Mithali 30
1 Maneno ya Aguri mwana wa Yake - mausia: Mtu huyu alimwambia Ithieli, kwa Ithiel na Ukali:
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the prophecy uttered by the man unto Ithiel, [even] unto Ithiel and Ucal:
2 Hakika nipo kama mnyama kuliko mwanadamu na sina ufahamu wa wanadamu.
Truly I am more stupid than any one; and I have not a man's intelligence.
3 Sijajifunza hekima, wala sina maarifa ya Mtakatifu.
I have neither learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy.
4 Je ni nani amekwenda juu mbinguni na kurudi chini? Je ni nani aliyekusanya upepo kwenye mikono yake? Je ni nani aliyekusanya maji kwenye kanzu? Je ni nani aliyeziimarisha ncha za dunia yote? Jina lake ni nani, na jina la mtoto wake ni nani? Hakika unajua!
Who hath ascended up into the heavens, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a mantle? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?
5 Kila neno la Mungu limejaribiwa, yeye ni ngao kwa wale wanaokimbilia kwake.
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6 Usiyaongezee maneno haya, au atakukemea, na utathibitishwa kuwa mwongo.
Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Vitu viwili ninakuomba, usivikatalie kwangu kabla sijafa:
Two things do I ask of thee; deny me [them] not before I die:
8 Majivuno na uongo viweke mbali nami. Usinipe umasikini wala utajiri, nipe tu chakula ninachohitaji.
Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my daily need:
9 Maana nikipata vingi zaidi, nitakukana wewe na kusema, “Yehova ni nani?” Au kama nitakuwa masikini, nitaiba na kukufuru jina la Mungu wangu.
lest I be full and deny [thee], and say, Who is Jehovah? or lest I be poor and steal, and outrage the name of my God.
10 Usimkashifu mtumwa mbele ya bwana wake, au atakulaani na utapata hatia.
Speak not too much about a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.
11 Kizazi ambacho kinachomlaa baba yao na hakimbariki mama yao,
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother;
12 kizazi hicho ni safi katika macho yao wenyewe, lakini hawajaoshwa uchafu wao.
there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness;
13 Hicho ni kizazi- jinsi gani macho yao yanakiburi na kope zao zimeinuka juu! -
there is a generation, — how lofty are their eyes, how their eyelids are lifted up!
14 kuna kizazi ambacho meno yao ni upanga, na mifupa ya taya zao ni visu, ili waweze kumrarua masikini wamtoe duniani na mhitaji atoke miongoni mwa wanadamu.
— a generation whose teeth are swords, and their jaw-teeth knives, to devour the afflicted from off the earth, and the needy from [among] men.
15 Ruba anamabinti wawili, “Toa na Toa” wanalia. Kuna vitu vitatu ambavyo havitosheki, vinne ambavyo havisememi, “Inatosha”:
The leech hath two daughters: Give, give. There are three [things] never satisfied; four which say not, It is enough:
— Sheol, and the barren womb; the earth which is not filled with water, and the fire which saith not, It is enough. (Sheol h7585)
17 Jicho ambalo linamdhihaki baba na kudharau utii kwa mama, macho yake yatadonolewa na kunguru wa bondeni, na ataliwa na tai.
The eye that mocketh at a father, and despiseth to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 Kuna vitu vitatu ambavyo vinanishangaza, vinne ambavyo sivifahamu:
There are three [things] too wonderful for me, and four that I know not:
19 njia ya tai angani; njia ya nyoka juu ya mwamba; njia ya meli kwenye moyo wa bahari; na njia ya mtu pamoja mwanake kijana.
The way of an eagle in the heavens, the way of a serpent upon a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a maid.
20 Hii ni njia ya mzinzi- anakula na kufuta kinywa chake na kusema, “sijafanya ubaya wowote.”
Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21 Chini ya vitu vitatu dunia hutetemeka na vinne haiwezi kuvivumilia:
Under three [things] the earth is disquieted, and under four it cannot bear up:
22 mtumwa anapokuwa mfalme; mpumbavu anaposhiba vyakula;
Under a servant when he reigneth, and a churl when he is filled with meat;
23 mwanamke anayechukiwa anapoolewa; kijakazi anapochukua nafasi ya mkuu wake.
under an odious [woman] when she is married, and a handmaid when she is heir to her mistress.
24 Vitu vinne duniani ni vidogo na bado vinabusara:
There are four [things] little upon the earth, and they are exceeding wise:
25 mchwa ni viumbe ambao sio imara, lakini huandaa chakula chao wakati wa hari,
The ants, a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
26 Wibari siyo viumbe wenye nguvu, lakini hutengeneza makazi yake kwenye miamba.
the rock-badgers are but a feeble folk, yet they make their house in the cliff;
27 Nzige hawana mfalme, lakini wote wanamwendo wa mpangilio.
the locusts have no king, yet they go forth all of them by bands;
28 Kama mjusi, unaweza kumkunja kwa mikono yako miwili, lakini wanapatikana katika majumba ya wafalme.
thou takest hold of the lizard with the hands, yet is she in kings' palaces.
29 Kuna vitu vitatu ambavyo ni fahari katika mwendo na vinne ambavyo ni fahari katika namna ya kutembea:
There are three [things] which have a stately step, and four are comely in going:
30 simba, aliyeimara miongoni mwa wanyama- wala hajiepushi na kitu chochote;
The lion, mighty among beasts, which turneth not away for any;
31 jogoo anayetembea kwa mikogo; mbuzi; na mfalme ambaye askari wapo kando yake.
a [horse] girt in the loins; or the he-goat; and a king, against whom none can rise up.
32 Kama umekuwa mpumbavu, jitukuze mwenyewe, au kama umekuwa ukisimamia vibaya- weka mkono wako juu ya kinywa chako.
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] the hand upon thy mouth.
33 Kama kusuka maziwa hufanya siagi na pua ya mtu hutoa damu kama imepigwa, basi matendo yanayofanywa kwa hasira huzalisha mafarakano.
For the pressing of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood; and the pressing of anger bringeth forth strife.
