Mithali 28
1 Waovu hukimbia wakati hakuna mtu anayewafukuza, bali wale watendao haki ni thabiti kama simba kijana.
Wicked [people] run away [even] when no one is pursuing them, but righteous/good [people are not afraid]; they are as brave as lions.
2 Kwa sababu ya uhalifu wa nchi, kuna wakuu wengi, bali kwa mtu mwenye ufahamu na maarifa, itadumu kwa muda mrefu.
When [the people of] a nation sin, they will have one ruler after another; but when their leaders are wise and have good sense, their government will last for a long time.
3 Mtu masikini mwenye kukandamiza watu wengine masikini ni kama mvua inayopiga ambayo haisazi chakula.
A poor person who oppresses [other] poor [people] is [like] [MET] a very heavy/hard rain that [destroys the crops], with the result that there is no food [for people to eat].
4 Wale wanaokataa sheria huwatukuza watu waovu, bali wale wenye kuitunza sheria hupigana dhidi yao.
Those who reject/disobey [God’s] laws always speak well of wicked [people]; but those who obey [God’s] laws [always] oppose what wicked people do.
5 Watu wabaya hawafahamu haki, bali wale wanaomtafuta Yehova wanafahamu kila kitu.
Evil people do not understand what it means to act justly, but those who try to obey/worship Yahweh understand that very well.
6 Ni bora mtu masikini ambaye anatembea katika uadilifu, kuliko mtu tajiri ambaye ni mdanganyifu katika njia zake.
It is better to be honest [even] though you are poor than to be dishonest [even] though you are rich.
7 Yeye anayetunza sheria ni mwana mwenye ufahamu, bali mwenye ushirika na walafi humwaibisha baba yake.
Young people who obey the laws are wise [IDM]; parents whose children associate with those who (carouse/go to wild parties) are humiliated/disgraced because of what their children do.
8 Anayepata mafanikio kwa kutoza riba kubwa anakusanya utajiri wake kwa ajili ya mwingine ambaye atakuwa na huruma kwa watu masikini.
When people become very rich by charging very high interest [DOU], their money will [eventually] go to someone who does kind things for the poor.
9 Kama mtu atageuzia mbali sikio lake kusikia sheria, hata maombi yake ni chukizo.
If people do not obey [MTY] [God’s] laws, [God] (detests their prayers/considers that their prayers stink).
10 Yeye anayempotosha mwenye uadilifu katika njia ya uovu ataangukia kwenye shimo lake mwenyewe, bali wakamilifu watapata urithi mwema.
Those who cause honest/good [people] to do what is evil will fall into their own pits/traps, but good things will happen to those who (are innocent/have not done what is wrong).
11 Mtu tajiri anaweza kuwa mwenye hekima machoni pake mwenyewe, bali mtu masikini mwenye ufahamu atamtafuta.
[Many] rich people think that they are wise, but poor people who have good sense will find out whether rich people really are wise or not.
12 Kunapokuwa na ushindi kwa wenye kutenda haki, kunafuraha kuu, bali wanapoinuka waovu, watu hujificha wenyewe.
When righteous/good [people] (succeed/win [elections]), everyone (celebrates/is happy); but when wicked [people win], everyone hides [because they are afraid of what the wicked people will do].
13 Yeye afichaye dhambi zake hatafanikiwa, bali mwenye kutubu na kuziacha ataonyeshwa rehema.
Those who refuse to confess/admit their sins will not prosper, but [God] acts mercifully/kindly toward those who confess their sins and turn away from their sinful behavior.
14 Anafuraha ambaye huishi kwa unyenyekevu, bali anayeufanya moyo wake ataanguka katika taabu.
[God] is pleased with those who always revere him, but those who are stubborn [IDM] will experience disasters.
15 Kama simba anayeunguruma au dubu anayeshabulia ni kama mtawala mwovu juu ya watu masikini.
Wicked people who [mistreat] poor people whom they rule are [as dangerous to them as] [SIM] a lion roaring [at them] or a bear springing up [to attack them].
16 Mtawala anayekosa ufahamu ni mkandamizaji katili, bali mwenye kuchukia aibu atadumu katika siku zake.
Rulers who do not have good sense cruelly oppress [the people they rule], but rulers who do not want to become rich by cheating/deceiving [people] will live (OR, rule) for a long time.
17 Kama mtu anahatia kwa sababu amemwaga damu ya mtu, atakuwa mkimbizi hadi kifo na hakuna atakayemsaidia.
Those who are guilty of murdering [MTY] another person will (be fugitives/keep running away) until they die; do not help them to escape.
18 Mwenye kuenenda kwa ukaminifu atakuwa salama, bali mwenye njia ya udanganyifu ataanguka ghafla.
Those who [continually] do what is right will be safe/protected, but those who are dishonest will [suddenly] be ruined.
19 Anayefanya kazi kwenye shamba lake atapata chakula kingi, bali afuataye shughuli za upuuzi atapata umasikini mkubwa.
Farmers who work [hard] in their fields will [produce good crops and always] have plenty of food [to eat], but those who spend all their time (on useless projects/doing things that do not benefit anyone) will become very poor.
20 Mtu mwaminifu atapata baraka nyingi bali apataye utajiri wa haraka hawezi kukosa adhabu.
[God] will greatly bless those who (are trustworthy/always do what they say that they will do), but he will certainly punish [LIT] those who try to become rich quickly.
21 Siyo vema kuonyesha upendeleo, lakini kwa kipande cha mkate mtu atafanya ubaya.
It is not good [for judges] to decide matters unfairly/unjustly, but [some] people will do what is wrong [even] if they receive [only] a very small bribe [HYP] [for doing it].
22 Mtu mchoyo huharakisha kwenye utajiri, lakini hajui ni umasikini gani utakuja juu yake.
Selfish people [IDM] are very eager to become rich quickly; they do not realize that they will [soon] become poor.
23 Anayemkaripia mtu baadaye atapata fadhila zaidi kutoka kwake kuliko mwenye kumsifia sana kwa ulimi wake.
Those who rebuke someone will be appreciated/thanked more than those who [say nice things to others merely] to (flatter them/cause them to feel good).
24 Yule anayemwibia baba yake na mama yake na kusema, “Hiyo siyo dhambi,” ni mshirika wa mwenye kuharibu.
Anyone who steals things from his father or his mother and says “That is not sinful” is as bad as a bandit.
25 Mtu mwenye tamaa huchochea mafarakano, bali anayemtumaini Yehova atafanikiwa.
Greedy people cause trouble/strife; those who trust in Yahweh will prosper [IDM].
26 Yule anayeutumaini moyo wake mwenyewe ni mpumbavu, bali anayekwenda kwa hekima atajilinda mbali na hatari.
Those who believe that what they think [is always right] are foolish; those who act wisely will (escape danger/be safe).
27 Mwenye kuwapa masikini hatapungukiwa kitu, bali anayewafumbia macho atapokea laana nyingi.
Those who give things to poor [people] will not become poor, but many [people] will curse those who refuse to help [IDM] poor people.
28 Watu waovu wanapoinuka, watu hujificha wenyewe, lakini watu waovu wataangamia, wale watendao haki wataongezeka.
When wicked [people] become rulers, people hide [because they are afraid of what those wicked people will do]; but when wicked people are no longer rulers, good/righteous [people will] become the rulers.
