Mithali 8
1 Je hekima haiti? Je ufahamu hapazi sauti yake?
Doth not wisdom call? And understanding give forth her voice?
2 Juu ya kilima kando ya barabara, kwenye njia panda, hekima anasimama.
At the head of high places by the way, Between the paths she hath stood,
3 Kando ya njia ya kuingilia mjini, karibu na milango ya mji, anaita kwa sauti.
At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she crieth aloud,
4 Watu, ninawaita ninyi na ninapaza sauti yangu kwa wana wa wanadamu.
'Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice [is] unto the sons of men.
5 Ninyi wajinga, jifunzeni hekima, na ninyi mnaochukia maarifa, lazima mjipatieni moyo wa ufahamu.
Understand, ye simple ones, prudence, And ye fools, understand the heart,
6 Sikiliza na mimi nitasema mambo mazuri na nifumbuapo midomo yangu nitaongea haki.
Hearken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips [is] uprightness.
7 Maana kinywa changu hunena uaminifu na midomo yangu huchukia uovu.
For truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips [is] wickedness.
8 Maneno ya kinywa changu yote ni haki; hakuna kilichogeuzwa wala kupotoshwa.
In righteousness [are] all the sayings of my mouth, Nothing in them is froward and perverse.
9 Maneno yangu yote yamenyooka kwa yule mwenye kuelewa; maneno yangu ni haki kwa wale wanaotafuta maarifa.
All of them [are] plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding 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 better [is] wisdom than rubies, Yea, all delights are not comparable with it.
12 Mimi, hekima, naishi kwa utaratibu, na ninamiliki maarifa na busara.
I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And a knowledge of devices I find out.
13 Hofu ya Mungu ni kuchukia uovu- nachukia majivuno na kiburi, njia ya uovu, na kauli iliyopotoka- hivyo ninavichukia.
The fear of Jehovah [is] to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a froward mouth, I have hated.
14 Ninaushauri mzuri na hekima sahihi; mimi ni busara; nguvu zipo kwangu.
Mine [is] counsel and substance, I [am] understanding, I have might.
15 Kwa njia yangu wafalme hutawala- pia na waungwana, na wote ambao hutawala kwa haki.
By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,
16 Kwa njia yangu wafalme hutawala na waungwana na wote wanaotawala kwa haki.
By me do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.
17 Nawapenda wale wanaonipenda, na wale wanaonitafuta kwa bidii, wataniona.
I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.
18 Kwangu kunautajiri na heshima, utajiri wa kudumu na haki.
Wealth and honour [are] with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.
19 Tunda langu ni bora kuliko dhahabu, bora hata kuliko dhahabu safi.
Better [is] my fruit than gold, even fine gold, And mine increase than choice silver.
20 Ninazalisha kilicho bora kuliko fedha safi. Natembea katika njia ya haki,
In a path of righteousness I cause to walk, In midst of paths of judgment,
21 katika mapito ambayo huelekea kwenye haki, ili niwape urithi wale wanaonipenda na kuzijaza hazina zao.
To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.
22 Yehova aliniumba tokea mwanzo- mwazoni mwa matendo yake ya nyakati za kale.
Jehovah possessed me — the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.
23 Tokea enzi za kale niliwekwa katika nafasi- tokea kwanza, tokea mwanzo wa dunia.
From the age I was anointed, from the first, From former states of the earth.
24 Kabla ya bahari, mimi nilizaliwa- kabla ya kuwepo chemchemi zenye maji tele.
In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy [with] waters,
25 Kabla ya milima na vilima kuwekwa, mimi nilizaliwa.
Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.
26 Nilizaliwa kabla ya Yehova hajaiumba dunia wala makonde, hata mavumbi ya kwanza katika dunia.
While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.
27 Nilikuwepo alipoziimarisha mbingu, wakati alipochora mstari katika sura ya kilindi.
In His preparing the heavens I [am] there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,
28 Nilikuwepo alipoimarisha anga la juu na wakati wa kutengeneza kina cha chemchemi.
In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,
29 Nilikuwepo alipotengeneza mipaka ya bahari, ili maji yasisambae kuvuka pale alipoyaamuru, na wakati anaamuru misingi ya dunia sehemu ya kukaa.
In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters transgress not His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,
30 Nilikuwa kando yake, kama fundistadi mkuu, na mimi nilikuwa furaha yake siku kwa siku, nikifurahi mbele zake daima.
Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight — day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,
31 Nilikuwa nikifurahi katika dunia yake yote na furaha yangu ilikuwa kwa wana wa wanadamu.
Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights [are] with the sons of men.
32 Na sasa, wanangu, nisikilizeni, maana wale wazishikao njia zangu watakuwa na furaha.
And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways.
33 Sikilizeni fundisho langu na mpate hekima; wala msilipuuze.
Hear instruction, and be wise, and slight not.
34 Anisikilizaye atakuwa na furaha- kila siku akitazama katika malango yangu, akinisubiri pembeni mwa milango ya masikani yangu.
O the happiness of the man hearkening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the door-posts of my entrance.
35 Maana yeyote anionaye mimi, anapata uzima, naye atapata kibali kwa Yehova.
For whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.
36 Na yeyote asiyeniona mimi, hujiumiza mwenyewe, wote wanaonichukia hupenda mauti.
And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!
