Mithali 23
1 Unapoketi kula pamoja na mtawala, angalia kwa uangalifu kilichopo mbele yako,
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, Thou considerest diligently that which [is] before thee,
2 na kama ni mtu unayependa kula chakula sana weka kisu kooni.
And thou hast put a knife to thy throat, If thou [art] a man of appetite.
3 Usitamani vinono vyake maana ni chakula cha uongo.
Have no desire to his dainties, seeing it [is] lying food.
4 Usifanye kazi sana ili kupata mali; uwe na busara ya kutosha ili ujue wakati wa kuacha.
Labour not to make wealth, From thine own understanding cease, Dost thou cause thine eyes to fly upon it? Then it is not.
5 Je utaruhusu macho yako yaangaze juu yake? Itaondoka, maana itawaa mabawa kama tai na kuruka angani.
For wealth maketh to itself wings, As an eagle it flieth to the heavens.
6 Usile chakula cha yule mwenye jicho baya- na usiwe na shauku ya vinono vyake,
Eat not the bread of an evil eye, And have no desire to his dainties,
7 maana ni mtu mwenye kuhesabu gharama ya chakula. “Kula na kunywa!” anakuambia, lakini moyo wake haupo pamoja nawe.
For as he hath thought in his soul, so [is] he, 'Eat and drink,' saith he to thee, And his heart [is] not with thee.
8 Utatapika kiasi kidogo ulichokula na utakuwa umepoteza sifa zako njema.
Thy morsel thou hast eaten thou dost vomit up, And hast marred thy words that [are] sweet.
9 Usiongee katika usikivu wa mpumbavu, maana atadharau hekima ya maneno yako.
In the ears of a fool speak not, For he treadeth on the wisdom of thy words.
10 Usihamishe jiwe la mpaka wa kale au kunyang'anya mashamba ya yatima,
Remove not a border of olden times, And into fields of the fatherless enter not,
11 maana Mkombozi wao ni imara na atatetea kesi yao dhidi yako.
For their Redeemer [is] strong, He doth plead their cause with thee.
12 Elekeza moyo wako katika mafundisho na masikio yako kwenye maneno ya maarifa.
Bring in to instruction thy heart, And thine ear to sayings of knowledge.
13 Usizuie kuadilisha mtoto, maana ukimchapa kwa fimbo, hatakufa.
Withhold not from a youth chastisement, When thou smitest him with a rod he dieth not.
Thou with a rod smitest him, And his soul from Sheol thou deliverest. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwanangu, kama moyo wako una busara, basi moyo wangu utafurahi pia;
My son, if thy heart hath been wise, My heart rejoiceth, even mine,
16 sehemu zangu ndani kabisa zitafurahi sana midomo yako inaponena haki.
And my reins exult when thy lips speak uprightly.
17 Usiruhusu moyo wako kuwahusudu wenye dhambi, lakini endelea kumcha Yehova siku zote.
Let not thy heart be envious at sinners, But — in the fear of Jehovah all the day.
18 Hakika tumaini lako halitaondolewa na siku zako za hapo baadaye.
For, is there a posterity? Then thy hope is not cut off.
19 Sikia- wewe! - mwanangu, na uwe mwenye busara na uelekeze moyo wako katika njia.
Hear thou, my son, and be wise, And make happy in the way thy heart,
20 Usishirikiane pamoja na walevi, au pamoja na walaji wa nyama walafi,
Be not thou among quaffers of wine, Among gluttonous ones of flesh,
21 maana mlevi na mlafi wanakuwa masikini na usingizi utawavika kwa matambara.
For the quaffer and glutton become poor, And drowsiness clotheth 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 hath become old.
23 Inunue kweli, lakini usiiuze; nunua hekima, nidhamu, na ufahamu.
Truth buy, and sell not, Wisdom, and instruction, and understanding,
24 Baba yake mwenye haki atafurahia sana, na yule amzaaye mtoto mwenye busara atamfurahia.
The father of the righteous rejoiceth greatly, The begetter of the wise rejoiceth in him.
25 Mfurahishe baba yako na mama yako na yule aliyekuzaa afurahie.
Rejoice doth thy father and thy mother, Yea, she that bare thee is joyful.
26 Mwanangu, nipe moyo wako na macho yako yachunguze njia zangu.
Give, my son, thy heart to me, And let thine 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 strait pit.
28 Anavizia kama mnyang'anyi na huongeza idadi ya wadanganyifu miongoni mwa wanadamu.
She also, as catching prey, lieth in wait, And the treacherous among men she increaseth.
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 contentions? who hath plaint? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes?
30 Ni wale ambao huzengea kwenye mvinyo, wale wanaojaribu kuchanganya mvinyo.
Those tarrying by the wine, Those going in to search out mixed wine.
31 Usiutazame mvinyo ukiwa mwekundu, wakati unametameta kwenye kikombe na kutelemka kwa uraini.
See not wine when it showeth itself red, When it giveth in the cup its colour, It goeth up and down through the upright.
32 Mwisho wake unauma kama nyoka na sumu yake kama kifutu.
Its latter end — as a serpent it biteth, And as a basilisk it stingeth.
33 Macho yako yataona vitu vigeni na moyo wako utatamka vitu vya ukaidi.
Thine eyes see strange women, And thy heart speaketh perverse things.
34 Utakuwa kama anayelala kwenye bahari au anayelala juu ya mlingoti. “
And thou hast been as one lying down in the heart of the sea, And as one lying down on the top of a mast.
35 Wamenipiga,” utasema, “lakini sikuumia. Wamenichapa, lakini sikuwa na hisia. Nitaamka lini? Nitatafuta kinywaji kingine.”
'They smote me, I have not been sick, They beat me, I have not known. When I awake — I seek it yet again!'
