Mithali 27
1 Usijisifu kwa ajili ya kesho, maana hujui siku italeta nini.
Do not make a noise about tomorrow, for you are not certain what a day's outcome may be.
2 Mtu mwingine akusifu na wala si kinywa chako mwenyewe, mgeni na wala si midomo yako mwenyewe.
Let another man give you praise, and not your mouth; one who is strange to you, and not your lips.
3 Fikiria uzito wa jiwe na uzito wa mchanga- uchokozi wa mpumbavu ni mzito zaidi kuliko hivyo vyote.
A stone has great weight, and sand is crushing; but the wrath of the foolish is of greater weight than these.
4 Kuna ukatili wenye ghadhabu kali na mafuriko ya hasira, lakini ni nani anayeweza kusimama mbele ya wivu?
Wrath is cruel, and angry feeling an overflowing stream; but who does not give way before envy?
5 Ni bora karipio la wazi kuliko upendo uliofichwa.
Better is open protest than love kept secret.
6 Mwaminifu ni jeraha zilizosababishwa na rafiki, lakini adui anaweza kukubusu kwa kuomba radhi mno.
The wounds of a friend are given in good faith, but the kisses of a hater are false.
7 Mtu aliyekula na kushiba hulikataa hata sega la asali, bali kwa mtu mwenye njaa, kila kitu kichungu ni kitamu.
The full man has no use for honey, but to the man in need of food every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Ndege anayezurura kutoka kwenye kiota chake ni kama mtu anayepotea sehemu ambayo anaishi.
Like a bird wandering from the place of her eggs is a man wandering from his station.
9 Pafumu na manukato huufanya moyo ufurahi, lakini utamu wa rafiki ni bora kuliko ushauri wake.
Oil and perfume make glad the heart, and the wise suggestion of a friend is sweet to the soul.
10 Usimwache rafiki yako na rafiki wa baba yako, na usiende kwenye nyumba ya ndugu yako katika siku ya msiba wako. Ni bora rafiki ambaye yupo karibu kuliko ndugu ambaye yupo mbali.
Do not give up your friend and your father's friend; and do not go into your brother's house in the day of your trouble: better is a neighbour who is near than a brother far off.
11 Mwanangu, uwe na busara, moyo wangu ufurahi; kisha nitamjibu yule anayenidhihaki.
My son, be wise and make my heart glad, so that I may give back an answer to him who puts me to shame.
12 Mtu mwenye busara huiona taabu na kujificha mwenyewe, lakini mjinga huendelea mbele na kuteseka kwa ajili ya taabu.
The sharp man sees the evil and takes cover: the simple go straight on and get into trouble.
13 vazi kama mwenyewe anaweka pesa kama dhamana kwa deni la mgeni; lichukue kama anaweka dhamana kwa malaya.
Take a man's clothing if he makes himself responsible for a strange man, and get an undertaking from him who gives his word for strange men.
14 Anayempa jirani yake baraka kwa sauti ya juu mapema asubuhi, baraka hiyo itafikiriwa kuwa laana!
He who gives a blessing to his friend with a loud voice, getting up early in the morning, will have it put to his account as a curse.
15 Mke mgomvi ni kama siku ya manyunyu ya mvua ya daima;
Like an unending dropping on a day of rain is a bitter-tongued woman.
16 kumzuia ni kama kuuzuia upepo, au kujaribu kushika mafuta kwa mkono wako wa kulia.
He who keeps secret the secret of his friend, will get himself a name for good faith.
17 Chuma hunoa chuma; kwa njia ile ile; mtu humnoa rafiki yake.
Iron makes iron sharp; so a man makes sharp his friend.
18 Yule anayeutunza mtini atakula matunda yake, na yule mwenye kumlinda bwana wake ataheshimiwa.
Whoever keeps a fig-tree will have its fruit; and the servant waiting on his master will be honoured.
19 Kama maji yanavyoakisi taswira ya sura ya mtu, ndivyo hivyo moyo wa mtu humwaksi mtu.
Like face looking at face in water, so are the hearts of men to one another.
20 Kama kuzimu na Uharibifu havitosheki, ndivyo yalivyo macho ya mtu hayawezi kutosheka. (Sheol h7585)
The underworld and Abaddon are never full, and the eyes of man have never enough. (Sheol h7585)
21 Kalibu ni kwa fedha na tanuru ni kwa dhahabu; na mtu hujaribiwa anaposifiwa.
The heating-pot is for silver and the oven-fire for gold, and a man is measured by what he is praised for.
22 Hata kama utamponda mpumbavu kwa mchI- pamoja na nafaka- bado upumbavu wake hautatoka.
Even if a foolish man is crushed with a hammer in a vessel among crushed grain, still his foolish ways will not go from him.
23 Hakikisha unajua hali ya makundi yako na ujishughulishe juu ya makundi yako,
Take care to have knowledge about the condition of your flocks, looking well after your herds;
24 maana utajiri haudumu daima. Je taji hudumu kwa vizazi vyote?
For wealth is not for ever, and money does not go on for all generations.
25 Majani huondoka na ukuaji mpya huonekana na milima ya chakula cha mifugo hukusanywa ndani.
The grass comes up and the young grass is seen, and the mountain plants are got in.
26 Wanakondoo watakupatia mavazi yako na mbuzi watakupatia gharama ya shamba.
The lambs are for your clothing, and the he-goats make the value of a field:
27 Kutakuwa na maziwa ya mbuzi kwa chakula chako- chakula kwa kaya yako- na chakula kwa watumishi wako wasichana.
There will be goats' milk enough for your food, and for the support of your servant-girls.
