Mithali 8
1 Je hekima haiti? Je ufahamu hapazi sauti yake?
It is as if wisdom, with great understanding [of many things], is calling [PRS] out [to people].
2 Juu ya kilima kando ya barabara, kwenye njia panda, hekima anasimama.
Wisdom stands on hilltops and at crossroads.
3 Kando ya njia ya kuingilia mjini, karibu na milango ya mji, anaita kwa sauti.
[Wisdom also stands] at the city gates and shouts loudly,
4 Watu, ninawaita ninyi na ninapaza sauti yangu kwa wana wa wanadamu.
“I am calling to everyone! I am shouting loudly to all people!
5 Ninyi wajinga, jifunzeni hekima, na ninyi mnaochukia maarifa, lazima mjipatieni moyo wa ufahamu.
You people who do not know how to do things that are smart to do, get sound judgment; you foolish people, get good understanding!
6 Sikiliza na mimi nitasema mambo mazuri na nifumbuapo midomo yangu nitaongea haki.
Listen to me, because I have some excellent/important things to say. What I say is what is fair/right.
7 Maana kinywa changu hunena uaminifu na midomo yangu huchukia uovu.
I speak what is true; I detest speaking [MTY] what is false/deceptive.
8 Maneno ya kinywa changu yote ni haki; hakuna kilichogeuzwa wala kupotoshwa.
Everything that I say is honest; there is nothing that I say that deceives [people].
9 Maneno yangu yote yamenyooka kwa yule mwenye kuelewa; maneno yangu ni haki kwa wale wanaotafuta maarifa.
My words are clear to those who have good sense; those who are wise know that what I say is right.
10 Chagua fundisho langu badala ya fedha na maarifa kuliko dhahabu safi.
[If someone offers you the kind of teaching I give] or offers you silver, choose my teaching. [If he offers to show you how to be wise] or offers you gold, choose to know how to be wise,
11 Maana mimi, hekima ni bora kuliko vito; hakuna unachokitamani kinaweza kulinganishwa na mimi.
because wisdom is more valuable than jewels. Nothing that you desire [is as valuable] as being wise.
12 Mimi, hekima, naishi kwa utaratibu, na ninamiliki maarifa na busara.
I, wisdom, and understanding of what is smart to do, cannot be separated. We are like two people who live in the same house. I know how to be wise and how to make smart decisions.
13 Hofu ya Mungu ni kuchukia uovu- nachukia majivuno na kiburi, njia ya uovu, na kauli iliyopotoka- hivyo ninavichukia.
[All the people] who revere Yahweh hate evil. I, wisdom, hate [people who are] proud and [people] who think they are more important [than others]. I hate [people who] behave in an evil way and those who say things to deceive [others].
14 Ninaushauri mzuri na hekima sahihi; mimi ni busara; nguvu zipo kwangu.
I give [people] good advice and I enable them to do things that are wise. I understand how things really are, and I am strong.
15 Kwa njia yangu wafalme hutawala- pia na waungwana, na wote ambao hutawala kwa haki.
When kings are wise, they rule [well]; and when rulers are wise, they make laws that are just/fair.
16 Kwa njia yangu wafalme hutawala na waungwana na wote wanaotawala kwa haki.
Rulers govern their people with the help of me, wisdom, and those who have authority decide things fairly/just with my help.
17 Nawapenda wale wanaonipenda, na wale wanaonitafuta kwa bidii, wataniona.
I, [wisdom], love [all] those who love me, and [all] those who truly seek me [will] find me.
18 Kwangu kunautajiri na heshima, utajiri wa kudumu na haki.
I enable [people] to become rich and to be honored; [I enable them to have] wealth that will last and to be successful.
19 Tunda langu ni bora kuliko dhahabu, bora hata kuliko dhahabu safi.
What I can give people is more valuable than fine/pure gold and the best silver.
20 Ninazalisha kilicho bora kuliko fedha safi. Natembea katika njia ya haki,
I always do what is righteous and just/fair.
21 katika mapito ambayo huelekea kwenye haki, ili niwape urithi wale wanaonipenda na kuzijaza hazina zao.
I give wealth to those who love me; I fill their houses with valuable things.
22 Yehova aliniumba tokea mwanzo- mwazoni mwa matendo yake ya nyakati za kale.
Yahweh created me, [wisdom], when he began [to create the world]; he created me [to do my work] before he created anything else.
23 Tokea enzi za kale niliwekwa katika nafasi- tokea kwanza, tokea mwanzo wa dunia.
He appointed me long ago, before he created the earth.
24 Kabla ya bahari, mimi nilizaliwa- kabla ya kuwepo chemchemi zenye maji tele.
I was born before the oceans were [created], when there were no springs from which water flowed.
25 Kabla ya milima na vilima kuwekwa, mimi nilizaliwa.
I was born before the hills and mountains were formed;
26 Nilizaliwa kabla ya Yehova hajaiumba dunia wala makonde, hata mavumbi ya kwanza katika dunia.
[I, wisdom], was born before Yahweh made the earth, before he made the fields and the soil on the earth.
27 Nilikuwepo alipoziimarisha mbingu, wakati alipochora mstari katika sura ya kilindi.
I was there when Yahweh put the sky in place, when he marked the place [in the distance] where the sky and the oceans [seem to] come together.
28 Nilikuwepo alipoimarisha anga la juu na wakati wa kutengeneza kina cha chemchemi.
I was there when Yahweh put the clouds above [the earth] and when he caused the water that is inside the earth to be secure.
29 Nilikuwepo alipotengeneza mipaka ya bahari, ili maji yasisambae kuvuka pale alipoyaamuru, na wakati anaamuru misingi ya dunia sehemu ya kukaa.
I was there when he fixed a boundary for the seas, so that the water in the seas would not go past those boundaries, and when he put down the foundations which support the earth.
30 Nilikuwa kando yake, kama fundistadi mkuu, na mimi nilikuwa furaha yake siku kwa siku, nikifurahi mbele zake daima.
I was at the side of Yahweh, the master worker (OR, as though I was his child). I caused him to be happy every day, and I was always rejoicing when I was with him.
31 Nilikuwa nikifurahi katika dunia yake yote na furaha yangu ilikuwa kwa wana wa wanadamu.
I was delighted with the world that he created; I was happy with the people whom he created, too.
32 Na sasa, wanangu, nisikilizeni, maana wale wazishikao njia zangu watakuwa na furaha.
So, [you people who are like] my sons, listen to me. [I am] pleased with [all] those who obey my teachings.
33 Sikilizeni fundisho langu na mpate hekima; wala msilipuuze.
Listen [carefully] to what I teach you and become wise. Do not reject my teaching!
34 Anisikilizaye atakuwa na furaha- kila siku akitazama katika malango yangu, akinisubiri pembeni mwa milango ya masikani yangu.
[I am] pleased with those who listen to me, those who are outside my house every day, waiting [for me to come out].
35 Maana yeyote anionaye mimi, anapata uzima, naye atapata kibali kwa Yehova.
Those who find me will have [a long] life, and Yahweh [will] be pleased with them.
36 Na yeyote asiyeniona mimi, hujiumiza mwenyewe, wote wanaonichukia hupenda mauti.
But those who stray away from me [just] harm themselves. All those who hate me, [it is as though] [IRO] they are loving death.”
