Proverbs 4
1 My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.
Teererai, vanakomana vangu, kurayira kwababa venyu; nyatsoteererai mugowana kunzwisisa.
2 What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.
Ndinokupai dzidziso yakanaka, saka regai kurasa dzidziso yangu.
3 When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,
Pandakanga ndiri mukomana mumba mababa vangu, ndichiri muduku uye mwana mumwe chete wamai vangu,
4 my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].
baba vangu vakandidzidzisa vachiti, “Mwoyo wako ngaubatisise mashoko angu; chengeta mirayiro yangu ugorarama.
5 Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.
Wana uchenjeri, wana kunzwisisa; usakanganwa mashoko angu kana kubva paari.
6 Do not turn away from wisdom, because if you are wise, you will be protected [from all evil/danger]. If you love wisdom, wisdom [PRS] will guard you.
Usarasa uchenjeri, ipapo huchakuchengeta; hude, ihwo hugokurinda.
7 The most important thing that you can do is to get wisdom. Even if you obtain many other things, the best thing is to know what things are wise.
Uchenjeri chinhu chikuru; naizvozvo wana uchenjeri. Kunyange huchikutorera zvose zvaunazvo, wana kunzwisisa.
8 If you consider being wise to be very valuable, [people] will think very highly of you. If you cling to wisdom [like you would cling to a woman you love], [many people] will honor you.
Uhukudze; ipapo huchakusimudzira; uhumbundikire, ipapo huchakukudza.
9 If you become wise, that will for you be [like] a beautiful wreath that is put {someone puts} on your head; it will be [like] a king’s glorious crown.” [That is what my father told me].
Huchakupfekedza chishongo chenyasha mumusoro mako, uye huchakupa korona yokubwinya.”
10 [So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.
Teerera, mwanakomana wangu, gamuchira zvandinotaura, ipapo makore oupenyu hwako achava mazhinji.
11 I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].
Ndinokudzidzisa nzira youchenjeri uye ndiri kukutungamirira panzira dzakarurama.
12 If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].
Paunofamba, tsoka dzako hadzingapinganidzwi, paunomhanya, haungagumburwi.
13 Hold fast to the things I have taught you to do, and do not let them go. Guard them, because they [will be the source of a good] life.
Batisisa kurayirwa, usarega kuchienda; nyatsokurinda zvakanaka, nokuti ndihwo upenyu hwako.
14 Do not do the things that wicked people do; [do not behave like they do]; do not even walk on the roads that evil [people] walk on [MET].
Usaisa rutsoka panzira dzavakaipa, kana kufamba panzira dzavanhu vakaipa.
15 Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;
Udzinzvenge, usafamba padziri; tsauka padziri ugopfuurira mberi.
16 because evil people cannot sleep if they have not done some evil deed [on that day]. They cannot rest if they have not harmed someone.
Nokuti havangavati vasati vaita zvakaipa; havangabatwi nehope kusvikira vaita kuti mumwe munhu aputsike.
17 What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”
Vanodya zvokudya zvezvakaipa, uye vanonwa waini yezvechisimba.
18 The behavior of good/righteous [people] is like the light [that begins to shine] at dawn and then [continues to] shine brighter until the brightest time of day.
Nzira yavakarurama yakafanana nechiedza chamambakwedza, chinoramba chichiwedzera kubwinya kusvikira pachiedza chamasikati makuru.
19 [But] the behavior of wicked [people] is like deep/thick darkness. [Because it is very dark], they cannot see the things that cause them to stumble.
Asi nzira yavakaipa yakaita serima guru; havazivi zvinoita kuti vagumburwe.
20 My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.
Mwanakomana wangu, nyatsoteerera zvandinotaura; teereresa kumashoko angu.
21 Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,
Usaite kuti abve pameso ako, achengete pakati pomwoyo wako;
22 because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.
nokuti upenyu kuna avo vanoawana uye noutano kumuviri wose womunhu.
23 It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.
Pamusoro pazvo zvose, chengetedza mwoyo wako, nokuti ndicho chitubu choupenyu.
24 Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.
Bvisa zvinotsausa pamuromo wako; kutaura kwakaora ngakuve kure nemiromo yako.
25 Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.
Meso ako ngaatarire mberi bedzi, ramba wakatarira mberi kwako.
26 Plan carefully where you will go and what you will do, and then stay on that road. Then what you do will be right.
Gadzirira tsoka dzako gwara ugofamba munzira dzakasimba chete.
27 Do not leave the straight road by turning to the left or to the right. [Do only what is right] and keep yourself from [doing what is] evil.
Usatsaukira kurudyi kana kuruboshwe; chengetedza rutsoka rwako kuti rusaende pane zvakaipa.
