Mithali 24
1 Usiwe na husuda kwa wenye ubaya, wala usitamani kuambatana nao,
Don't be jealous of evil people; don't long to spend time with them,
2 kwa sababu mioyo yao inapanga njama za vurugu na midomo ya huongea juu ya madhara.
for they think up cruel plans and discuss how to cause trouble.
3 Kwa hekima nyumba hujengwa na kwa ufahamu huimarishwa.
A house is built by wisdom; its foundation is made secure through understanding.
4 Kwa maarifa vyumba hujazwa vitu vyote vya thamani na utajiri wa kupendeza.
Its rooms are filled by knowledge with all kinds of valuable and beautiful objects.
5 Shujaa wa hekima ni imara, na mtu wa maarifa huongeza nguvu zake;
If you have wisdom, you are strong; if you have knowledge, your power increases,
6 maana kwa uongozi wa busara unaweza kufanya vita na kwa washauri wengi kuna ushindi.
for with wise guidance you can go to war; you will be victorious by having many good advisors.
7 Hekima ipo juu sana kwa mpumbavu; hafumbui kinywa chake kwenye mlango.
Wisdom goes over the heads of stupid people; they have nothing to contribute when important matters are discussed.
8 Kuna yule mwenye kupanga kufanya mabaya- watu wanamwita bwana wa njama.
Anyone who plans to do evil will be seen as a troublemaker.
9 Mipango ya mpumbavu ni dhambi na watu humchukia mwenye dhihaka.
Plans thought up by stupid people are sinful. Everyone hates those who are scornful of others.
10 Kama utakuwa dhaifu na mwenye kuogopa siku ya taabu, basi nguvu zako ni haba.
If you give up in times of trouble, it shows how weak you are.
11 Waokoe wanaochukuliwa kwenda kwenye mauti na uwashikilie wale wanaopepesuka kwenda kwa mchinjaji.
Rescue those who are being led away to be executed; save those who are stumbling on their way to be slaughtered.
12 Kama utasema, “Tazama, hatujui chochote juu ya hili,” je yule anayepima mioyo hajui unachosema? Na yule anayelinda maisha yako, je hajui? Je Mungu hatampa kila mmoja kile anachostahili?
If you say, “Look, we didn't know anything about this,” don't you think the God who judges your motives will see what's happening? He who watches over you knows, and he will pay people back for what they've done.
13 Mwanangu, kula asali kwa kuwa ni nzuri, kwa sababu matone ya sega la asali ni matamu unapoonja.
My son, eating honey is good for you; the honeycomb tastes sweet.
14 Hekima ndiyo ilivyo katika nafsi yako - kama utaitafuta, tumaini lako halitabatilika na kutakuwa na tumaini.
In the same way, you should know that wisdom is good for you; if you find it, there will be a future for you, and your hope will not be crushed.
15 Usisubiri kwa kuvizia kama waovu ambao hushambulia nyumba ya mwenye haki. Usiiharibu nyumba yake!
Don't be like a criminal waiting to ambush the home of good people; don't attack the place where they live.
16 Maana mwenye haki huanguka mara saba na kuinuka tena, lakini waovu huangushwa kwa maafa.
Those who do right may fall down seven times, and still get up again; but the wicked are brought down by disaster.
17 Usisherekee wakati adui yako anapoanguka na wala moyo wako usifurahi anapojikwaa,
Don't celebrate when your enemies fall; don't be glad when they trip up,
18 au Yehova ataona na kutoridhika na kuondoa ghadhabu juu yake.
otherwise when the Lord sees it, he'll be unhappy with you and won't punish your enemies as he planned.
19 Usifadhaike kwa sababu ya watenda mabaya, na wala usiwahusudu watu waovu,
Don't get all upset over the wicked, or be jealous of those who do wrong,
20 maana mtu mbaya hana matumaini na taa ya watu waovu itazimika.
for evil people have no future—the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
21 Mwanangu; mche Yehova, na umwogope mfalme, usishirikiane na watu wenye kuasi dhidi yao,
My son, honor the Lord and the king, and don't join those who are rebellious,
22 maana kwa ghafula msiba wao utakuja na ni nani ajuaye ukubwa wa uharibifu utakao kuja kutoka kwa hao wote?
for disaster will suddenly fall on them. Who knows how the Lord and king will punish them?
23 Haya ni maneno ya wenye busara pia. Upendeleo katika kuhukumu kesi kwa sheria si vizuri.
These are more sayings of the wise: Showing favoritism when passing judgment is wrong.
24 Anayemwambia mwenye hatia, “Wewe upo sawa,” atalaaniwa na watu na mataifa yatamchukia.
Those who tell the guilty, “You're innocent,” will be cursed by the people and hated by the nation,
25 Bali wenye kuwakemea waovu watakuwa na furaha na zawadi za wema zitakuja kwao.
while those who convict the guilty will be appreciated, and will receive a rich blessing.
26 Anayetoa jibu la kweli hutoa busu kwenye midomo.
An honest answer is a kiss on the lips.
27 Andaa kazi yako ya nje, na tayarisha kila kitu kwa ajili yako mwenyewe shambani; baada ya hapo, jenga nyumba yako.
Do the work you need to do outside first, then prepare and sow your fields, and only after that start building your house.
28 Usitoe ushahidi dhidi ya jirani yako bila sababu na usidanganye kwa midomo yako.
Don't testify against your neighbors without having a good reason, and don't tell lies.
29 Usiseme, “Mimi nitamtendea kile alichonitendea; nitalipiza kwa kile alichofanya.”
Don't say to yourself, “I'm going to do to him what he did to me! I'll pay him back for what he's done!”
30 Nilikwenda jirani na shamba la mtu mvivu, nikapita kwenye shamba la mzabibu la mtu asiye na akili.
I walked past the field of a lazy man, past a vineyard of someone with no sense.
31 Miiba imeota kila sehemu, ardhi ilikuwa imefunikwa kwa upupu, na ukuta wake wa mawe ulikuwa umebomoka.
It was all overgrown with thorns, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall had fallen down.
32 Kisha nikaliona na kufikiria juu yake; nikatazama na kupokea mafundisho.
As I looked I thought about it, and what I saw taught me a lesson:
33 Kulala kidogo, kusinzia kidogo, kupumzika kwa kukunja mikono kidogo-
You may say, “Please, just a little more sleep, a little longer snooze, a little more folding of the arms to rest”—
34 na umasikini huja kwa kutembea juu yako, na mahitaji yako kama askari mwenye silaha.
and poverty will attack you like a robber, destitution like an armed warrior.
