1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
Mithali za Sulemani, mwana wa Daudi, mfalme wa Israeli.
2 To know wisdom and instruction;
To perceive the words of understanding;
Kujua hekima na adabu; kutambua maneno ya ufahamu;
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom,
Justice, and judgment, and equity;
kufundishwa matendo ya busara, katika haki na hukumu na adili.
4 To give subtilty to the simple,
To the young man knowledge and discretion.
Kuwapa wajinga werevu, na kijana maarifa na hadhari;
5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning;
And a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
mwenye hekima asikie na kuongezewa elimu, na mwenye ufahamu ayafikie mashauri yenye njia.
6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation;
The words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Kufahamu mithali na kitendawili, na maneno ya wenye hekima na mafumbo yao.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge:
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Kumcha Bwana ni chanzo cha maarifa, Bali wapumbavu hudharau hekima na adabu.
8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father,
And forsake not the law of thy mother:
Mwanangu, yasikilize mafundisho ya baba yako, Wala usiiache sheria ya mama yako,
9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head,
And chains about thy neck.
Kwa maana hayo yatakuwa kilemba cha neema kichwani pako, Na mikufu shingoni mwako.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee,
Consent thou not.
Mwanangu, wenye dhambi wakikushawishi, Wewe usikubali.
11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood,
Let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
Wakisema, Haya! Njoo pamoja nasi, Na tuvizie ili kumwaga damu; Tumwotee asiye na hatia, bila sababu;
12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave;
And whole, as those that go down into the pit:
Tuwameze hai kama kuzimu, Na wazima, kama wao washukao shimoni.
13 We shall find all precious substance,
We shall fill our houses with spoil:
Tutapata mali yote ya thamani, Tutazijaza nyumba zetu mateka.
14 Cast in thy lot among us;
Let us all have one purse:
Wewe utashirikiana nasi; Tutakuwa na vitu vyote shirika.
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them;
Refrain thy foot from their path:
Mwanangu, usiende njiani pamoja nao; Uzuie mguu wako usiende katika mapito yao.
16 For their feet run to evil,
And make haste to shed blood.
Maana miguu yao huenda mbio maovuni, Nao hufanya haraka ili kumwaga damu.
17 Surely in vain the net is spread
In the sight of any bird.
Kwa kuwa mtego hutegwa bure, Mbele ya macho ya ndege ye yote.
18 And they lay wait for their own blood;
They lurk privily for their own lives.
Na hao hujiotea damu yao wenyewe, Hujinyemelea nafsi zao wenyewe.
19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain;
Which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
Ndivyo zilivyo njia za kila mwenye tamaa ya mali; Huuondoa uhai wao walio nayo.
The Cry of Wisdom
20 Wisdom crieth without;
She uttereth her voice in the streets:
Hekima hupaza sauti yake katika njia kuu, Hutoa sauti yake katika viwanja;
21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates:
In the city she uttereth her words, saying ,
Hulia penye mikutano mikubwa ya watu, Mahali pa kuyaingilia malango, Ndani ya mji hutamka maneno yake.
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?
And the scorners delight in their scorning,
And fools hate knowledge?
Enyi wajinga, hata lini mtapenda ujinga? Na wenye dharau kupenda dharau yao, 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.
Geukeni kwa ajili ya maonyo yangu; Tazama, nitawamwagia roho yangu, Na kuwajulisheni maneno yangu.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused;
I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
Kwa kuwa nimeita, nanyi mkakataa; Nimeunyosha mkono wangu, asiangalie mtu;
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel,
And would none of my reproof:
Bali mmebatilisha shauri langu, Wala hamkutaka maonyo yangu;
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your fear cometh;
Mimi nami nitacheka siku ya msiba wenu, Nitadhihaki hofu yenu ifikapo;
27 When your fear cometh as desolation,
And your destruction cometh as a whirlwind;
When distress and anguish cometh upon you.
Hofu yenu ifikapo kama tufani, Na msiba wenu ufikapo kama kisulisuli, Dhiki na taabu zitakapowafikia.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer;
They shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
Ndipo watakaponiita, lakini sitaitika; Watanitafuta kwa bidii, wasinione.
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.
Hawakukubali mashauri yangu, Wakayadharau maonyo yangu yote.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way,
And be filled with their own devices.
Kwa hiyo watakula matunda ya njia yao, Watashiba mashauri yao wenyewe.
32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them,
And the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
Maana kurudi nyuma kwao wajinga kutawaua, Na kufanikiwa kwao wapumbavu kutawaangamiza.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely,
And shall be quiet from fear of evil.
Bali kila anisikilizaye atakaa salama, Naye atatulia bila kuogopa mabaya.
