Yobu 28
1 Pali mgodi wa siliva ndiponso malo oyengerapo golide.
There are silver mines and places where gold is refined.
2 Chitsulo amachikumba pansi, ndipo mkuwa amawusungunula ku miyala yamkuwa.
Iron is extracted from the earth and copper is smelted from its ore.
3 Munthu amalowa mu mdima atatenga nyale, amafunafuna miyala mpaka ku malire a mgodiwo, kufuna mkuwa mu mdima wandiweyani.
Miners take lamps into the darkness underground and search for ore as far as they can go in the shadows and the gloom.
4 Amakumba njira zapansi mu mgodimo, kutali ndi kumene kumakhala anthu, kumalo kumene phazi la munthu silinapondeko; iye amakhala ali lende pansipo namazungulira uku ndi uku.
They dig a mineshaft far from where people live or anyone ever goes. They swing from ropes that hang in the pits.
5 Nthaka, imene imatulutsa zakudya, kunsi kwake kumachita ngati kwasandulizika ndi moto;
Bread comes from the earth, but underneath it looks as if it has been turned upside-down by fire.
6 miyala ya safiro imachokera mʼmatanthwe ake, ndipo mʼfumbi lake mumakhala miyala yagolide.
Here the rocks contain lapis lazuli and the dust contains gold.
7 Palibe mbalame yodya zinzake imene imadziwa njira yobisikayi, palibe kamtema amene anayiona.
No birds of prey can see these paths, no falcon's eye can perceive.
8 Zirombo zolusa sizipondamo mʼnjiramo, ndipo mkango sudzeranso mʼmenemo.
No wild beasts have passed that way; the lion has not walked there.
9 Munthu amaphwanya matanthwe olimba, ndipo amagubuduza mapiri kuyambira mʼtsinde.
Miners attack the hard rock; they overturn the roots of mountains.
10 Amabowola njira mʼmatanthwewo; ndipo amaona chuma chonse cha mʼphirimo.
They tunnel through the rock, looking carefully for every precious stone.
11 Amaletsa mitsinje ya pansipo kuti isayendenso, motero amatulutsira poyera zinthu zobisika.
They dam the sources of the rivers, and bring to light what is hidden.
12 “Koma nzeru zingapezeke kuti? Kodi kumvetsa zinthu kumakhala kuti?
But where can wisdom be found? Where is the place to gain understanding?
13 Munthu sadziwa kufunika kwake kwa nzeruzo; nzeruyo sipezeka pa dziko lino la anthu amoyo.
Human beings do not know the way to wisdom; it is not found among the living.
14 Phompho likuti, ‘Sizipezeka mwa ine muno.’ Nyanja ikuti, ‘Mwa ine munonso ayi.’
The deep waters say, ‘It's not here,’ and the sea says, ‘It's not here either.’
15 Nzeru sungazigule ndi golide wabwino kwambiri, mtengo wake sungawuyerekeze ndi siliva wambiri.
It cannot be bought with gold; nor can it be purchased with silver.
16 Nzeru singagulidwe ndi golide wa ku Ofiri, kapena ndi miyala ya onikisi kapena ya safiro.
Its value cannot be measured, even with the gold of Ophir; it is more precious than onyx or lapis lazuli.
17 Nzeru sungayiyerekeze ndi golide kapena mwala wa galasi, sungayigule ndi zokometsera zagolide.
Gold or fine glass cannot compare with wisdom; it cannot be exchanged for gold jewelry.
18 Miyala ya korali ndi krisitali siyoyeneranso ndi kuyitchula nʼkomwe; mtengo wa nzeru ndi woposa miyala ya rubi.
Coral and crystal are not worth mentioning; the price of wisdom is far above rubies.
19 Nzeru sungayiyerekeze ndi miyala ya topazi ya ku Kusi; nzeru singagulidwe ndi golide wabwino kwambiri.
Topaz from Ethiopia can't compare with it; it cannot be bought with the purest gold.
20 “Kodi tsono nzeru zimachokera kuti? Kodi kumvetsa zinthu kumakhala kuti?
So where does wisdom come from? Where is the place to gain understanding?
21 Malo ake ndi obisika kwa zamoyo zonse, ndi obisika ngakhale kwa mbalame zamlengalenga.
Wisdom is hidden from the sight of all living things, even the birds of the air cannot see it.
22 Chiwonongeko ndi imfa zikuti, ‘Tangomva mphekesera chabe ya zimenezo!’
Abaddon and Death say, ‘We've only heard a rumor of it.’
23 Mulungu yekha ndiye amadziwa njira yake yopita kumeneko, ndipo Iye yekha amadziwa kumene nzeru imakhala,
Only God understands the path to wisdom; he knows where it is found.
24 pakuti Iye amayangʼana mpaka ku malekezero a dziko lapansi ndipo amaona zonse za kunsi kwa thambo.
For he looks to the very end of the earth; he sees everything under heaven.
25 Iye atapatsa mphepo mphamvu zake, nayeza kuzama kwa nyanja,
He decided how strong the wind should blow, and regulated the waters.
26 atakhazikitsa lamulo loti mvula izigwa ndi kukonza njira ya chingʼaningʼani cha bingu,
He set a limit for the rain and made a path for the lightning.
27 pamenepo ndi pamene anayangʼana nzeruzo naziyeza mtengo wake; nazikhazikitsa ndi kuzisanthula bwino lomwe.
Then he considered wisdom. He examined it, gave it his approval, and declared it good.
28 Ndipo Iye anati kwa munthu, ‘Taonani, kuopa Ambuye, ndiye nzeru zimenezo ndipo kuthawa zoyipa ndiye kumvetsa zinthu kumeneko.’”
He said to humankind, ‘To reverence the Lord is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
