Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye sons, the correction of a father, and attend, that ye may know understanding.
Ananu, mverani malangizo a abambo anu; tcherani khutu kuti mupeze nzeru zodziwira zinthu.
2 For, good teaching, have I given you, mine instruction, do not ye forsake.
Zimene ndikukuphunzitsani ndi zabwino. Choncho musasiye malangizo anga.
3 For, a son, became I to my father, tender and most precious in the sight of my mother.
Paja ndinalinso mwana mʼnyumba mwa abambo anga; mwana mmodzi yekha wapamtima pa amayi anga.
4 So he taught me, and said to me—Let thy heart, lay hold of my words, Keep my commandments and live!
Ndipo abambo anandiphunzitsa ndi mawu akuti, “Ugwiritse mawu anga pa mtima pako, usunge malamulo anga kuti ukhale ndi moyo.
5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, Do not forget, neither decline thou from the sayings of my mouth.
Upeze nzeru, upeze nzeru zomvetsa zinthu; usayiwale mawu anga kapena kutayana nawo.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will guard thee, —love her and she will keep thee.
Usasiye nzeru ndipo idzakusunga. Uziyikonda ndipo idzakuteteza.
7 The principal thing, is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition, acquire thou understanding.
Fundo yayikulu pa za nzeru ndi iyi: upeze nzeru. Kaya pali china chilichonse chimene ungapeze, koma upeze nzeru yomvetsa bwino zinthu.
8 Exalt her, and she will set thee on high, she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her:
Uyilemekeze nzeruyo ndipo idzakukweza; ikumbatire nzeruyo ndipo idzakupatsa ulemu.
9 She will give for thy head, a wreath of beauty, A crown of adorning, will she bestow upon thee.
Idzayika sangamutu yokongola yamaluwa pamutu pako; idzakupatsa chipewa chaufumu chaulemu.”
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and they will multiply to thee the years of life.
Mwana wanga, umvere ndi kuvomereza zimene ndikunena, ndipo zaka za moyo wako zidzakhala zochuluka.
11 In the way of wisdom, have I taught thee, I have guided thee in tracks of uprightness.
Ndakuphunzitsa njira yake ya nzeru. Ndakutsogolera mʼnjira zolungama.
12 When thou walkest, thy step shall not be hemmed in, and, if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Pamene ukuyenda, mapazi ako sadzawombana; ukamadzathamanga, sudzapunthwa.
13 Take fast hold of correction, let her not go, —keep her, for, she, is thy life.
Ugwiritse zimene ndikukuphunzitsazi osazitaya ayi. Uwasamale bwino pakuti moyo wako wagona pamenepa.
14 Upon the path of the lawless, do not thou enter, and do not advance in the way of the wicked:
Usayende mʼnjira za anthu oyipa kapena kuyenda mʼnjira ya anthu ochimwa.
15 Avoid it, do not pass thereon—turn from it, and depart.
Pewa njira zawo, usayende mʼmenemo; uzilambalala nʼkumangopita.
16 For they sleep not, unless they can do mischief, —They rob themselves of their sleep, if they cannot cause someone to stumble,
Pakuti iwo sagona mpaka atachita zoyipa; tulo salipeza mpaka atapunthwitsa munthu wina.
17 For they consume bread gotten by lawlessness, and, wine obtained by violence, they drink.
Paja chakudya chawo ndicho kuchita zoyipa basi ndipo chakumwa chawo ndi chiwawa.
18 But, the path of the righteous, is as the light of dawn, —going on and brightening, unto meridian day.
Koma njira ya anthu olungama ili ngati kuwala kwa mʼbandakucha kumene kumanka kuwalirawalira mpaka dzuwa litafika pa mutu.
19 The way of the lawless, is like darkness, they know not, at what they stumble.
Koma njira ya anthu oyipa ili ngati mdima wandiweyani; iwo sadziwa chomwe chimawapunthwitsa.
20 My son, to my words, attend, to my sayings, incline thou thine ear;
Mwana wanga, mvetsetsa zimene ndikunena; tchera khutu ku mawu anga.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart;
Usayiwale malangizo angawa, koma uwasunge mu mtima mwako.
22 For, life, they are, to them who find them, —and, to every part of one’s flesh, they bring healing.
Pakuti amapatsa moyo kwa aliyense amene awapeza ndipo amachiritsa thupi lake lonse.
23 Above all that must be guarded, keep thou thy heart, for, out of it, are the issues of life.
Ndipotu mtima wako uziwuyangʼanira bwino ndithu pakuti ndiwo magwero a moyo.
24 Remove from thee, perverseness of mouth, and, craftiness of lips, put far from thee.
Usiyiretu kuyankhula zokhotakhota; ndipo ulekeretu kuyankhula zinthu zonyansa.
25 Let, thine eyes, right onward, look, —and, thine eyelashes, point straight before thee.
Maso ako ayangʼane patsogolo; uziyangʼana kutsogolo molunjika.
26 Make level the track of thy foot, that, all thy ways, may be directed aright:
Uzilingalira bwino kumene kupita mapazi ako ndipo njira zako zonse zidzakhala zosakayikitsa.
27 Decline not, to the right hand or to the left, —Turn away thy foot from wickedness.
Usapatukire kumanja kapena kumanzere; usapite kumene kuli zoyipa.
