Mithali 24
1 Usiwe na husuda kwa wenye ubaya, wala usitamani kuambatana nao,
Be not envious of evil men, And desire not to be with them.
2 kwa sababu mioyo yao inapanga njama za vurugu na midomo ya huongea juu ya madhara.
For destruction doth their heart meditate, And perverseness do their lips speak.
3 Kwa hekima nyumba hujengwa na kwa ufahamu huimarishwa.
By wisdom is a house builded, And by understanding it establisheth itself.
4 Kwa maarifa vyumba hujazwa vitu vyote vya thamani na utajiri wa kupendeza.
And by knowledge the inner parts are filled, [With] all precious and pleasant wealth.
5 Shujaa wa hekima ni imara, na mtu wa maarifa huongeza nguvu zake;
Mighty [is] the wise in strength, And a man of knowledge is strengthening power,
6 maana kwa uongozi wa busara unaweza kufanya vita na kwa washauri wengi kuna ushindi.
For by plans thou makest for thyself war, And deliverance [is] in a multitude of counsellors.
7 Hekima ipo juu sana kwa mpumbavu; hafumbui kinywa chake kwenye mlango.
Wisdom [is] high for a fool, In the gate he openeth not his mouth.
8 Kuna yule mwenye kupanga kufanya mabaya- watu wanamwita bwana wa njama.
Whoso is devising to do evil, Him they call a master of wicked thoughts.
9 Mipango ya mpumbavu ni dhambi na watu humchukia mwenye dhihaka.
The thought of folly [is] sin, And an abomination to man [is] a scorner.
10 Kama utakuwa dhaifu na mwenye kuogopa siku ya taabu, basi nguvu zako ni haba.
Thou hast shewed thyself weak in a day of adversity, Straitened is thy power,
11 Waokoe wanaochukuliwa kwenda kwenye mauti na uwashikilie wale wanaopepesuka kwenda kwa mchinjaji.
If [from] delivering those taken to death, And those slipping to the slaughter — thou keepest back.
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?
When thou sayest, 'Lo, we knew not this.' Is not the Ponderer of hearts He who understandeth? And the Keeper of thy soul He who knoweth? And He hath rendered to man according to his work.
13 Mwanangu, kula asali kwa kuwa ni nzuri, kwa sababu matone ya sega la asali ni matamu unapoonja.
Eat my son, honey that [is] good, And the honeycomb — sweet to thy palate.
14 Hekima ndiyo ilivyo katika nafsi yako - kama utaitafuta, tumaini lako halitabatilika na kutakuwa na tumaini.
So [is] the knowledge of wisdom to thy soul, If thou hast found that there is a posterity And thy hope is not cut off.
15 Usisubiri kwa kuvizia kama waovu ambao hushambulia nyumba ya mwenye haki. Usiiharibu nyumba yake!
Lay not wait, O wicked one, At the habitation of the righteous. Do not spoil his resting-place.
16 Maana mwenye haki huanguka mara saba na kuinuka tena, lakini waovu huangushwa kwa maafa.
For seven [times] doth the righteous fall and rise, And the wicked stumble in evil.
17 Usisherekee wakati adui yako anapoanguka na wala moyo wako usifurahi anapojikwaa,
In the falling of thine enemy rejoice not, And in his stumbling let not thy heart be joyful,
18 au Yehova ataona na kutoridhika na kuondoa ghadhabu juu yake.
Lest Jehovah see, and [it be] evil in His eyes, And He hath turned from off him His anger.
19 Usifadhaike kwa sababu ya watenda mabaya, na wala usiwahusudu watu waovu,
Fret not thyself at evil doers, Be not envious at the wicked,
20 maana mtu mbaya hana matumaini na taa ya watu waovu itazimika.
For there is not a posterity to the evil, The lamp of the wicked is extinguished.
21 Mwanangu; mche Yehova, na umwogope mfalme, usishirikiane na watu wenye kuasi dhidi yao,
Fear Jehovah, my son, and the king, With changers mix not up thyself,
22 maana kwa ghafula msiba wao utakuja na ni nani ajuaye ukubwa wa uharibifu utakao kuja kutoka kwa hao wote?
For suddenly doth their calamity rise, And the ruin of them both — who knoweth!
23 Haya ni maneno ya wenye busara pia. Upendeleo katika kuhukumu kesi kwa sheria si vizuri.
These also are for the wise: — To discern faces in judgment is not good.
24 Anayemwambia mwenye hatia, “Wewe upo sawa,” atalaaniwa na watu na mataifa yatamchukia.
Whoso is saying to the wicked, 'Thou [art] righteous,' Peoples execrate him — nations abhor him.
25 Bali wenye kuwakemea waovu watakuwa na furaha na zawadi za wema zitakuja kwao.
And to those reproving it is pleasant, And on them cometh a good blessing.
26 Anayetoa jibu la kweli hutoa busu kwenye midomo.
Lips he kisseth who is returning straightforward words.
27 Andaa kazi yako ya nje, na tayarisha kila kitu kwa ajili yako mwenyewe shambani; baada ya hapo, jenga nyumba yako.
Prepare in an out-place thy work, And make it ready in the field — go afterwards, Then thou hast built thy house.
28 Usitoe ushahidi dhidi ya jirani yako bila sababu na usidanganye kwa midomo yako.
Be not a witness for nought against thy neighbour, Or thou hast enticed with thy lips.
29 Usiseme, “Mimi nitamtendea kile alichonitendea; nitalipiza kwa kile alichofanya.”
Say not, 'As he did to me, so I do to him, I render to each according to his work.'
30 Nilikwenda jirani na shamba la mtu mvivu, nikapita kwenye shamba la mzabibu la mtu asiye na akili.
Near the field of a slothful man I passed by, And near the vineyard of a man lacking heart.
31 Miiba imeota kila sehemu, ardhi ilikuwa imefunikwa kwa upupu, na ukuta wake wa mawe ulikuwa umebomoka.
And lo, it hath gone up — all of it — thorns! Covered its face have nettles, And its stone wall hath been broken down.
32 Kisha nikaliona na kufikiria juu yake; nikatazama na kupokea mafundisho.
And I see — I — I do set my heart, I have seen — I have received instruction,
33 Kulala kidogo, kusinzia kidogo, kupumzika kwa kukunja mikono kidogo-
A little sleep — a little slumber — A little folding of the hands to lie down.
34 na umasikini huja kwa kutembea juu yako, na mahitaji yako kama askari mwenye silaha.
And thy poverty hath come [as] a traveller, And thy want as an armed man!
