Mithali 5
1 Mwanangu, zingatia hekima yangu; sikiliza kwa makini ufahamu wangu,
My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow your ear to my understanding:
2 ili ujifunze busara na midomo yako iweze kuhifadhi maarifa.
That you may regard discretion, and that your lips may keep knowledge.
3 Maana midomo ya malaya hutiririsha asali na kinywa chake ni laini kuliko mafuta,
For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
4 lakini mwishoni anakuwa mchungu kama mnyoo, hukata kama upunga mkali.
But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. (Sheol h7585)
6 Hafikirii njia ya uzima. Hatua za miguu yake hupotea, maana hajui anakwenda wapi.
Lest you should ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that you can not know them.
7 Sasa, wanangu, nisikilizeni; wala msiache kusikiliza maneno ya kinywa changu.
Hear me now therefore, O all of you children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
8 Lindeni njia yenu mbali naye wala msiende karibu na mlango wa nyumba yake.
Remove your way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
9 Kwa njia hiyo hamtawapa wengine heshima yenu au miaka ya uzima wenu kwa mtu mkatiri;
Lest you give your honour unto others, and your years unto the cruel:
10 wageni usije kufanya karamu kwa utajiri wenu; kazi mliyoifanya haitaenda katika nyumba ya wageni.
Lest strangers be filled with your wealth; and your labours be in the house of a stranger;
11 Mwishoni mwa maisha yenu mtajuta ambapo nyama na mwili wenu vitaangamia.
And you mourn at the last, when your flesh and your body are consumed,
12 Nanyi mtasema, “Namna gani nilichukia fundisho na moyo wangu ulidharau sahihisho!
And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
13 Sikuweza kuwatii walimu wangu au kuwasikiliza walionielekeza.
And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
14 Nilikuwa nimeharibika kabisa katikati ya kusanyiko, miongoni mwa makutano ya watu.”
I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
15 Munywe maji kutoka kwenye birika lenu mwenyewe na munywe maji yanatiririka kutoka kwenye kisima chenu.
Drink waters out of your own cistern, and running waters out of your own well.
16 Je inapaswa chemichemi yenu ifurike popote na mifereji yenu ya maji itiririke katika njia kuu?
Let your fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
17 Yawe yenu wenyewe peke yenu wala si kwa wageni.
Let them be only your own, and not strangers' with you.
18 Chemichemi yako ibarikiwe na umfurahie mke wa ujana wako.
Let your fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of your youth.
19 Maana ni ayala apendezaye na kulungu mwenye uzuri. Matiti yake na yakujaze furaha muda wote; daima na utekwe na upendo wake.
Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy you at all times; and be you ravished always with her love.
20 Mwanangu, kwa nini uwe mateka wa malaya, kwa nini uyakumbatie matiti ya mwanamke mgeni?
And why will you, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
21 Yehova huona kila kitu afanyacho mtu na huangalia mapito yake yote.
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his activities.
22 Mtu mwovu atatekwa na makosa yake mwenyewe; kamba za dhambi yake zitamnasa kwa nguvu.
His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be held with the cords of his sins.
23 Atakufa kwa kukosa maonyo; atapotelea mbali kwa upumbavu wake wingi.
He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
