Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
Mithali za Solomoni mwana wa Daudi, mfalme wa Israeli:
2 To know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
Kwa kupata hekima na nidhamu; kwa kufahamu maneno ya busara;
3 To receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness and judgment and equity;
kwa kujipatia nidhamu na busara, kufanya lililo sawa, haki na bila kupendelea;
4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion:
huwapa busara wajinga, maarifa na akili kwa vijana;
5 That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; and that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:
wenye hekima na wasikilize nao waongeze elimu yao, wenye kupambanua na wapate mwongozo;
6 To understand a proverb, and a figure; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
kwa kufahamu mithali na mifano, misemo na vitendawili vya wenye hekima.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: [but] the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
Kumcha Bwana ndicho chanzo cha maarifa, lakini wapumbavu hudharau hekima na adabu.
8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Mwanangu, sikiliza mwongozo wa baba yako, wala usiyaache mafundisho ya mama yako.
9 For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
Hayo yatakuwa taji la maua la neema kichwani pako, na mkufu wa kuipamba shingo yako.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
Mwanangu, kama wenye dhambi wakikushawishi, usikubaliane nao.
11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause;
Kama wakisema, “Twende tufuatane; tukamvizie mtu na kumwaga damu, njoo tukavizie nafsi isiyo na hatia;
12 Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those that go down into the pit; (Sheol h7585)
tuwameze wakiwa hai kama kaburi, wakiwa wazima kama wale wanaotumbukia shimoni. (Sheol h7585)
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil;
Tutapata aina zote za vitu vya thamani na kujaza nyumba zetu kwa nyara.
14 Thou shalt cast thy lot among us; we will all have one purse:
Njoo ushirikiane nasi, vitu vyote tutakavyopata tutagawana.”
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
Mwanangu, usiandamane nao. Usiweke mguu wako katika njia zao,
16 For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
kwa kuwa miguu yao hukimbilia kwenye dhambi, ni wepesi kumwaga damu.
17 For in vain is the net spread, in the eyes of any bird:
Tazama ni jinsi gani ilivyo kazi bure kutandaza wavu wakati ndege wote wanakuona!
18 And these lay wait for their own blood, they lurk privily for their own lives.
Watu hawa huvizia kumwaga damu yao wenyewe; hujivizia tu wenyewe!
19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; it taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
Huu ndio mwisho wa wote ambao wanajipatia mali kwa hila; huuondoa uhai wa wale wenye mali.
20 Wisdom crieth aloud in the street; she uttereth her voice in the broad places;
Hekima huita kwa sauti kuu barabarani, hupaza sauti yake kwenye viwanja vikubwa;
21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse; at the entering in of the gates, in the city, she uttereth her words:
kwenye makutano ya barabara za mji zenye makelele mengi hupaza sauti, kwenye malango ya mji hutoa hotuba yake:
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and scorners delight them in scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
“Enyi wajinga, mtangʼangʼania ujinga wenu hadi lini? Mpaka lini wenye mizaha watafurahia mizaha, na wapumbavu kuchukia maarifa?
23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
Kama mngekuwa mmeitikia karipio langu, ningekuwa nimemimina roho yangu kwenu na kuwafahamisha maneno yangu.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
Lakini kwa kuwa mlinikataa nilipowaita na hakuna yeyote aliyekubali niliponyoosha mkono wangu,
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
kwa kuwa mliyapuuza mashauri yangu yote na hamkukubali karipio langu,
26 I also will laugh in [the day of] your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
mimi nami nitawacheka katika maafa yenu, nitawadhihaki wakati janga litawapata:
27 When your fear cometh as a storm, and your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon you.
wakati janga litawapata kama tufani, wakati maafa yatawazoa kama upepo wa kisulisuli, wakati dhiki na taabu zitawalemea.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me diligently, but they shall not find me:
“Ndipo watakaponiita lakini sitawajibu; watanitafuta lakini hawatanipata.
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
Kwa kuwa walichukia maarifa, wala hawakuchagua kumcha Bwana,
30 They would none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof:
kwa kuwa hawakukubali mashauri yangu, na kukataa maonyo yangu,
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
watakula matunda ya njia zao, na watashibishwa matunda ya hila zao.
32 For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
Kwa kuwa ukaidi wa wajinga utawaua, nako kuridhika kwa wajinga kutawaangamiza.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, and shall be quiet without fear of evil.
Lakini yeyote anisikilizaye ataishi kwa usalama, atatulia, bila kuwa na hofu ya madhara.”
