Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to the discipline of a father, and pay attention, so that you may know prudence.
Ananu, mverani malangizo a abambo anu; tcherani khutu kuti mupeze nzeru zodziwira zinthu.
2 I will bestow upon you a good gift. Do not relinquish my law.
Zimene ndikukuphunzitsani ndi zabwino. Choncho musasiye malangizo anga.
3 For I, too, was the son of my father, tender and an only son in the sight of my mother.
Paja ndinalinso mwana mʼnyumba mwa abambo anga; mwana mmodzi yekha wapamtima pa amayi anga.
4 And he taught me, and he also said: “Let your heart accept my words. Keep my precepts, and you shall live.
Ndipo abambo anandiphunzitsa ndi mawu akuti, “Ugwiritse mawu anga pa mtima pako, usunge malamulo anga kuti ukhale ndi moyo.
5 Obtain wisdom, obtain prudence. May you neither forget, nor turn away from, the words of my mouth.
Upeze nzeru, upeze nzeru zomvetsa zinthu; usayiwale mawu anga kapena kutayana nawo.
6 Do not send her away, and she will guard you. Love her, and she will preserve you.
Usasiye nzeru ndipo idzakusunga. Uziyikonda ndipo idzakuteteza.
7 The beginning of wisdom is to obtain wisdom, and, with all that you possess, to acquire prudence.
Fundo yayikulu pa za nzeru ndi iyi: upeze nzeru. Kaya pali china chilichonse chimene ungapeze, koma upeze nzeru yomvetsa bwino zinthu.
8 Grasp her, and she will exalt you. You will be glorified by her, when you have embraced her.
Uyilemekeze nzeruyo ndipo idzakukweza; ikumbatire nzeruyo ndipo idzakupatsa ulemu.
9 She will bestow upon your head an increase in graces, and she will protect you with a noble crown.
Idzayika sangamutu yokongola yamaluwa pamutu pako; idzakupatsa chipewa chaufumu chaulemu.”
10 Listen, my son, and accept my words, so that years of life may be multiplied for you.
Mwana wanga, umvere ndi kuvomereza zimene ndikunena, ndipo zaka za moyo wako zidzakhala zochuluka.
11 I will demonstrate to you the way of wisdom. I will lead you along the paths of equity.
Ndakuphunzitsa njira yake ya nzeru. Ndakutsogolera mʼnjira zolungama.
12 When you have entered by these, your steps will not be constrained, and when running, you will have no obstacle.
Pamene ukuyenda, mapazi ako sadzawombana; ukamadzathamanga, sudzapunthwa.
13 Take hold of discipline. Do not dismiss it. Guard it, for it is your life.
Ugwiritse zimene ndikukuphunzitsazi osazitaya ayi. Uwasamale bwino pakuti moyo wako wagona pamenepa.
14 Do not delight in the paths of the impious, nor permit the way of evil-doers to please you.
Usayende mʼnjira za anthu oyipa kapena kuyenda mʼnjira ya anthu ochimwa.
15 Take flight from it. Do not pass close to it. Turn away and abandon it.
Pewa njira zawo, usayende mʼmenemo; uzilambalala nʼkumangopita.
16 For they do not sleep, unless they have done evil. And their sleep is quickly taken away from them, unless they have overthrown.
Pakuti iwo sagona mpaka atachita zoyipa; tulo salipeza mpaka atapunthwitsa munthu wina.
17 They eat the bread of impiety, and they drink the wine of iniquity.
Paja chakudya chawo ndicho kuchita zoyipa basi ndipo chakumwa chawo ndi chiwawa.
18 But the path of the just is like a shining light: it advances and increases, even to the day of completion.
Koma njira ya anthu olungama ili ngati kuwala kwa mʼbandakucha kumene kumanka kuwalirawalira mpaka dzuwa litafika pa mutu.
19 The way of the impious is darkened. They do not know where they may fall.
Koma njira ya anthu oyipa ili ngati mdima wandiweyani; iwo sadziwa chomwe chimawapunthwitsa.
20 My son, pay attention to my sermons, and incline your ear to my eloquent words.
Mwana wanga, mvetsetsa zimene ndikunena; tchera khutu ku mawu anga.
21 Let them not recede from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart.
Usayiwale malangizo angawa, koma uwasunge mu mtima mwako.
22 For they are life to those who find them and health to all that is flesh.
Pakuti amapatsa moyo kwa aliyense amene awapeza ndipo amachiritsa thupi lake lonse.
23 Preserve your heart with all watchfulness, for life proceeds from this.
Ndipotu mtima wako uziwuyangʼanira bwino ndithu pakuti ndiwo magwero a moyo.
24 Remove from yourself a corrupt mouth, and let detracting lips be far from you.
Usiyiretu kuyankhula zokhotakhota; ndipo ulekeretu kuyankhula zinthu zonyansa.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelids precede your steps.
Maso ako ayangʼane patsogolo; uziyangʼana kutsogolo molunjika.
26 Direct the path of your feet, and all your ways shall be secure.
Uzilingalira bwino kumene kupita mapazi ako ndipo njira zako zonse zidzakhala zosakayikitsa.
27 Turn aside, neither to the right, nor to the left; yet turn your foot away from evil. For the Lord knows the ways that are on the right, and truly, those that are on the left are perverse. But he himself will make your courses straight. Then your journey will advance in peace.
Usapatukire kumanja kapena kumanzere; usapite kumene kuli zoyipa.
