Wito Wa Hekima
18:1 Mit 1:20; 9:3; Ay 28:12; 1Kor 1:24Je, hekima haitani?
Je, ufahamu hapazi sauti?
2Juu ya miinuko karibu na njia,
penye njia panda, ndipo asimamapo;
38:3 Ay 29:7; Mit 7:6-13kando ya malango yaelekeayo mjini,
kwenye maingilio, hulia kwa sauti kubwa, akisema:
48:4 Isa 42:2“Ni ninyi wanaume, ninaowaita;
ninapaza sauti yangu kwa wanadamu wote.
58:5 Mit 1:22; 1:4Ninyi ambao ni wajinga, pateni akili;
ninyi mlio wapumbavu, pateni ufahamu.
68:6 Za 49:3; Mt 2:6, 7; Kol 1:26Sikilizeni, kwa maana nina mambo muhimu ya kusema;
ninafungua midomo yangu kusema lililo sawa.
78:7 Za 37:30; Yn 8:14; Rum 15:8Kinywa changu husema lililo kweli,
kwa maana midomo yangu huchukia uovu.
8Maneno yote ya kinywa changu ni haki;
hakuna mojawapo lililopotoka wala ukaidi.
9Kwa wenye kupambanua yote ni sahihi;
hayana kasoro kwa wale wenye maarifa.
108:10 Za 19:10; Mit 3:14-15Chagua mafundisho yangu badala ya fedha,
maarifa badala ya dhahabu safi,
118:11 Ay 28:15-19; Mit 3:13-15kwa maana hekima ina thamani kuliko marijani
na hakuna chochote unachohitaji kinacholingana naye.
128:12 Mit 1:4“Mimi hekima, nakaa pamoja na busara;
ninamiliki maarifa na busara.
138:13 Kut 20:20; Yer 44:4; Zek 8:17; Mit 16:6Kumcha Bwana ni kuchukia uovu;
ninachukia kiburi na majivuno,
tabia mbaya na mazungumzo potovu.
148:14 Mhu 7:19; Ay 9:4Ushauri na hukumu sahihi ni vyangu;
nina ufahamu na nina nguvu.
158:15 Dan 2:21; Mt 28:18; Rum 13:1Kwa msaada wangu wafalme hutawala
na watawala hutunga sheria zilizo za haki,
168:16 2Nya 1:10; Mit 29:4kwa msaada wangu wakuu hutawala,
na wenye vyeo wote watawalao dunia.
178:17 Za 91:14; Yn 14:21-24; 1Sam 2:30; Yak 1:5Nawapenda wale wanipendao,
na wale wanitafutao kwa bidii wataniona.
188:18 Mt 6:33; 1Fal 3:13; Kum 8:18; Mit 3:16Utajiri na heshima viko kwangu,
utajiri udumuo na mafanikio.
198:19 Mit 3:13-14; 10:20Tunda langu ni bora kuliko dhahabu safi;
kile nitoacho hupita fedha iliyo bora.
20Natembea katika njia ya unyofu
katika mapito ya haki,
218:21 Mit 15:6; 24:4nawapa utajiri wale wanipendao
na kuzijaza hazina zao.
228:22 Mit 3:19; Yn 1:1“Bwana aliniumba mwanzoni mwa kazi yake,
kabla ya matendo yake ya zamani;
238:23 Mwa 1:26; Za 2:6; Mik 5:2; Yn 17:24niliteuliwa tangu milele,
tangu mwanzoni, kabla ya dunia kuumbwa.
248:24 Mwa 7:11Wakati hazijakuwepo bahari, nilikwishazaliwa,
wakati hazijakuwepo chemchemi zilizojaa maji;
258:25 Ay 15:7kabla milima haijawekwa mahali pake,
kabla vilima havijakuwepo, nilikwishazaliwa,
268:26 Za 90:2kabla hajaumba dunia wala mashamba yake
au vumbi lolote la dunia.
278:27 Ay 26:7; Mit 3:19Nilikuwepo alipoziweka mbingu mahali pake,
wakati alichora mstari wa upeo wa macho
juu ya uso wa kilindi,
288:28 Ay 36:29; Mwa 1:7; Ay 9:8; 26:10wakati aliweka mawingu juu
na kuziweka imara chemchemi za bahari,
298:29 Ay 38:8-10; 1Sam 2:8wakati aliiwekea bahari mpaka wake
ili maji yasivunje agizo lake,
na wakati aliweka misingi ya dunia.
30Wakati huo nilikuwa fundi stadi kando yake.
Nilijazwa na furaha siku baada ya siku,
nikifurahi daima mbele zake,
318:31 Ay 28:25-27; Yn 1:1-4nikifurahi katika dunia yake yote
nami nikiwafurahia wanadamu.
328:32 Lk 11:28; 2Sam 22:22; Za 119:1-2“Basi sasa wanangu, nisikilizeni;
heri wale wanaozishika njia zangu.
33Sikilizeni mafundisho yangu mwe na hekima;
msiyapuuze.
348:34 1Fal 10:8; Mit 3:13-18; Flp 3:8-9Heri mtu yule anisikilizaye mimi,
akisubiri siku zote malangoni mwangu,
akingoja kwenye vizingiti vya mlango wangu.
358:35 Yn 3:16, 36; Flp 3:8, 9; Mit 13:18; 9:6; Yn 5:39-40Kwa maana yeyote anipataye mimi amepata uzima
na kujipatia kibali kutoka kwa Bwana.
368:36 Isa 3:9; Yer 40:2Lakini yeyote ashindwaye kunipata
hujiumiza mwenyewe;
na wote wanichukiao mimi hupenda mauti.”
Wisdom’s Call
1Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2At the highest point along the way,
where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3beside the gate leading into the city,
at the entrance, she cries aloud:
4“To you, O people, I call out;
I raise my voice to all mankind.
5You who are simple, gain prudence;
you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.8:5 Septuagint; Hebrew foolish, instruct your minds
6Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;
I open my lips to speak what is right.
7My mouth speaks what is true,
for my lips detest wickedness.
8All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.
9To the discerning all of them are right;
they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
10Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,
11for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
12“I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
I possess knowledge and discretion.
13To fear the Lord is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.
14Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
I have insight, I have power.
15By me kings reign
and rulers issue decrees that are just;
16by me princes govern,
and nobles—all who rule on earth.8:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; other Hebrew manuscripts all righteous rulers
17I love those who love me,
and those who seek me find me.
18With me are riches and honor,
enduring wealth and prosperity.
19My fruit is better than fine gold;
what I yield surpasses choice silver.
20I walk in the way of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
21bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me
and making their treasuries full.
22“The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,8:22 Or way; or dominion8:22 Or The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work; or The Lord brought me forth at the beginning of his work
before his deeds of old;
23I was formed long ages ago,
at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
24When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
when there were no springs overflowing with water;
25before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was given birth,
26before he made the world or its fields
or any of the dust of the earth.
27I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
28when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
29when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
30Then I was constantly8:30 Or was the artisan; or was a little child at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
31rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind.
32“Now then, my children, listen to me;
blessed are those who keep my ways.
33Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not disregard it.
34Blessed are those who listen to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway.
35For those who find me find life
and receive favor from the Lord.
36But those who fail to find me harm themselves;
all who hate me love death.”
