Mithali 30
1 Maneno ya Aguri mwana wa Yake - mausia: Mtu huyu alimwambia Ithieli, kwa Ithiel na Ukali:
The words of Agur, son of Jakeh, [even] the oracle, —The utterance of the man, for Ithiel, for Ithiel and Ucal.
2 Hakika nipo kama mnyama kuliko mwanadamu na sina ufahamu wa wanadamu.
Surely, more brutish, am, I, than any man, nor doth, the understanding of a son of earth, pertain to me;
3 Sijajifunza hekima, wala sina maarifa ya Mtakatifu.
Neither have I learned wisdom, nor, the knowledge of the Holy Ones, can I acquire.
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 the heavens and then descended? Who hath gathered the wind into his two hands? Who hath wrapped up the waters in a mantle? Who hath set up all the ends of the earth? What is his name and what the name of his son, when thou knowest?
5 Kila neno la Mungu limejaribiwa, yeye ni ngao kwa wale wanaokimbilia kwake.
Every saying of God is refined, A shield, is, he, to them who seek refuge in him.
6 Usiyaongezee maneno haya, au atakukemea, na utathibitishwa kuwa mwongo.
Do not add unto his words, lest he convict thee, and thou be found false.
7 Vitu viwili ninakuomba, usivikatalie kwangu kabla sijafa:
Two things, have I asked of thee, withhold them not from me, ere yet I die:
8 Majivuno na uongo viweke mbali nami. Usinipe umasikini wala utajiri, nipe tu chakula ninachohitaji.
Vanity and falsehood, remove far from me, Neither poverty nor riches, give me, Feed me with the food appointed me:
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, and say—Who is Yahweh? or lest I be impoverished and steal, and do violence to the Name of my God.
10 Usimkashifu mtumwa mbele ya bwana wake, au atakulaani na utapata hatia.
Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he revile thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 Kizazi ambacho kinachomlaa baba yao na hakimbariki mama yao,
A generation! Its father, it revileth, and, its mother, it doth not bless.
12 kizazi hicho ni safi katika macho yao wenyewe, lakini hawajaoshwa uchafu wao.
A generation! Pure in its own eyes, yet, from its filth, hath it not been bathed,
13 Hicho ni kizazi- jinsi gani macho yao yanakiburi na kope zao zimeinuka juu! -
A generation! How lofty are its eyes, and its eyelashes uplifted.
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! Swords, are its teeth, and, knives, its incisors, —to devour the humbled out of 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 vampire, hath two daughters, Give! Give! Three, there are will not be satisfied, four, have not said, Enough!
Hades, and barrenness, —A land not satisfied with water, and fire, that saith not, 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 a father, and despiseth to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young of the eagle shall eat it.
18 Kuna vitu vitatu ambavyo vinanishangaza, vinne ambavyo sivifahamu:
Three, things there are, too difficult for me, yea, four, which I do not understand:
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 on the rock, —the way of a ship in the heart 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.”
So, is the way of a woman committing adultery, —she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no iniquity!
21 Chini ya vitu vitatu dunia hutetemeka na vinne haiwezi kuvivumilia:
Under three things, a land is stirred, yea, under four, she cannot bear up:
22 mtumwa anapokuwa mfalme; mpumbavu anaposhiba vyakula;
Under a servant, when he reigneth, and a base man, when he is surfeited with food;
23 mwanamke anayechukiwa anapoolewa; kijakazi anapochukua nafasi ya mkuu wake.
Under a hateful woman, when she is married, and a handmaid when she driveth out her mistress.
24 Vitu vinne duniani ni vidogo na bado vinabusara:
Four, things there are, the small of the earth, —yet, they, are wiser than the wise:
25 mchwa ni viumbe ambao sio imara, lakini huandaa chakula chao wakati wa hari,
The ants, a people, not strong, —yet prepare they, in summer, their food;
26 Wibari siyo viumbe wenye nguvu, lakini hutengeneza makazi yake kwenye miamba.
The conies, a people of, no power, yet set they, among the crags, their house;
27 Nzige hawana mfalme, lakini wote wanamwendo wa mpangilio.
King, is there none, to, the locusts, —yet go forth in swarms, do they all;
28 Kama mjusi, unaweza kumkunja kwa mikono yako miwili, lakini wanapatikana katika majumba ya wafalme.
The lizard, with hands, reneweth its hold, —yet, the same, is in the palaces of the king.
29 Kuna vitu vitatu ambavyo ni fahari katika mwendo na vinne ambavyo ni fahari katika namna ya kutembea:
Three, things there are which step along well, ye, four, which excel in going:
30 simba, aliyeimara miongoni mwa wanyama- wala hajiepushi na kitu chochote;
The lion, hero among beasts, which turneth aside from the face of no one;
31 jogoo anayetembea kwa mikogo; mbuzi; na mfalme ambaye askari wapo kando yake.
The greyhound, or the he-goat, —and a king, having a band of soldiers with him.
32 Kama umekuwa mpumbavu, jitukuze mwenyewe, au kama umekuwa ukisimamia vibaya- weka mkono wako juu ya kinywa chako.
If thou hast acted basely by lifting thyself up, —if thou hast plotted evil, [put thy] hand to [thy] mouth!
33 Kama kusuka maziwa hufanya siagi na pua ya mtu hutoa damu kama imepigwa, basi matendo yanayofanywa kwa hasira huzalisha mafarakano.
Surely, the pressing of milk, bringeth forth curd, and, the pressing of the nose, bringeth forth blood, and, the pressing of wrath, bringeth forth strife.
