Miyambo 23
1 Ngati ukhala pansi kuti udye pamodzi ndi wolamulira, uyangʼane bwino zimene zili pamaso pako,
When you sit to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you,
2 ngati ndiwe munthu wadyera udziletse kuti usaonetse dyera lakolo.
and put a knife to your throat if you are a person who likes to eat a lot of food.
3 Usasirire zakudya zake, pakuti zimenezo ndi zakudya zachinyengo.
Do not crave his delicacies, for it is the food of lies.
4 Usadzitopetse wekha ndi kufuna chuma, ukhale ndi nzeru ya kudziretsa.
Do not work too hard to gain wealth; be wise enough to know when to stop.
5 Ukangoti wachipeza chumacho uwona posachedwa kuti palibepo. Chumacho chimachita ngati chamera mapiko mwadzidzidzi ndi kuwuluka kunka kumwamba ngati chiwombankhanga.
Will you let your eyes light upon it? It will be gone, for it will surely take up wings like an eagle and fly off to the sky.
6 Usadye chakudya cha munthu waumbombo, usalakalake zakudya zake zokoma;
Do not eat the food of one with an evil eye— and do not crave his delicacies,
7 paja iye ndi munthu amene nthawi zonse amaganizira za mtengo wake ngakhale amati kwa iwe, “Idya ndi kumwa,” koma sakondweretsedwa nawe.
for he is the kind of man who counts the price of the food. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 Udzasanza zimene wadyazo ndipo mawu ako woyamikira adzapita pachabe.
You will vomit up the little you have eaten and you will have wasted your compliments.
9 Usayankhule munthu wopusa akumva, pakuti adzanyoza mawu ako anzeru.
Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Usasunthe mwala wa mʼmalire akalekale kapena kulowerera mʼminda ya ana amasiye,
Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of orphans,
11 paja Mpulumutsi wawo ndi wamphamvu; iye adzawateteza pa milandu yawo kutsutsana nawe.
for their Redeemer is strong and he will plead their case against you.
12 Mtima wako uzikhala pa malangizo ndipo makutu ako azimvetsera mawu a chidziwitso.
Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
13 Usaleke kumulangiza mwana; ngati umulanga ndi chikwapu sadzafa.
Do not withhold instruction from a child, for if you discipline him, he will not die.
It is you who must beat him with the rod and save his soul from Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwana wanga, ngati mtima wako ukhala wanzeru, inenso mtima wanga udzakondwera.
My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart also will be glad;
16 Mtima wanga udzakondwera pamene ndidzakumva ukuyankhula zolungama.
my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 Mtima wako usachite nsanje ndi anthu ochimwa, koma uziopa Yehova tsiku ndi tsiku.
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of Yahweh all the day.
18 Ndithu za mʼtsogolo zilipo ndipo chiyembekezo chakocho sichidzalephereka.
Surely there is a future and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Tamvera mwana wanga, ndipo ukhale wanzeru, mtima wako uwuyendetse mʼnjira yabwino.
Hear—you!—my son, and be wise and direct your heart in the way.
20 Usakhale pakati pa anthu amene amaledzera kapena pakati pa anthu amene amadya nyama mwadyera.
Do not associate with drunkards, or with gluttonous eaters of meat,
21 Paja anthu oledzera ndi adyera amadzakhala amphawi ndipo aulesi adzavala sanza.
for the drunkard and the glutton become poor and slumber will clothe them with rags.
22 Mvera abambo ako amene anakubala, usanyoze amayi ako pamene akalamba.
Listen to your father who begot you and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Gula choonadi ndipo usachigulitse; ugulenso nzeru, mwambo ndiponso kumvetsa zinthu bwino.
Buy the truth, but do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 Abambo a munthu wolungama ali ndi chimwemwe chachikulu; Wobala mwana wanzeru adzakondwera naye.
The father of the righteous person will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will be glad in him.
25 Abambo ndi amayi ako asangalale; amene anakubereka akondwere!
Let your father and your mother be glad and let her who bore you rejoice.
26 Mwana wanga, undikhulupirire ndipo maso ako apenyetsetse njira zanga.
My son, give me your heart and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 Paja mkazi wachiwerewere ali ngati dzenje lozama; ndipo mkazi woyendayenda ali ngati chitsime chopapatiza.
For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an immoral woman is a narrow well.
28 Amabisala ngati mbala yachifwamba, ndipo amuna amakhala osakhulupirika chifukwa cha iyeyu.
She lies in wait like a robber and she increases the number of the treacherous among humanity.
29 Ndani ali ndi tsoka? Ndani ali ndi chisoni? Ndani ali pa mkangano? Ndani ali ndi madandawulo? Ndani ali ndi zipsera zosadziwika uko zachokera? Ndani ali ndi maso ofiira?
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has fights? Who has complaining? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Ndi amene amakhalitsa pa mowa, amene amapita nalawa vinyo osakanizidwa.
Those who linger over wine, those who try the mixed wine.
31 Usatengeke mtima ndi kufiira kwa vinyo, pamene akuwira mʼchikho pamene akumweka bwino!
Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
32 Potsiriza pake amaluma ngati njoka, ndipo amajompha ngati mphiri.
In the last it bites like a serpent and it stings like an adder.
33 Maso ako adzaona zinthu zachilendo ndipo maganizo ndi mawu ako adzakhala osokonekera.
Your eyes will see strange things and your heart will utter perverse things.
34 Udzakhala ngati munthu amene ali gone pakati pa nyanja, kapena ngati munthu wogona pa msonga ya mlongoti ya ngalawa.
You will be as one who sleeps on the high seas or lies on the top of a mast.
35 Iwe udzanena kuti, “Anandimenya, koma sindinapwetekedwe! Andimenya koma sindinamve kanthu! Kodi ndidzuka nthawi yanji? Ndiye ndifunefunenso vinyo wina.”
“They hit me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt. They beat me, but I did not feel it. When will I wake up? I will seek another drink.”
