Mithali 8
1 Je hekima haiti? Je ufahamu hapazi sauti yake?
Doth not wisdom cry aloud, And understanding put forth her voice?
2 Juu ya kilima kando ya barabara, kwenye njia panda, hekima anasimama.
Upon the top of the high places, By the wayside, In the cross-ways, She taketh her station.
3 Kando ya njia ya kuingilia mjini, karibu na milango ya mji, anaita kwa sauti.
By the side of the gates, In the entrance of the city, In the approaches to the doors, she crieth aloud.
4 Watu, ninawaita ninyi na ninapaza sauti yangu kwa wana wa wanadamu.
“To you, O men! do I call, And my voice is to the sons of men!
5 Ninyi wajinga, jifunzeni hekima, na ninyi mnaochukia maarifa, lazima mjipatieni moyo wa ufahamu.
O ye simple ones! learn wisdom, And ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart!
6 Sikiliza na mimi nitasema mambo mazuri na nifumbuapo midomo yangu nitaongea haki.
Hear, for I speak excellent things, And my lips utter that which is right.
7 Maana kinywa changu hunena uaminifu na midomo yangu huchukia uovu.
For my mouth speaketh truth, And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 Maneno ya kinywa changu yote ni haki; hakuna kilichogeuzwa wala kupotoshwa.
All the words of my mouth are in uprightness; There is nothing crooked or deceitful in them;
9 Maneno yangu yote yamenyooka kwa yule mwenye kuelewa; maneno yangu ni haki kwa wale wanaotafuta maarifa.
They are all plain to the man of understanding, And right to those who find knowledge.
10 Chagua fundisho langu badala ya fedha na maarifa kuliko dhahabu safi.
Receive my instruction, and not silver. And knowledge rather than choice gold!
11 Maana mimi, hekima ni bora kuliko vito; hakuna unachokitamani kinaweza kulinganishwa na mimi.
For wisdom is better than pearls, And no precious things are to be compared with her.
12 Mimi, hekima, naishi kwa utaratibu, na ninamiliki maarifa na busara.
“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out the knowledge of sagacious counsels.
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 to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, And the deceitful mouth, do I hate.
14 Ninaushauri mzuri na hekima sahihi; mimi ni busara; nguvu zipo kwangu.
Counsel is mine, and sound reason; I am understanding; I have strength.
15 Kwa njia yangu wafalme hutawala- pia na waungwana, na wote ambao hutawala kwa haki.
By me kings reign, And princes decree justice.
16 Kwa njia yangu wafalme hutawala na waungwana na wote wanaotawala kwa haki.
By me princes rule, And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 Nawapenda wale wanaonipenda, na wale wanaonitafuta kwa bidii, wataniona.
I love them that love me, And they who seek me early shall find me.
18 Kwangu kunautajiri na heshima, utajiri wa kudumu na haki.
Riches and honor are with me; Yea, durable riches and prosperity.
19 Tunda langu ni bora kuliko dhahabu, bora hata kuliko dhahabu safi.
My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold. And my revenue than choice silver.
20 Ninazalisha kilicho bora kuliko fedha safi. Natembea katika njia ya haki,
I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of equity.
21 katika mapito ambayo huelekea kwenye haki, ili niwape urithi wale wanaonipenda na kuzijaza hazina zao.
I cause those who love me to possess substance; Yea, I fill their treasuries.
22 Yehova aliniumba tokea mwanzo- mwazoni mwa matendo yake ya nyakati za kale.
“The LORD created me, the firstling of his course, Before his works, of old;
23 Tokea enzi za kale niliwekwa katika nafasi- tokea kwanza, tokea mwanzo wa dunia.
I was anointed from everlasting, From the beginning, even before the earth was made.
24 Kabla ya bahari, mimi nilizaliwa- kabla ya kuwepo chemchemi zenye maji tele.
When as yet there were no deeps, I was brought forth. When there were no springs, abounding with water.
25 Kabla ya milima na vilima kuwekwa, mimi nilizaliwa.
Before the mountains were settled, Yea, before the hills, I was brought forth;
26 Nilizaliwa kabla ya Yehova hajaiumba dunia wala makonde, hata mavumbi ya kwanza katika dunia.
Ere yet he had made the land and the wastes, And the first of the clods of the earth.
27 Nilikuwepo alipoziimarisha mbingu, wakati alipochora mstari katika sura ya kilindi.
When he framed the heavens, I was there; When he drew a circle upon the face of the deep;
28 Nilikuwepo alipoimarisha anga la juu na wakati wa kutengeneza kina cha chemchemi.
When he made firm the sky above, And the fountains of the deep rushed forth;
29 Nilikuwepo alipotengeneza mipaka ya bahari, ili maji yasisambae kuvuka pale alipoyaamuru, na wakati anaamuru misingi ya dunia sehemu ya kukaa.
When he gave to the sea its bounds, that the waters should not pass their border; When he marked out 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 by him as a master-builder; I was his delight day by day, Exulting before him at all times;
31 Nilikuwa nikifurahi katika dunia yake yote na furaha yangu ilikuwa kwa wana wa wanadamu.
Exulting in the habitable part of his earth, And my delight was with the sons of men.
32 Na sasa, wanangu, nisikilizeni, maana wale wazishikao njia zangu watakuwa na furaha.
“Now, therefore, ye children, hearken to me! For happy are they who keep my ways!
33 Sikilizeni fundisho langu na mpate hekima; wala msilipuuze.
Hear instruction, and be wise! Yea, reject it not!
34 Anisikilizaye atakuwa na furaha- kila siku akitazama katika malango yangu, akinisubiri pembeni mwa milango ya masikani yangu.
Happy the man who hearkeneth to me, Who watcheth day by day at my gates, Who waiteth at the posts of my doors;
35 Maana yeyote anionaye mimi, anapata uzima, naye atapata kibali kwa Yehova.
For he that findeth me findeth life, And obtaineth favor from the LORD;
36 Na yeyote asiyeniona mimi, hujiumiza mwenyewe, wote wanaonichukia hupenda mauti.
But he who misseth me doeth violence to himself; All they who hate me love death.”
