Mithali 30
1 Maneno ya Aguri mwana wa Yake - mausia: Mtu huyu alimwambia Ithieli, kwa Ithiel na Ukali:
Words of a Gatherer, son of an obedient one, the declaration, an affirmation of the man: — I have wearied myself [for] God, I have wearied myself [for] God, and am consumed.
2 Hakika nipo kama mnyama kuliko mwanadamu na sina ufahamu wa wanadamu.
For I am more brutish than any one, And have not the understanding of a man.
3 Sijajifunza hekima, wala sina maarifa ya Mtakatifu.
Nor have I learned wisdom, Yet the knowledge of Holy Ones I know.
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 went up to heaven, and cometh down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound waters in a garment? Who established all ends of the earth? What [is] His name? and what His son's name? Surely thou knowest!
5 Kila neno la Mungu limejaribiwa, yeye ni ngao kwa wale wanaokimbilia kwake.
Every saying of God [is] tried, A shield He [is] to those trusting in Him.
6 Usiyaongezee maneno haya, au atakukemea, na utathibitishwa kuwa mwongo.
Add not to His words, lest He reason with thee, And thou hast been found false.
7 Vitu viwili ninakuomba, usivikatalie kwangu kabla sijafa:
Two things I have asked from Thee, Withhold not from me before I die.
8 Majivuno na uongo viweke mbali nami. Usinipe umasikini wala utajiri, nipe tu chakula ninachohitaji.
Vanity and a lying word put far from me, Poverty or wealth give not to me, Cause me to eat the bread of my portion,
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 become satiated, and have denied, And have said, 'Who [is] Jehovah?' And lest I be poor, and have stolen, And have laid hold of the name of my God.
10 Usimkashifu mtumwa mbele ya bwana wake, au atakulaani na utapata hatia.
Accuse not a servant unto his lord, Lest he disesteem thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 Kizazi ambacho kinachomlaa baba yao na hakimbariki mama yao,
A generation [is], that lightly esteemeth their father, And their mother doth not bless.
12 kizazi hicho ni safi katika macho yao wenyewe, lakini hawajaoshwa uchafu wao.
A generation — pure in their own eyes, But from their own filth not washed.
13 Hicho ni kizazi- jinsi gani macho yao yanakiburi na kope zao zimeinuka juu! -
A generation — how high are their eyes, Yea, 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 — swords [are] their teeth, And knives — their jaw-teeth, To consume the poor from earth, And the needy from [among] men.
15 Ruba anamabinti wawili, “Toa na Toa” wanalia. Kuna vitu vitatu ambavyo havitosheki, vinne ambavyo havisememi, “Inatosha”:
To the leech [are] two daughters, 'Give, give, Lo, three things are not satisfied, Four have not said 'Sufficiency;'
Sheol, and a restrained womb, Earth — it [is] not satisfied [with] water, And fire — it hath not said, 'Sufficiency,' (Sheol h7585)
17 Jicho ambalo linamdhihaki baba na kudharau utii kwa mama, macho yake yatadonolewa na kunguru wa bondeni, na ataliwa na tai.
An eye that mocketh at a father, And despiseth to obey a mother, Dig it out do ravens of the valley, And eat it do young eagles.
18 Kuna vitu vitatu ambavyo vinanishangaza, vinne ambavyo sivifahamu:
Three things have been too wonderful for me, Yea, four that I have not known:
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 the eagle in the heavens, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the heart of the sea, And the way of a man in youth.
20 Hii ni njia ya mzinzi- anakula na kufuta kinywa chake na kusema, “sijafanya ubaya wowote.”
So — the way of an adulterous woman, She hath eaten and hath wiped her mouth, And hath said, 'I have not done iniquity.'
21 Chini ya vitu vitatu dunia hutetemeka na vinne haiwezi kuvivumilia:
For three things hath earth been troubled, And for four — it is not able to bear:
22 mtumwa anapokuwa mfalme; mpumbavu anaposhiba vyakula;
For a servant when he reigneth, And a fool when he is satisfied with bread,
23 mwanamke anayechukiwa anapoolewa; kijakazi anapochukua nafasi ya mkuu wake.
For a hated one when she ruleth, And a maid-servant when she succeedeth her mistress.
24 Vitu vinne duniani ni vidogo na bado vinabusara:
Four [are] little ones of earth, And they are made wiser than the wise:
25 mchwa ni viumbe ambao sio imara, lakini huandaa chakula chao wakati wa hari,
The ants [are] a people not strong, And they prepare in summer their food,
26 Wibari siyo viumbe wenye nguvu, lakini hutengeneza makazi yake kwenye miamba.
Conies [are] a people not strong, And they place in a rock their house,
27 Nzige hawana mfalme, lakini wote wanamwendo wa mpangilio.
A king there is not to the locust, And it goeth out — each one shouting,
28 Kama mjusi, unaweza kumkunja kwa mikono yako miwili, lakini wanapatikana katika majumba ya wafalme.
A spider with two hands taketh hold, And is in the palaces of a king.
29 Kuna vitu vitatu ambavyo ni fahari katika mwendo na vinne ambavyo ni fahari katika namna ya kutembea:
Three there are going well, Yea, four are good in going:
30 simba, aliyeimara miongoni mwa wanyama- wala hajiepushi na kitu chochote;
An old lion — mighty among beasts, That turneth not back from the face of any,
31 jogoo anayetembea kwa mikogo; mbuzi; na mfalme ambaye askari wapo kando yake.
A girt one of the loins, or a he-goat, And a king — no rising up with him.
32 Kama umekuwa mpumbavu, jitukuze mwenyewe, au kama umekuwa ukisimamia vibaya- weka mkono wako juu ya kinywa chako.
If thou hast been foolish in lifting up thyself, And if thou hast devised evil — hand to mouth!
33 Kama kusuka maziwa hufanya siagi na pua ya mtu hutoa damu kama imepigwa, basi matendo yanayofanywa kwa hasira huzalisha mafarakano.
For the churning of milk bringeth out butter, And the wringing of the nose bringeth out blood, And the forcing of anger bringeth out strife!
