1Sinners run away even when no one is chasing them.
But those who do what is right are as bold as lions.
2A country has many rulers when its people don’t obey.
But an understanding ruler knows how to keep order.
3A ruler who treats poor people badly
is like a pounding rain that leaves no crops.
4Those who turn away from instruction praise sinners.
But those who learn from it oppose them.
5Sinful people don’t understand what is right.
But those who worship the Lord understand it completely.
6It is better to be poor and live without blame
than to be rich and follow a crooked path.
7A child who understands what is right learns from instruction.
But a child who likes to eat too much brings shame on his father.
8Someone might get rich by taking interest or profit from poor people.
But that person only piles up wealth for someone who will be kind to poor people.
9If you don’t pay attention to my instruction,
even your prayers are hated.
10Those who lead honest people down an evil path
will fall into their own trap.
But those who are without blame
will receive good things.
11Rich people may think they are wise.
But a poor person with understanding knows that rich people are fooling themselves.
12When godly people win, everyone is very happy.
But when sinners take charge, everyone hides.
13Anyone who hides their sins doesn’t succeed.
But anyone who admits their sins and gives them up finds mercy.
14Blessed is the one who always trembles in front of God.
But anyone who makes their heart stubborn will get into trouble.
15An evil person who rules over helpless people
is like a roaring lion or an angry bear.
16A ruler who is mean to his people takes money from them by force.
But one who hates money gained in the wrong way will rule a long time.
17Anyone troubled by the guilt of murder
will seek to escape their guilt by death.
No one should keep them from it.
18Anyone who lives without blame is kept safe.
But anyone whose path is crooked will fall into the pit.
19Those who work their land will have plenty of food.
But those who chase dreams will be very poor.
20A faithful person will be richly blessed.
But anyone who wants to get rich will be punished.
21Favoring one person over another is not good.
But a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.
22Those who won’t share what they have want to get rich.
They don’t know they are going to be poor.
23It is better to warn a person than to pretend to praise them.
In the end that person will be more pleased with you.
24Anyone who steals from their parents and says, “It’s not wrong,”
is just like someone who destroys.
25People who always want more stir up conflict.
But those who trust in the Lord will succeed.
26Those who trust in themselves are foolish.
But those who live wisely are kept safe.
27Those who give to poor people will have all they need.
But those who close their eyes to the poor will receive many curses.
28When those who are evil take charge, other people hide.
But when those who are evil die, godly people grow stronger.
128:1 2Fal 7:7; Law 26:17; Za 53:5Mtu mwovu hukimbia ingawa hakuna yeyote anayemfukuza,
bali wenye haki ni wajasiri kama simba.
2Wakati nchi inapokuwa na uasi, inakuwa na viongozi wengi,
bali mwenye ufahamu na maarifa hudumisha utaratibu.
328:3 Mt 18:28Mtu maskini amwoneaye yeye aliye maskini zaidi
ni kama mvua ya dhoruba isiyosaza mazao.
428:4 1Fal 18:18; Mt 3:7; Efe 5:11; 1Tim 5:20Wale waiachao sheria huwasifu waovu,
bali wale waishikao sheria huwapinga.
528:5 Yn 7:17; 1Kor 2:15Watu wabaya hawaelewi haki,
bali wale wamtafutao Bwana wanaielewa kikamilifu.
628:6 Mit 19:1Afadhali maskini ambaye mwenendo wake hauna lawama
kuliko tajiri ambaye njia zake ni potovu.
728:7 Mit 23:19-21Yeye ashikaye sheria ni mwana mwenye ufahamu,
bali rafiki wa walafi humwaibisha baba yake.
828:8 Ay 27:16-17; Eze 18:8; Kut 18:21; Mit 13:22; Lk 14:12-14Yeye aongezaye utajiri wake kwa riba kubwa mno
hukusanya kwa ajili ya mwingine,
ambaye atawahurumia maskini.
928:9 Za 66:18; Zek 7:11; Isa 1:13; 2Tim 4:3Kama mtu yeyote akikataa kusikia sheria,
hata maombi yake ni chukizo.
1028:10 Za 34:9; 57:6; Mk 10:30; Mit 26:27; Rum 8:32Yeye ambaye humwongoza mwenye haki kwenye mapito mabaya,
ataanguka kwenye mtego wake mwenyewe,
bali wasio na lawama watapokea urithi mwema.
11Mtu tajiri anaweza kuwa na hekima machoni pake mwenyewe,
bali mtu maskini mwenye ufahamu atamfichua.
1228:12 2Fal 11:20; Ay 24:4; Mit 11:10Mwenye haki ashindapo, kuna furaha kubwa,
bali waovu watawalapo, watu hujificha.
1328:13 1Yn 1:8-10; 2Sam 12:13; Ay 31:33; Dan 4:27Yeye afichaye dhambi zake hatafanikiwa,
bali yeyote aziungamaye na kuziacha hupata rehema.
1428:14 Za 16:8; Mit 23:17; Rum 2:5; 11:20Amebarikiwa mtu ambaye siku zote humcha Bwana,
bali yeye afanyaye moyo wake kuwa mgumu
huangukia kwenye taabu.
15Kama simba angurumaye au dubu ashambuliaye,
ndivyo alivyo mtu mwovu atawalaye wanyonge.
16Mtawala dhalimu hana akili,
bali yeye achukiaye mapato ya udhalimu
atafurahia maisha marefu.
1728:17 Mwa 9:6; 1Sam 30:17Mtu mwenye kusumbuliwa na hatia ya kuua
atakuwa mtoro mpaka kufa;
mtu yeyote na asimsaidie.
1828:18 Es 6:13; Mit 10:9Yeye ambaye mwenendo wake hauna lawama
hulindwa salama,
bali yeye ambaye njia zake ni potovu
ataanguka ghafula.
1928:19 Mit 12:11Yeye alimaye shamba lake atakuwa na chakula tele,
bali yule afuataye mambo ya upuzi atakuwa na umaskini wa kumtosha.
2028:20 Mit 13:11; 20:21; 23:4, 22; 1Tim 6:9Mtu mwaminifu atabarikiwa sana,
bali yeye atamaniye kupata utajiri kwa haraka
hataacha kuadhibiwa.
2128:21 Eze 13:19; Za 94:21; Mit 18:5Kuonyesha upendeleo si vizuri,
hata hivyo mtu atafanya kosa kwa kipande cha mkate.
2228:22 Mit 28:20Mtu mchoyo ana tamaa ya kupata utajiri,
naye hana habari kuwa umaskini unamngojea.
2328:23 Mit 27:5, 6Yeye amkemeaye mtu mwishoni hupata kibali zaidi,
kuliko mwenye maneno ya kusifu isivyostahili.
2428:24 Mit 18:9; 19:26Yeye amwibiaye babaye au mamaye
na kusema, “Si kosa,”
yeye ni mwenzi wa yule aharibuye.
2528:25 1Tim 6:6; Mit 29:25Mtu mwenye tamaa huchochea fitina,
bali yule amtegemeaye Bwana atafanikiwa.
2628:26 Za 4:5; Mit 3:5Yeye ajitumainiaye mwenyewe ni mpumbavu,
bali yeye atembeaye katika hekima hulindwa salama.
2728:27 Kum 15:7; Mit 19:17; 22:9Yeye ampaye maskini
hatapungukiwa na kitu chochote,
bali yeye awafumbiaye maskini macho
hupata laana nyingi.
2828:28 Mit 28:12; Ay 20:19Wakati waovu watawalapo,
watu huenda mafichoni,
bali waovu wanapoangamia,
wenye haki hufanikiwa.
