meal with a (government official/king), think carefully about what (OR, who) is in front of you.
2 na kama ni mtu unayependa kula chakula sana weka kisu kooni.
[Even] if you (have a big appetite/want to eat a lot of food), restrain yourself.
3 Usitamani vinono vyake maana ni chakula cha uongo.
Do not want to eat [a lot of] his fine food, because he may be trying to trick you.
4 Usifanye kazi sana ili kupata mali; uwe na busara ya kutosha ili ujue wakati wa kuacha.
Do not [cause yourself to become very tired by] working very hard to become rich; be wise and stop doing that,
5 Je utaruhusu macho yako yaangaze juu yake? Itaondoka, maana itawaa mabawa kama tai na kuruka angani.
because as soon as you look [MTY] at [all the money that you have acquired], it will be gone; it will [disappear as if it] suddenly grew wings [SIM] and flew up into the sky like an eagle.
6 Usile chakula cha yule mwenye jicho baya- na usiwe na shauku ya vinono vyake,
[If] someone who is stingy [invites you to a meal], do not eat [a lot of] his fine food,
7 maana ni mtu mwenye kuhesabu gharama ya chakula. “Kula na kunywa!” anakuambia, lakini moyo wake haupo pamoja nawe.
because he will be thinking about how much [the food cost that you are eating]. He [will] say to you, “Eat and drink all that you want!”, but that is not what he [will] really be thinking.
8 Utatapika kiasi kidogo ulichokula na utakuwa umepoteza sifa zako njema.
[When you realize what he is really thinking, it will cause you to want to] vomit what you have eaten; and your kind words [telling him that you are enjoying the meal] will be wasted.
9 Usiongee katika usikivu wa mpumbavu, maana atadharau hekima ya maneno yako.
(Do not [waste time by]/It is useless) talking to foolish people; they will [only] despise the wise things that you say.
10 Usihamishe jiwe la mpaka wa kale au kunyang'anya mashamba ya yatima,
Do not [steal someone’s property by] removing a boundary marker that has been there for a long time, and do not take for yourself the land that belongs to orphans,
11 maana Mkombozi wao ni imara na atatetea kesi yao dhidi yako.
because Yahweh is strong, and he is [like] a relative that has the responsibility to defend them, he will [stand up in court and] argue for them and against you.
12 Elekeza moyo wako katika mafundisho na masikio yako kwenye maneno ya maarifa.
Pay attention to what [your teachers] teach you, and try to learn from the wise things that they say.
13 Usizuie kuadilisha mtoto, maana ukimchapa kwa fimbo, hatakufa.
Do not refuse to discipline your children; if you punish/spank them, it will not cause them to die,
and it may save them from [going to] the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwanangu, kama moyo wako una busara, basi moyo wangu utafurahi pia;
My son/child, if you [SYN] become wise, I [SYN] will be very happy.
16 sehemu zangu ndani kabisa zitafurahi sana midomo yako inaponena haki.
I [SYN] will rejoice when I hear you [SYN] say what is right/wise.
17 Usiruhusu moyo wako kuwahusudu wenye dhambi, lakini endelea kumcha Yehova siku zote.
Do not envy sinful people; instead, revere Yahweh all of your life.
18 Hakika tumaini lako halitaondolewa na siku zako za hapo baadaye.
[If you do that], you will be happy in the future, and [God] will certainly [do for you what you are] confidently expecting him to do.
19 Sikia- wewe! - mwanangu, na uwe mwenye busara na uelekeze moyo wako katika njia.
My son/child, listen carefully to me and become wise, and think about (all that you do/your behavior).
20 Usishirikiane pamoja na walevi, au pamoja na walaji wa nyama walafi,
Do not associate with those who drink a lot of (wine/strong drink) or with those who (are gluttons/eat more than they should),
21 maana mlevi na mlafi wanakuwa masikini na usingizi utawavika kwa matambara.
because drunkards and gluttons will become poor; and if all that you do is eat and sleep, you will [soon] (be wearing rags/not have any money to buy clothes).
22 Msikilize baba yako ambaye alikuzaa na usimdharau mama yako wakati akiwa mzee.
Pay attention to what your father tells you, and (do not neglect/take care of) [LIT] your mother when she is old.
23 Inunue kweli, lakini usiiuze; nunua hekima, nidhamu, na ufahamu.
Try to know/learn what is wise, and get good instruction and understanding; and do not throw those things away.
24 Baba yake mwenye haki atafurahia sana, na yule amzaaye mtoto mwenye busara atamfurahia.
Righteous [children] will cause their parents to be very happy; those whose children are wise are proud of them.
25 Mfurahishe baba yako na mama yako na yule aliyekuzaa afurahie.
[Do what will] cause your father to be glad and enable your mother [also] to be happy.
26 Mwanangu, nipe moyo wako na macho yako yachunguze njia zangu.
My son, heed what I say to you, and allow what I do to be an example for you.
27 Maana malaya ni shimo refu, na mke wa mume mwingine ni kisima chembamba.
Prostitutes and immoral women [DOU] are [like] [MET] a deep pit or a well [that you may fall into].
28 Anavizia kama mnyang'anyi na huongeza idadi ya wadanganyifu miongoni mwa wanadamu.
They wait [for you] like robbers [SIM], and they cause many men to (be unfaithful to/have sex with women who are not) their wives.
29 Nani mwenye taabu? Nani mwenye huzuni? Nani mwenye mapigano? Nani mwenye malalamiko? Nani mwenye majeraha bila sababu? Nani mwenye macho mekundu?
I will tell you [RHQ] what kind of people are always miserable and sad. I will tell you [RHQ] which people are always causing arguments/quarrels and who are always complaining. I will tell you [RHQ] who are injured in fights and whose eyes are always red/bloodshot.
30 Ni wale ambao huzengea kwenye mvinyo, wale wanaojaribu kuchanganya mvinyo.
[It is] those who drink a lot of wine, who try drinking other kinds of strong drinks.
31 Usiutazame mvinyo ukiwa mwekundu, wakati unametameta kwenye kikombe na kutelemka kwa uraini.
Do not look with pleasure at red wine that looks nice, and which sparkles when it is [poured out] into cups, and which tastes good as you drink it,
32 Mwisho wake unauma kama nyoka na sumu yake kama kifutu.
because the next morning [you will feel like] you have been bitten by a poisonous snake [DOU].
33 Macho yako yataona vitu vigeni na moyo wako utatamka vitu vya ukaidi.
You [SYN] will [think that you are] seeing strange/weird things, and you [SYN] will not be able to think clearly or speak clearly.
34 Utakuwa kama anayelala kwenye bahari au anayelala juu ya mlingoti. “
You will think you are in a ship that is tossing on the sea; you be like [SIM] someone who is trying to sleep when the ship is rolling from one side to the other.
35 Wamenipiga,” utasema, “lakini sikuumia. Wamenichapa, lakini sikuwa na hisia. Nitaamka lini? Nitatafuta kinywaji kingine.”
You will say, “[I think that] someone struck me, but he did not hurt me; he hit me, but I did not feel it. When will I (wake up/feel normal again) in order that I can drink some more wine?”
