Mithali 8
1 Je hekima haiti? Je ufahamu hapazi sauti yake?
Is not wisdom crying out, and the voice of knowledge sounding?
2 Juu ya kilima kando ya barabara, kwenye njia panda, hekima anasimama.
At the top of the highways, at the meeting of the roads, she takes her place;
3 Kando ya njia ya kuingilia mjini, karibu na milango ya mji, anaita kwa sauti.
Where the roads go into the town her cry goes out, at the doorways her voice is loud:
4 Watu, ninawaita ninyi na ninapaza sauti yangu kwa wana wa wanadamu.
I am crying out to you, O men; my voice comes to the sons of men.
5 Ninyi wajinga, jifunzeni hekima, na ninyi mnaochukia maarifa, lazima mjipatieni moyo wa ufahamu.
Become expert in reason, O you simple ones; you foolish ones, take training to heart.
6 Sikiliza na mimi nitasema mambo mazuri na nifumbuapo midomo yangu nitaongea haki.
Give ear, for my words are true, and my lips are open to give out what is upright.
7 Maana kinywa changu hunena uaminifu na midomo yangu huchukia uovu.
For good faith goes out of my mouth, and false lips are disgusting to me.
8 Maneno ya kinywa changu yote ni haki; hakuna kilichogeuzwa wala kupotoshwa.
All the words of my mouth are righteousness; there is nothing false or twisted in them.
9 Maneno yangu yote yamenyooka kwa yule mwenye kuelewa; maneno yangu ni haki kwa wale wanaotafuta maarifa.
They are all true to him whose mind is awake, and straightforward to those who get knowledge.
10 Chagua fundisho langu badala ya fedha na maarifa kuliko dhahabu safi.
Take my teaching, and not silver; get knowledge in place of the best gold.
11 Maana mimi, hekima ni bora kuliko vito; hakuna unachokitamani kinaweza kulinganishwa na mimi.
For wisdom is better than jewels, and all things which may be desired are nothing in comparison with her.
12 Mimi, hekima, naishi kwa utaratibu, na ninamiliki maarifa na busara.
I, wisdom, have made wise behaviour my near relation; I am seen to be the special friend of wise purposes.
13 Hofu ya Mungu ni kuchukia uovu- nachukia majivuno na kiburi, njia ya uovu, na kauli iliyopotoka- hivyo ninavichukia.
The fear of the Lord is seen in hating evil: pride, a high opinion of oneself, the evil way, and the false tongue, are unpleasing to me.
14 Ninaushauri mzuri na hekima sahihi; mimi ni busara; nguvu zipo kwangu.
Wise design and good sense are mine; reason and strength are mine.
15 Kwa njia yangu wafalme hutawala- pia na waungwana, na wote ambao hutawala kwa haki.
Through me kings have their power, and rulers give right decisions.
16 Kwa njia yangu wafalme hutawala na waungwana na wote wanaotawala kwa haki.
Through me chiefs have authority, and the noble ones are judging in righteousness.
17 Nawapenda wale wanaonipenda, na wale wanaonitafuta kwa bidii, wataniona.
Those who have given me their love are loved by me, and those who make search for me with care will get me.
18 Kwangu kunautajiri na heshima, utajiri wa kudumu na haki.
Wealth and honour are in my hands, even wealth without equal and righteousness.
19 Tunda langu ni bora kuliko dhahabu, bora hata kuliko dhahabu safi.
My fruit is better than gold, even than the best gold; and my increase is more to be desired than silver.
20 Ninazalisha kilicho bora kuliko fedha safi. Natembea katika njia ya haki,
I go in the road of righteousness, in the way of right judging:
21 katika mapito ambayo huelekea kwenye haki, ili niwape urithi wale wanaonipenda na kuzijaza hazina zao.
So that I may give my lovers wealth for their heritage, making their store-houses full.
22 Yehova aliniumba tokea mwanzo- mwazoni mwa matendo yake ya nyakati za kale.
The Lord made me as the start of his way, the first of his works in the past.
23 Tokea enzi za kale niliwekwa katika nafasi- tokea kwanza, tokea mwanzo wa dunia.
From eternal days I was given my place, from the birth of time, before the earth was.
24 Kabla ya bahari, mimi nilizaliwa- kabla ya kuwepo chemchemi zenye maji tele.
When there was no deep I was given birth, when there were no fountains flowing with water.
25 Kabla ya milima na vilima kuwekwa, mimi nilizaliwa.
Before the mountains were put in their places, before the hills was my birth:
26 Nilizaliwa kabla ya Yehova hajaiumba dunia wala makonde, hata mavumbi ya kwanza katika dunia.
When he had not made the earth or the fields or the dust of the world.
27 Nilikuwepo alipoziimarisha mbingu, wakati alipochora mstari katika sura ya kilindi.
When he made ready the heavens I was there: when he put an arch over the face of the deep:
28 Nilikuwepo alipoimarisha anga la juu na wakati wa kutengeneza kina cha chemchemi.
When he made strong the skies overhead: when the fountains of the deep were fixed:
29 Nilikuwepo alipotengeneza mipaka ya bahari, ili maji yasisambae kuvuka pale alipoyaamuru, na wakati anaamuru misingi ya dunia sehemu ya kukaa.
When he put a limit to the sea, so that the waters might not go against his word: when he put in position the bases of the earth:
30 Nilikuwa kando yake, kama fundistadi mkuu, na mimi nilikuwa furaha yake siku kwa siku, nikifurahi mbele zake daima.
Then I was by his side, as a master workman: and I was his delight from day to day, playing before him at all times;
31 Nilikuwa nikifurahi katika dunia yake yote na furaha yangu ilikuwa kwa wana wa wanadamu.
Playing in his earth; and my delight was with the sons of men.
32 Na sasa, wanangu, nisikilizeni, maana wale wazishikao njia zangu watakuwa na furaha.
Give ear to me then, my sons: for happy are those who keep my ways.
33 Sikilizeni fundisho langu na mpate hekima; wala msilipuuze.
Take my teaching and be wise; do not let it go.
34 Anisikilizaye atakuwa na furaha- kila siku akitazama katika malango yangu, akinisubiri pembeni mwa milango ya masikani yangu.
Happy is the man who gives ear to me, watching at my doors day by day, keeping his place by the pillars of my house.
35 Maana yeyote anionaye mimi, anapata uzima, naye atapata kibali kwa Yehova.
For whoever gets me gets life, and grace from the Lord will come to him.
36 Na yeyote asiyeniona mimi, hujiumiza mwenyewe, wote wanaonichukia hupenda mauti.
But he who does evil to me, does wrong to his soul: all my haters are in love with death.
