1Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.
2A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
3The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but the Lord tests the heart.
4A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker;
whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.
6Children’s children are a crown to the aged,
and parents are the pride of their children.
7Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
how much worse lying lips to a ruler!
8A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
they think success will come at every turn.
9Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
10A rebuke impresses a discerning person
more than a hundred lashes a fool.
11Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
the messenger of death will be sent against them.
12Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool bent on folly.
13Evil will never leave the house
of one who pays back evil for good.
14Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—
the Lord detests them both.
16Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
when they are not able to understand it?
17A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
18One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
and puts up security for a neighbor.
19Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
21To have a fool for a child brings grief;
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.
22A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23The wicked accept bribes in secret
to pervert the course of justice.
24A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25A foolish son brings grief to his father
and bitterness to the mother who bore him.
26If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,
surely to flog honest officials is not right.
27The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.
28Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.
117:1 Mit 15:16, 17; 16:8Afadhali kula ukoko mkavu ukiwa na amani na utulivu
kuliko kukaa kwenye nyumba ya karamu kukiwa na magomvi.
217:2 Mit 10:5; 19:26Mtumishi mwenye hekima atatawala juu ya mwana aaibishaye,
naye atashirikiana katika urithi kama mmoja wa hao ndugu.
317:3 Mit 27:21; Yer 17:10; 1Pet 1:7; Za 26:2Kalibu ni kwa ajili ya fedha na tanuru ni kwa ajili ya dhahabu,
bali Bwana huujaribu moyo.
4Mtu mwovu husikiliza midomo mibaya;
mwongo husikiliza kwa makini ulimi wa madhara.
517:5 Mit 14:31; Ay 31:39; Eze 25:3; Oba 1:12Yeye anaye mdhihaki maskini huonyesha dharau kwa Muumba wake;
yeyote afurahiaye maafa hataepuka kuadhibiwa.
617:6 Za 125:5; Mit 13:22Wana wa wana ni taji la wazee,
nao wazazi ni fahari ya watoto wao.
717:7 Mit 16:10Midomo yenye uwezo wa ushawishi haimfai mpumbavu:
je, ni mibaya kiasi gani zaidi midomo ya uongo kwa mtawala!
817:8 Mwa 39:21; Dan 6:3Kipawa ni kama kito cha thamani machoni pake yeye aliye nacho;
kokote kigeukiapo, hufanikiwa.
917:9 Mit 10:12; 16:28Yeye anayesamehe kosa hudumisha upendo,
bali yeyote arudiaye jambo hutenganisha marafiki wa karibu.
10Karipio humwingia sana mtu mwenye kutambua
kuliko mapigo mia kwa mpumbavu.
11Mtu mbaya hupenda kuasi tu;
mjumbe asiye na huruma atatumwa dhidi yake.
1217:12 1Sam 25:25Ni afadhali ukutane na dubu aliyenyangʼanywa watoto wake,
kuliko mpumbavu katika upumbavu wake.
1317:13 Yer 18:20; 1Sam 19:4; Rum 12:17; Za 109:4-5Ikiwa mtu atalipa baya kwa jema,
kamwe ubaya hautaondoka katika nyumba yake.
1417:14 Mit 20:3; Mt 5:25-26; Mdo 6:1Kuanzisha ugomvi ni kama kutoboa bwawa la maji;
kwa hiyo acha jambo hilo kabla mabishano hayajaanza.
1517:15 Za 94:21; Kut 23:6-7; Mit 18:5; Mao 3:34-36; Isa 5:23Yeye asemaye kuwa asiye na haki ana haki,
naye asemaye kuwa mwenye haki hana haki:
Bwana huwachukia sana wote wawili.
1617:16 Mit 23:23Fedha ina faida gani mikononi mwa mpumbavu,
wakati yeye hana haja ya kupata hekima?
1717:17 2Sam 15:21; Mit 27:10Rafiki hupenda wakati wote
naye ndugu amezaliwa kwa ajili ya wakati wa shida.
1817:18 Mit 6:1-5; 11:5Mtu mjinga hupana mkono ili kuweka rehani,
naye huweka dhamana kwa jirani yake.
19Yeye apendaye ugomvi apenda dhambi;
naye ainuaye sana lango lake17:19 Kuinua lango maana yake ni kusema kwa majivuno. hutafuta uharibifu.
20Mtu mwenye moyo mpotovu hawezi kufanikiwa;
naye ambaye ulimi wake ni mdanganyifu huanguka kwenye taabu.
2117:21 Mit 10:1Kuwa na mwana mpumbavu huleta huzuni;
hakuna furaha kwa baba wa mpumbavu.
2217:22 Kut 12:46; Za 22:15Moyo wenye furaha ni dawa nzuri,
bali roho iliyopondeka hukausha mifupa.
2317:23 Kut 18:21; 1Sam 8:3Mtu mwovu hukubali rushwa kwa siri
ili kupotosha njia ya haki.
2417:24 Ay 31:1; Mhu 2:14Mtu wa ufahamu huitazama hekima,
lakini macho ya mpumbavu huhangaika
hadi kwenye miisho ya dunia.
2517:25 Mit 10:1Mwana mpumbavu huleta huzuni kwa baba yake
na uchungu kwa yeye aliyemzaa.
2617:26 Za 94:21; Mit 18:5Si vizuri kumwadhibu mtu asiye na hatia,
au kuwapiga sana maafisa kwa ajili ya uadilifu wao.
2717:27 Ay 6:24; Mit 14:29Mtu mwenye maarifa hutumia maneno kwa kujizuia,
naye mtu mwenye ufahamu ana moyo wa utulivu.
2817:28 Ay 2:13; Mit 10:19Hata mtu mpumbavu hudhaniwa kuwa na hekima kama akinyamaza,
na mwenye ufahamu kama akiuzuia ulimi wake.
