Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye sons, the correction of a father, and attend, that ye may know understanding.
Teererai, vanakomana vangu, kurayira kwababa venyu; nyatsoteererai mugowana kunzwisisa.
2 For, good teaching, have I given you, mine instruction, do not ye forsake.
Ndinokupai dzidziso yakanaka, saka regai kurasa dzidziso yangu.
3 For, a son, became I to my father, tender and most precious in the sight of my mother.
Pandakanga ndiri mukomana mumba mababa vangu, ndichiri muduku uye mwana mumwe chete wamai vangu,
4 So he taught me, and said to me—Let thy heart, lay hold of my words, Keep my commandments and live!
baba vangu vakandidzidzisa vachiti, “Mwoyo wako ngaubatisise mashoko angu; chengeta mirayiro yangu ugorarama.
5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, Do not forget, neither decline thou from the sayings of my mouth.
Wana uchenjeri, wana kunzwisisa; usakanganwa mashoko angu kana kubva paari.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will guard thee, —love her and she will keep thee.
Usarasa uchenjeri, ipapo huchakuchengeta; hude, ihwo hugokurinda.
7 The principal thing, is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition, acquire thou understanding.
Uchenjeri chinhu chikuru; naizvozvo wana uchenjeri. Kunyange huchikutorera zvose zvaunazvo, wana kunzwisisa.
8 Exalt her, and she will set thee on high, she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her:
Uhukudze; ipapo huchakusimudzira; uhumbundikire, ipapo huchakukudza.
9 She will give for thy head, a wreath of beauty, A crown of adorning, will she bestow upon thee.
Huchakupfekedza chishongo chenyasha mumusoro mako, uye huchakupa korona yokubwinya.”
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and they will multiply to thee the years of life.
Teerera, mwanakomana wangu, gamuchira zvandinotaura, ipapo makore oupenyu hwako achava mazhinji.
11 In the way of wisdom, have I taught thee, I have guided thee in tracks of uprightness.
Ndinokudzidzisa nzira youchenjeri uye ndiri kukutungamirira panzira dzakarurama.
12 When thou walkest, thy step shall not be hemmed in, and, if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Paunofamba, tsoka dzako hadzingapinganidzwi, paunomhanya, haungagumburwi.
13 Take fast hold of correction, let her not go, —keep her, for, she, is thy life.
Batisisa kurayirwa, usarega kuchienda; nyatsokurinda zvakanaka, nokuti ndihwo upenyu hwako.
14 Upon the path of the lawless, do not thou enter, and do not advance in the way of the wicked:
Usaisa rutsoka panzira dzavakaipa, kana kufamba panzira dzavanhu vakaipa.
15 Avoid it, do not pass thereon—turn from it, and depart.
Udzinzvenge, usafamba padziri; tsauka padziri ugopfuurira mberi.
16 For they sleep not, unless they can do mischief, —They rob themselves of their sleep, if they cannot cause someone to stumble,
Nokuti havangavati vasati vaita zvakaipa; havangabatwi nehope kusvikira vaita kuti mumwe munhu aputsike.
17 For they consume bread gotten by lawlessness, and, wine obtained by violence, they drink.
Vanodya zvokudya zvezvakaipa, uye vanonwa waini yezvechisimba.
18 But, the path of the righteous, is as the light of dawn, —going on and brightening, unto meridian day.
Nzira yavakarurama yakafanana nechiedza chamambakwedza, chinoramba chichiwedzera kubwinya kusvikira pachiedza chamasikati makuru.
19 The way of the lawless, is like darkness, they know not, at what they stumble.
Asi nzira yavakaipa yakaita serima guru; havazivi zvinoita kuti vagumburwe.
20 My son, to my words, attend, to my sayings, incline thou thine ear;
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, life, they are, to them who find them, —and, to every part of one’s flesh, they bring healing.
nokuti upenyu kuna avo vanoawana uye noutano kumuviri wose womunhu.
23 Above all that must be guarded, keep thou thy heart, for, out of it, are the issues of life.
Pamusoro pazvo zvose, chengetedza mwoyo wako, nokuti ndicho chitubu choupenyu.
24 Remove from thee, perverseness of mouth, and, craftiness of lips, put far from thee.
Bvisa zvinotsausa pamuromo wako; kutaura kwakaora ngakuve kure nemiromo yako.
25 Let, thine eyes, right onward, look, —and, thine eyelashes, point straight before thee.
Meso ako ngaatarire mberi bedzi, ramba wakatarira mberi kwako.
26 Make level the track of thy foot, that, all thy ways, may be directed aright:
Gadzirira tsoka dzako gwara ugofamba munzira dzakasimba chete.
27 Decline not, to the right hand or to the left, —Turn away thy foot from wickedness.
Usatsaukira kurudyi kana kuruboshwe; chengetedza rutsoka rwako kuti rusaende pane zvakaipa.
