Mithali 29
1 Mtu aliyepokea makaripio mengi lakini anashupaza shingo yake atavunjika ndani ya muda mfupi na hata pona.
Some people remain stubborn [IDM] [even] though they are often reproved/warned [about doing what is wrong], [but some day] they will be crushed/ruined, and nothing will be able to heal them.
2 Watenda mema wanapoongezeka, watu wanafurahi, bali wakati mtu mwovu anapotawala, watu huugua.
When righteous [people] are rulers, people are happy, but when wicked [people] rule, people (groan/are miserable).
3 Mwenye kupenda hekima baba yake anafurahi, bali anayeshikamana na makahaba huuharibu utajiri wake.
Those who are eager to become wise cause their parents to be glad; those who spend their time with prostitutes will end up giving all their money to them.
4 Mfalme huimarisha nchi kwa haki, bali mwenye kudai rushwa huirarua.
When a king rules justly/fairly, he causes his nation to be strong, but a king who is concerned [only] with getting more money from the people ruins his nation.
5 Mtu anayejipendekeza kwa jirani yake anatandaza wavu kwenye miguu yake.
Those who (flatter others/say nice things to others [merely] to cause them to feel good) are really setting a trap for them (OR, for themselves) [SYN].
6 Mtu mbaya hunaswa kwenye mtego wa dhambi yake mwenyewe, bali yeye atendaye haki huimba na kufurahi.
Evil people will be trapped by the sins that they commit, but righteous/honest people will sing and be joyful/happy.
7 Atendaye haki hutetea madai ya masikini; mtu mwovu hafahamu maarifa kama hayo.
Righteous/Good people know that poor [people] should be treated fairly/justly, [but] wicked people (are not concerned about/do not pay attention to) those matters at all.
8 Mwenye dhihaka huutia moto mji, bali wale wenye busara huigeuza ghadhabu.
Those who make fun of [everything that is good say things that] cause [everyone in] the city to (be agitated/in turmoil); those who are wise enable [people] to remain calm.
9 Mtu mwenye busara anapojadiliana na mpumbavu, hughadhabika na kucheka, hakutakuwa na utulivu.
If a wise person sues a foolish person, the foolish person merely laughs [at him] and yells [at him] and will not be quiet (OR, [the dispute will] not be resolved).
10 Mkatili humchukia mwenye ukamilifu na hutafuta maisha ya mwenye haki.
Those who murder others hate people who (are honest/always do what is right), but righteous [people] try to protect them.
11 Mpumabavu huonyesha hasira yake, bali mtu mwenye busara huishikilia na kujituliza mwenyewe.
People who are wise are patient and restrain/control themselves when they are angry, but foolish people (quickly show others that they are very angry/do not restrain themselves at all).
12 Kama matawala atazinagatia uongo, maafisa wake wote watakuwa waovu.
If a ruler (pays attention to/believes) [people who tell] lies, all his officials will [also] become wicked.
13 Mtu masikini na mkandamizaji wanafanana, maana Yehova huyapa nuru macho yao wote.
There is one thing that is true about both poor people and those who oppress them: Yahweh enables all of them to see.
14 Kama mfalme atamhukumu masikini kwa uaminifu, kiti chake cha enzi kitaimarishwa milele.
If kings judge poor [people] fairly, they will continue to rule for a long time.
15 Fimbo na maonyo huleta hekima, bali mtoto huru mbali na makaripio humwaibisha mama yake.
If children are punished/spanked and reproved/warned, they become wise; but if they are allowed to do whatever they want to do, they [do things that] cause their mothers to be ashamed of them.
16 Watu waovu wanapotawala, uovu huongezeka, bali wenye kutenda haki wataona anguko la watu waovu.
When wicked [people] rule, there are more crimes committed {people commit more crimes}, but [some day] those wicked people will (be defeated/no longer rule), and righteous [people] will see that happen.
17 Mwadibishe mwanao naye atakupa pumziko; ataleta furaha katika maisha yako.
If you discipline your children, they will no longer [do things that] will cause you to be worried; instead, they [will do things that] will delight you [SYN].
18 Pasipo na maono ya kinabii watu huenda bila utaratibu, bali mwenye kuitunza sheria amebarikiwa.
When the people [of a nation] do not receive messages that come directly from God, they do not control their behavior. [God] is pleased with those who obey his laws.
19 Mtumwa hawezi kurekebishwa kwa maneno, maana ingawa anaelewa, hakuna mwitikio.
It is not possible to correct/discipline servants only by talking to them; they understand what you are saying, but they do not pay attention to it.
20 Je unamwona mtu mwenye haraka katika maneno yake? Kuna matumaini zaidi kwa mpumbavu kuliko kwake.
[God] can help/bless foolish people more easily [RHQ] than he can help/bless people who speak without thinking first.
21 Mwenye kumdekeza mtumwa wake tangu ujana, mwisho wake itakuwa taabu.
If someone gives his servants everything that they want, starting from when they are young, some day those servants will take from him everything that he owns.
22 Mtu mwenye hasira huchochea ugomvi na bwana mwenye hasira sana hutenda dhambi nyingi.
Those who [quickly] become angry cause [many] arguments, and they [also] commit many sins.
23 Kiburi cha mtu humshusha chini, bali mwenye roho ya unyenyekevu atapewa heshima.
Proud people will be disgraced; those who are humble will be respected.
24 Anayeshirikiana na mwizi huyachukia maisha yake mwenyewe; husikia laana na wala hasemi chochote.
Those who help thieves [to steal] only hurt themselves; [when they are in court], they solemnly ask [God] to curse them [if they do not tell the truth], but they do not tell the truth [about the crime that was committed], [and as a result, God will curse them].
25 Kumwogopa binadamu ni mtego, bali mwenye kumtumaini Yehova atalindwa.
It is [like] a dangerous trap [MET] [for people] to be (afraid of/worried about) what others will think about them, but those who trust in Yahweh are safe/protected.
26 Wengi huutafuta uso wa mtawala, bali kutoka kwa Yehova huja haki kwa ajili yake.
Many [people] request rulers to do things to help them, but Yahweh is [the only one] who surely does for people what is fair/just.
27 Mtu dhalimu ni chukizo kwa wenye kutenda haki, bali mwenye njia ya haki ni chukizo kwa watu waovu.
Righteous [people] hate/detest those who do what is evil, and wicked [people] hate [those whose behavior is always] good.
