Mithali 23
1 Unapoketi kula pamoja na mtawala, angalia kwa uangalifu kilichopo mbele yako,
When you sit to eat with a ruler, observe carefully 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 are a person who likes to eat a lot of food.
3 Usitamani vinono vyake maana ni chakula cha uongo.
Do not crave his delicacies, for it is the food of lies.
4 Usifanye kazi sana ili kupata mali; uwe na busara ya kutosha ili ujue wakati wa kuacha.
Do not work too hard to gain wealth; be wise enough to know when to stop.
5 Je utaruhusu macho yako yaangaze juu yake? Itaondoka, maana itawaa mabawa kama tai na kuruka angani.
Will you let your eyes light upon it? It will be gone, for it will surely take up wings like an eagle and fly off to the sky.
6 Usile chakula cha yule mwenye jicho baya- na usiwe na shauku ya vinono vyake,
Do not eat the food of one with an evil eye— and do not crave his delicacies,
7 maana ni mtu mwenye kuhesabu gharama ya chakula. “Kula na kunywa!” anakuambia, lakini moyo wake haupo pamoja nawe.
for he is the kind of man who counts the price of the food. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 Utatapika kiasi kidogo ulichokula na utakuwa umepoteza sifa zako njema.
You will vomit up the little you have eaten and you will have wasted your compliments.
9 Usiongee katika usikivu wa mpumbavu, maana atadharau hekima ya maneno yako.
Do not speak in the hearing 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,
Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of orphans,
11 maana Mkombozi wao ni imara na atatetea kesi yao dhidi yako.
for their Redeemer is strong and he will plead their case against you.
12 Elekeza moyo wako katika mafundisho na masikio yako kwenye maneno ya maarifa.
Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
13 Usizuie kuadilisha mtoto, maana ukimchapa kwa fimbo, hatakufa.
Do not withhold instruction from a child, for if you discipline him, he will not die.
It is you who must beat him with the rod and save his soul from Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwanangu, kama moyo wako una busara, basi moyo wangu utafurahi pia;
My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart also will be glad;
16 sehemu zangu ndani kabisa zitafurahi sana midomo yako inaponena haki.
my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 Usiruhusu moyo wako kuwahusudu wenye dhambi, lakini endelea kumcha Yehova siku zote.
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of Yahweh all the day.
18 Hakika tumaini lako halitaondolewa na siku zako za hapo baadaye.
Surely 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.
Hear—you!—my son, and be wise and direct your heart in the way.
20 Usishirikiane pamoja na walevi, au pamoja na walaji wa nyama walafi,
Do not associate with drunkards, or with gluttonous eaters of meat,
21 maana mlevi na mlafi wanakuwa masikini na usingizi utawavika kwa matambara.
for the drunkard and the glutton become poor and slumber will clothe them with rags.
22 Msikilize baba yako ambaye alikuzaa na usimdharau mama yako wakati akiwa mzee.
Listen to your father who begot you and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Inunue kweli, lakini usiiuze; nunua hekima, nidhamu, na ufahamu.
Buy the truth, but do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 Baba yake mwenye haki atafurahia sana, na yule amzaaye mtoto mwenye busara atamfurahia.
The father of the righteous person will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will be glad in him.
25 Mfurahishe baba yako na mama yako na yule aliyekuzaa afurahie.
Let your father and your mother be glad and let her who bore you 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 prostitute is a deep pit, and an immoral woman is a narrow well.
28 Anavizia kama mnyang'anyi na huongeza idadi ya wadanganyifu miongoni mwa wanadamu.
She lies in wait like a robber and she increases the number of the treacherous among humanity.
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 fights? Who has complaining? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Ni wale ambao huzengea kwenye mvinyo, wale wanaojaribu kuchanganya mvinyo.
Those who linger over wine, those who try the mixed wine.
31 Usiutazame mvinyo ukiwa mwekundu, wakati unametameta kwenye kikombe na kutelemka kwa uraini.
Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
32 Mwisho wake unauma kama nyoka na sumu yake kama kifutu.
In the last it bites like a serpent and it stings like an adder.
33 Macho yako yataona vitu vigeni na moyo wako utatamka vitu vya ukaidi.
Your eyes will see strange things and your heart will utter perverse things.
34 Utakuwa kama anayelala kwenye bahari au anayelala juu ya mlingoti. “
You will be as one who sleeps on the high seas or lies on the top of a mast.
35 Wamenipiga,” utasema, “lakini sikuumia. Wamenichapa, lakini sikuwa na hisia. Nitaamka lini? Nitatafuta kinywaji kingine.”
“They hit me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt. They beat me, but I did not feel it. When will I wake up? I will seek another drink.”
