Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend that you may know prudence.
Ananu, mverani malangizo a abambo anu; tcherani khutu kuti mupeze nzeru zodziwira zinthu.
2 I will give you a good gift, forsake not my law.
Zimene ndikukuphunzitsani ndi zabwino. Choncho musasiye malangizo anga.
3 For I also was my father’s son, tender and as 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 said: Let thy heart receive my words, keep my commandments, and thou shalt live.
Ndipo abambo anandiphunzitsa ndi mawu akuti, “Ugwiritse mawu anga pa mtima pako, usunge malamulo anga kuti ukhale ndi moyo.
5 Get wisdom, get prudence: forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Upeze nzeru, upeze nzeru zomvetsa zinthu; usayiwale mawu anga kapena kutayana nawo.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall keep thee: love her, and she shall preserve thee.
Usasiye nzeru ndipo idzakusunga. Uziyikonda ndipo idzakuteteza.
7 The beginning of wisdom, get wisdom, and with all thy possession purchase prudence.
Fundo yayikulu pa za nzeru ndi iyi: upeze nzeru. Kaya pali china chilichonse chimene ungapeze, koma upeze nzeru yomvetsa bwino zinthu.
8 Take hold on her, and she shall exalt thee: thou shalt be glorified by her, when thou shalt embrace her.
Uyilemekeze nzeruyo ndipo idzakukweza; ikumbatire nzeruyo ndipo idzakupatsa ulemu.
9 She shall give to thy head increase of graces, and protect thee with a noble crown.
Idzayika sangamutu yokongola yamaluwa pamutu pako; idzakupatsa chipewa chaufumu chaulemu.”
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my words, that years of life may be multiplied to thee.
Mwana wanga, umvere ndi kuvomereza zimene ndikunena, ndipo zaka za moyo wako zidzakhala zochuluka.
11 I will shew thee the way of wisdom, I will lead thee by the paths of equity:
Ndakuphunzitsa njira yake ya nzeru. Ndakutsogolera mʼnjira zolungama.
12 Which when thou shalt have entered, thy steps shall not be straitened, and when thou runnest thou shalt not meet a stumblingblock.
Pamene ukuyenda, mapazi ako sadzawombana; ukamadzathamanga, sudzapunthwa.
13 Take hold on instruction, leave it not: keep it, because it is thy life.
Ugwiritse zimene ndikukuphunzitsazi osazitaya ayi. Uwasamale bwino pakuti moyo wako wagona pamenepa.
14 Be not delighted in the paths of the wicked, neither let the way of evil men please thee.
Usayende mʼnjira za anthu oyipa kapena kuyenda mʼnjira ya anthu ochimwa.
15 Flee from it, pass not by it: go aside, and forsake it.
Pewa njira zawo, usayende mʼmenemo; uzilambalala nʼkumangopita.
16 For they sleep not except they have done evil: and their sleep is taken away unless they have made some to fall.
Pakuti iwo sagona mpaka atachita zoyipa; tulo salipeza mpaka atapunthwitsa munthu wina.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of iniquity.
Paja chakudya chawo ndicho kuchita zoyipa basi ndipo chakumwa chawo ndi chiwawa.
18 But the path of the just, as a shining light, goeth forwards and increaseth even to perfect day.
Koma njira ya anthu olungama ili ngati kuwala kwa mʼbandakucha kumene kumanka kuwalirawalira mpaka dzuwa litafika pa mutu.
19 The way of the wicked is darksome: they know not where they fall.
Koma njira ya anthu oyipa ili ngati mdima wandiweyani; iwo sadziwa chomwe chimawapunthwitsa.
20 My son, hearken to my words, and incline thy ear to my sayings.
Mwana wanga, mvetsetsa zimene ndikunena; tchera khutu ku mawu anga.
21 Let them not depart from thy eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart:
Usayiwale malangizo angawa, koma uwasunge mu mtima mwako.
22 For they are life to those that find them, and health to all flesh.
Pakuti amapatsa moyo kwa aliyense amene awapeza ndipo amachiritsa thupi lake lonse.
23 With all watchfulness keep thy heart, because life issueth out from it.
Ndipotu mtima wako uziwuyangʼanira bwino ndithu pakuti ndiwo magwero a moyo.
24 Remove from thee a froward mouth, and let detracting lips be far from thee.
Usiyiretu kuyankhula zokhotakhota; ndipo ulekeretu kuyankhula zinthu zonyansa.
25 Let thy eyes look straight on, and let thy eyelids go before thy steps.
Maso ako ayangʼane patsogolo; uziyangʼana kutsogolo molunjika.
26 Make straight the path for thy feet, and all thy ways shall be established.
Uzilingalira bwino kumene kupita mapazi ako ndipo njira zako zonse zidzakhala zosakayikitsa.
27 Decline not to the right hand, nor to the left: turn away thy foot from evil. For the Lord knoweth the ways that are on the right hand: but those are perverse which are on the left hand. But he will make thy courses straight, he will bring forward thy ways in peace.
Usapatukire kumanja kapena kumanzere; usapite kumene kuli zoyipa.
