Mithali 8
1 Je hekima haiti? Je ufahamu hapazi sauti yake?
Doth not wisedome crie? and vnderstanding vtter her voyce?
2 Juu ya kilima kando ya barabara, kwenye njia panda, hekima anasimama.
She standeth in the top of the high places by the way in the place of the paths.
3 Kando ya njia ya kuingilia mjini, karibu na milango ya mji, anaita kwa sauti.
She cryeth besides the gates before the citie at the entrie of the doores,
4 Watu, ninawaita ninyi na ninapaza sauti yangu kwa wana wa wanadamu.
O men, I call vnto you, and vtter my voyce to the children of men.
5 Ninyi wajinga, jifunzeni hekima, na ninyi mnaochukia maarifa, lazima mjipatieni moyo wa ufahamu.
O ye foolish men, vnderstand wisedome, and ye, O fooles, be wise in heart.
6 Sikiliza na mimi nitasema mambo mazuri na nifumbuapo midomo yangu nitaongea haki.
Giue eare, for I will speake of excellent things, and the opening of my lippes, shall teache things that be right.
7 Maana kinywa changu hunena uaminifu na midomo yangu huchukia uovu.
For my mouth shall speake the trueth, and my lippes abhorre wickednesse.
8 Maneno ya kinywa changu yote ni haki; hakuna kilichogeuzwa wala kupotoshwa.
All the wordes of my mouth are righteous: there is no lewdenes, nor frowardnesse in them.
9 Maneno yangu yote yamenyooka kwa yule mwenye kuelewa; maneno yangu ni haki kwa wale wanaotafuta maarifa.
They are all plaine to him that will vnderstande, and streight to them that woulde finde knowledge.
10 Chagua fundisho langu badala ya fedha na maarifa kuliko dhahabu safi.
Receiue mine instruction, and not siluer, and knowledge rather then fine golde.
11 Maana mimi, hekima ni bora kuliko vito; hakuna unachokitamani kinaweza kulinganishwa na mimi.
For wisdome is better then precious stones: and all pleasures are not to be compared vnto her.
12 Mimi, hekima, naishi kwa utaratibu, na ninamiliki maarifa na busara.
I wisdome dwell with prudence, and I find foorth knowledge and counsels.
13 Hofu ya Mungu ni kuchukia uovu- nachukia majivuno na kiburi, njia ya uovu, na kauli iliyopotoka- hivyo ninavichukia.
The feare of the Lord is to hate euill as pride, and arrogancie, and the euill way: and a mouth that speaketh lewde things, I doe hate.
14 Ninaushauri mzuri na hekima sahihi; mimi ni busara; nguvu zipo kwangu.
I haue counsell and wisedome: I am vnderstanding, and I haue strength.
15 Kwa njia yangu wafalme hutawala- pia na waungwana, na wote ambao hutawala kwa haki.
By me, Kings reigne, and princes decree iustice.
16 Kwa njia yangu wafalme hutawala na waungwana na wote wanaotawala kwa haki.
By me princes rule and the nobles, and all the iudges of the earth.
17 Nawapenda wale wanaonipenda, na wale wanaonitafuta kwa bidii, wataniona.
I loue them that loue me: and they that seeke me earely, shall finde me.
18 Kwangu kunautajiri na heshima, utajiri wa kudumu na haki.
Riches and honour are with me: euen durable riches and righteousnesse.
19 Tunda langu ni bora kuliko dhahabu, bora hata kuliko dhahabu safi.
My fruite is better then golde, euen then fine golde, and my reuenues better then fine siluer.
20 Ninazalisha kilicho bora kuliko fedha safi. Natembea katika njia ya haki,
I cause to walke in the way of righteousnes, and in the middes of the paths of iudgement,
21 katika mapito ambayo huelekea kwenye haki, ili niwape urithi wale wanaonipenda na kuzijaza hazina zao.
That I may cause them that loue me, to inherite substance, and I will fill their treasures.
22 Yehova aliniumba tokea mwanzo- mwazoni mwa matendo yake ya nyakati za kale.
The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his way: I was before his workes of olde.
23 Tokea enzi za kale niliwekwa katika nafasi- tokea kwanza, tokea mwanzo wa dunia.
I was set vp from euerlasting, from the beginning and before the earth.
24 Kabla ya bahari, mimi nilizaliwa- kabla ya kuwepo chemchemi zenye maji tele.
When there were no depths, was I begotten, when there were no fountaines abounding with water.
25 Kabla ya milima na vilima kuwekwa, mimi nilizaliwa.
Before the mountaines were setled: and before the hilles, was I begotten.
26 Nilizaliwa kabla ya Yehova hajaiumba dunia wala makonde, hata mavumbi ya kwanza katika dunia.
He had not yet made the earth, nor the open places, nor the height of the dust in the worlde.
27 Nilikuwepo alipoziimarisha mbingu, wakati alipochora mstari katika sura ya kilindi.
When hee prepared the heauens, I was there, when he set the compasse vpon the deepe.
28 Nilikuwepo alipoimarisha anga la juu na wakati wa kutengeneza kina cha chemchemi.
When he established the cloudes aboue, when he confirmed the fountaines of the deepe,
29 Nilikuwepo alipotengeneza mipaka ya bahari, ili maji yasisambae kuvuka pale alipoyaamuru, na wakati anaamuru misingi ya dunia sehemu ya kukaa.
When he gaue his decree to the Sea, that the waters shoulde not passe his commandement: when he appointed the foundations of the earth,
30 Nilikuwa kando yake, kama fundistadi mkuu, na mimi nilikuwa furaha yake siku kwa siku, nikifurahi mbele zake daima.
Then was I with him as a nourisher, and I was dayly his delight reioycing alway before him,
31 Nilikuwa nikifurahi katika dunia yake yote na furaha yangu ilikuwa kwa wana wa wanadamu.
And tooke my solace in the compasse of his earth: and my delite is with the children of men.
32 Na sasa, wanangu, nisikilizeni, maana wale wazishikao njia zangu watakuwa na furaha.
Therefore nowe hearken, O children, vnto me: for blessed are they that keepe my wayes.
33 Sikilizeni fundisho langu na mpate hekima; wala msilipuuze.
Heare instruction, and be ye wise, and refuse it not:
34 Anisikilizaye atakuwa na furaha- kila siku akitazama katika malango yangu, akinisubiri pembeni mwa milango ya masikani yangu.
blessed is the man that heareth mee, watching dayly at my gates, and giuing attendance at the postes of my doores.
35 Maana yeyote anionaye mimi, anapata uzima, naye atapata kibali kwa Yehova.
For he that findeth me, findeth life, and shall obteine fauour of the Lord.
36 Na yeyote asiyeniona mimi, hujiumiza mwenyewe, wote wanaonichukia hupenda mauti.
But he that sinneth against me, hurteth his owne soule: and all that hate me, loue death.
