Mithali 8
1 Je hekima haiti? Je ufahamu hapazi sauti yake?
Does not wisdom call out, and prudence bestow her voice?
2 Juu ya kilima kando ya barabara, kwenye njia panda, hekima anasimama.
At the summits and the tops of exalted places, standing above the ways, in the midst of the paths,
3 Kando ya njia ya kuingilia mjini, karibu na milango ya mji, anaita kwa sauti.
beside the gates of the city, at the very doors, she speaks, saying:
4 Watu, ninawaita ninyi na ninapaza sauti yangu kwa wana wa wanadamu.
“O men, to you I call out, and my voice is to the sons of men.
5 Ninyi wajinga, jifunzeni hekima, na ninyi mnaochukia maarifa, lazima mjipatieni moyo wa ufahamu.
O little ones, understand discernment. And you who are unwise, turn your souls.
6 Sikiliza na mimi nitasema mambo mazuri na nifumbuapo midomo yangu nitaongea haki.
Listen, for I will speak about great things, and my lips will be opened, so as to foretell what is right.
7 Maana kinywa changu hunena uaminifu na midomo yangu huchukia uovu.
My throat shall practice truth, and my lips shall detest the impious.
8 Maneno ya kinywa changu yote ni haki; hakuna kilichogeuzwa wala kupotoshwa.
All my words are just. There is no depravity in them, and no perversity.
9 Maneno yangu yote yamenyooka kwa yule mwenye kuelewa; maneno yangu ni haki kwa wale wanaotafuta maarifa.
They are upright to those who understand, and equitable to those who discover knowledge.
10 Chagua fundisho langu badala ya fedha na maarifa kuliko dhahabu safi.
Accept my discipline, and not money. Choose the doctrine that is greater than gold.
11 Maana mimi, hekima ni bora kuliko vito; hakuna unachokitamani kinaweza kulinganishwa na mimi.
For wisdom is better than all that is most precious, and everything that is desirable cannot compare to her.
12 Mimi, hekima, naishi kwa utaratibu, na ninamiliki maarifa na busara.
I, wisdom, dwell in counsel, and I am inside learned thoughts.
13 Hofu ya Mungu ni kuchukia uovu- nachukia majivuno na kiburi, njia ya uovu, na kauli iliyopotoka- hivyo ninavichukia.
The fear of the Lord hates evil. I detest arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.
14 Ninaushauri mzuri na hekima sahihi; mimi ni busara; nguvu zipo kwangu.
Counsel is mine, and equity. Prudence is mine. Strength is mine.
15 Kwa njia yangu wafalme hutawala- pia na waungwana, na wote ambao hutawala kwa haki.
Through me, kings reign and legislators decree just conditions.
16 Kwa njia yangu wafalme hutawala na waungwana na wote wanaotawala kwa haki.
Through me, princes rule and the powerful decree justice.
17 Nawapenda wale wanaonipenda, na wale wanaonitafuta kwa bidii, wataniona.
I love those who love me. And those who stand watch for me until morning shall discover me.
18 Kwangu kunautajiri na heshima, utajiri wa kudumu na haki.
With me, are wealth and glory, superb riches and justice.
19 Tunda langu ni bora kuliko dhahabu, bora hata kuliko dhahabu safi.
For my fruit is better than gold and precious stones, and my progeny better than choice silver.
20 Ninazalisha kilicho bora kuliko fedha safi. Natembea katika njia ya haki,
I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,
21 katika mapito ambayo huelekea kwenye haki, ili niwape urithi wale wanaonipenda na kuzijaza hazina zao.
so that I may enrich those who love me, and thus complete their treasures.
22 Yehova aliniumba tokea mwanzo- mwazoni mwa matendo yake ya nyakati za kale.
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made anything, from the beginning.
23 Tokea enzi za kale niliwekwa katika nafasi- tokea kwanza, tokea mwanzo wa dunia.
I was ordained from eternity, and out of antiquity, before the earth was formed.
24 Kabla ya bahari, mimi nilizaliwa- kabla ya kuwepo chemchemi zenye maji tele.
The abyss did not yet exist, and I was already conceived; neither had the fountains of waters yet erupted.
25 Kabla ya milima na vilima kuwekwa, mimi nilizaliwa.
The mountains, with their great mass, had not yet been established. Before the hills, I was brought forth.
26 Nilizaliwa kabla ya Yehova hajaiumba dunia wala makonde, hata mavumbi ya kwanza katika dunia.
Still he had not made the earth, and the rivers, and the poles of the globe of the earth.
27 Nilikuwepo alipoziimarisha mbingu, wakati alipochora mstari katika sura ya kilindi.
I was already present: when he prepared the heavens; when, with a certain law and a circuit, he fortified the abyss;
28 Nilikuwepo alipoimarisha anga la juu na wakati wa kutengeneza kina cha chemchemi.
when he made firm the sky above, and set free the fountains of waters;
29 Nilikuwepo alipotengeneza mipaka ya bahari, ili maji yasisambae kuvuka pale alipoyaamuru, na wakati anaamuru misingi ya dunia sehemu ya kukaa.
when he encompassed the sea within its limits, and laid down a law for the waters, lest they transgress their limits; when he weighed the foundations of the earth.
30 Nilikuwa kando yake, kama fundistadi mkuu, na mimi nilikuwa furaha yake siku kwa siku, nikifurahi mbele zake daima.
I was with him in composing all things. And I was delighted, throughout every day, by playing in his sight at all times,
31 Nilikuwa nikifurahi katika dunia yake yote na furaha yangu ilikuwa kwa wana wa wanadamu.
playing in globe of the earth. And my delight was to be with the sons of men.
32 Na sasa, wanangu, nisikilizeni, maana wale wazishikao njia zangu watakuwa na furaha.
Therefore, sons, hear me now. Blessed are those who preserve my ways.
33 Sikilizeni fundisho langu na mpate hekima; wala msilipuuze.
Listen to discipline, and become wise, and do not be willing to cast it aside.
34 Anisikilizaye atakuwa na furaha- kila siku akitazama katika malango yangu, akinisubiri pembeni mwa milango ya masikani yangu.
Blessed is the man who listens to me, and who stands watch at my gates every day, and who observes at the posts of my doors.
35 Maana yeyote anionaye mimi, anapata uzima, naye atapata kibali kwa Yehova.
He who finds me, finds life, and he will draw salvation from the Lord.
36 Na yeyote asiyeniona mimi, hujiumiza mwenyewe, wote wanaonichukia hupenda mauti.
But he who sins against me will wound his own soul. All who hate me love death.”
