Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Teererai, vanakomana vangu, kurayira kwababa venyu; nyatsoteererai mugowana kunzwisisa.
2 For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not my teaching.
Ndinokupai dzidziso yakanaka, saka regai kurasa dzidziso yangu.
3 For I was a son unto my father, tender and an only one in the sight of my mother.
Pandakanga ndiri mukomana mumba mababa vangu, ndichiri muduku uye mwana mumwe chete wamai vangu,
4 And he taught me, and said unto me: 'Let thy heart hold fast my words, keep my commandments, and live;
baba vangu vakandidzidzisa vachiti, “Mwoyo wako ngaubatisise mashoko angu; chengeta mirayiro yangu ugorarama.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
Wana uchenjeri, wana kunzwisisa; usakanganwa mashoko angu kana kubva paari.
6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; love her, and she will keep thee.
Usarasa uchenjeri, ipapo huchakuchengeta; hude, ihwo hugokurinda.
7 The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom; yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
Uchenjeri chinhu chikuru; naizvozvo wana uchenjeri. Kunyange huchikutorera zvose zvaunazvo, wana kunzwisisa.
8 Extol her, and she will exalt thee; she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
Uhukudze; ipapo huchakusimudzira; uhumbundikire, ipapo huchakukudza.
9 She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow on thee.'
Huchakupfekedza chishongo chenyasha mumusoro mako, uye huchakupa korona yokubwinya.”
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
Teerera, mwanakomana wangu, gamuchira zvandinotaura, ipapo makore oupenyu hwako achava mazhinji.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
Ndinokudzidzisa nzira youchenjeri uye ndiri kukutungamirira panzira dzakarurama.
12 When thou goest, thy step shall not be straitened; and if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Paunofamba, tsoka dzako hadzingapinganidzwi, paunomhanya, haungagumburwi.
13 Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go; keep her, for she is thy life.
Batisisa kurayirwa, usarega kuchienda; nyatsokurinda zvakanaka, nokuti ndihwo upenyu hwako.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men.
Usaisa rutsoka panzira dzavakaipa, kana kufamba panzira dzavanhu vakaipa.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass on.
Udzinzvenge, usafamba padziri; tsauka padziri ugopfuurira mberi.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
Nokuti havangavati vasati vaita zvakaipa; havangabatwi nehope kusvikira vaita kuti mumwe munhu aputsike.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
Vanodya zvokudya zvezvakaipa, uye vanonwa waini yezvechisimba.
18 But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Nzira yavakarurama yakafanana nechiedza chamambakwedza, chinoramba chichiwedzera kubwinya kusvikira pachiedza chamasikati makuru.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble.
Asi nzira yavakaipa yakaita serima guru; havazivi zvinoita kuti vagumburwe.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Mwanakomana wangu, nyatsoteerera zvandinotaura; teereresa kumashoko angu.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thy heart.
Usaite kuti abve pameso ako, achengete pakati pomwoyo wako;
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
nokuti upenyu kuna avo vanoawana uye noutano kumuviri wose womunhu.
23 Above all that thou guardest keep thy heart; for out of it are the issues of life.
Pamusoro pazvo zvose, chengetedza mwoyo wako, nokuti ndicho chitubu choupenyu.
24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Bvisa zvinotsausa pamuromo wako; kutaura kwakaora ngakuve kure nemiromo yako.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Meso ako ngaatarire mberi bedzi, ramba wakatarira mberi kwako.
26 Make plain the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Gadzirira tsoka dzako gwara ugofamba munzira dzakasimba chete.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.
Usatsaukira kurudyi kana kuruboshwe; chengetedza rutsoka rwako kuti rusaende pane zvakaipa.
