< Proverbs 23 >

1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what [is] before thee:
Kana ukagara pakudya pamwe chete nomubati, nyatsocherechedza zviri pamberi pako,
2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou [art] a man given to appetite.
uise banga pahuro kana uri munhu wamadyo.
3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they [are] deceitful food.
Usapanga zvokudya zvake zvinonaka nokuti zvokudya izvozvo zvinonyengera.
4 Labor not to be rich: cease from thy own wisdom.
Usazvionza nokuda kuwana pfuma; iva nouchenjeri hunoita kuti uzvibate.
5 Wilt thou set thy eyes upon that which is not? for [riches] certainly make to themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle towards heaven.
Kungoti tarisei papfuma, wanei yaenda, nokuti zvirokwazvo inomera mapapiro igobhururuka ichienda kudenga segondo.
6 Eat thou not the bread of [him that hath] an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainties:
Usadya zvokudya zvomunhu anonyima, kana kupanga zvokudya zvake zvinonaka;
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so [is] he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart [is] not with thee.
nokuti munhu uya anongofunga chete mutengo wazvo. Anoti kwauri, “Idya ugonwa,” asi mumwoyo make asingadi.
8 The morsel [which] thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
Ucharutsa zvishoma izvozvo zvawadya, uye unenge watambisa mashoko ako nokumutenda.
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
Usataura nebenzi, nokuti richashora uchenjeri hwamashoko ako.
10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
Usabvisa dombo romuganhu wakare kana kupinda paminda yenherera,
11 For their redeemer [is] mighty; he will plead their cause with thee.
nokuti Mudziviriri wavo ane simba; iye achavarwira pamhaka yavo newe.
12 Apply thy heart to instruction, and thy ears to the words of knowledge.
Isa mwoyo wako kumurayiro nenzeve dzako kumashoko ezivo.
13 Withhold not correction from the child: for [if] thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Usarega kuranga mwana; ukamuranga neshamhu, haafi.
14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. (Sheol h7585)
Murange neshamhu ugoponesa mweya wake kubva parufu. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
Mwanakomana wangu, kana mwoyo wako wakachenjera, ipapo mwoyo wangu uchafara;
16 Yes, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
mukatikati mangu muchapembera kana miromo yako ichitaura zvakarurama.
17 Let not thy heart envy sinners: but [be thou] in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
Usarega mwoyo wako uchichiva vatadzi, asi nguva dzose shingairira kutya Jehovha.
18 For surely there is an end; and thy expectation shall not be cut off.
Zvirokwazvo ramangwana rako rine tariro, uye tariro yako haingaparadzwi.
19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thy heart in the way.
Teerera, mwanakomana wangu, ugova nouchenjeri, uye uchengete mwoyo wako panzira yakarurama.
20 Be not among wine-bibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
Usabatana navaya vanonwa waini zhinji, kunyange vaya vanokara nyama,
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe [a man] with rags.
nokuti zvidhakwa nevane madyo vachava varombo, uye hope dzichavapfekedza mamvemve.
22 Hearken to thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
Teerera kuna baba vako, ivo vakakubereka, uye usazvidza mai vako kana vachinge vakwegura.
23 Buy the truth, and sell [it] not; [also] wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Tenga zvokwadi urege kuzoitengesa; uwane uchenjeri, kuzvibata nokunzwisisa.
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise [child] shall have joy of him.
Baba vomunhu akarurama vane mufaro mukuru; uyo ane mwanakomana akachenjera anofadzwa naye.
25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bore thee shall rejoice.
Baba vako namai vako ngavafare; mai vakakubereka ngavafare kwazvo!
26 My son, give me thy heart, and let thy eyes observe my ways.
Mwanakomana wangu, ndipe mwoyo wako uye meso ako ngaananʼanidze nzira dzangu,
27 For a lewd woman [is] a deep ditch; and a strange woman [is] a narrow pit.
nokuti chifeve igomba rakadzika, uye mukadzi asingazvibati itsime rakamanikana.
28 She also lieth in wait as [for] a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.
Segororo anohwandira, anowedzera vasina kutendeka pakati pavarume.
29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Ndiani ane nhamo? Ndiani akasuwa? Ndiani anokakavara? Ndiani anonyunyuta? Ndiani ane mavanga pasina mhaka? Ndiani ane meso akatsvuka?
30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Vaya vanogara pawaini, vanoenda kundoravira makate ewaini yakavhenganiswa.
31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its color in the cup, [when] it moveth itself aright.
Usatarisa waini kana yatsvuka, kana ichivaima iri mumukombe, kana ichidzika zvakanaka pakunwa!
32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
Pakupedzisira inoruma senyoka uye ine uturu semvumbi.
33 Thy eyes shall behold strange women, and thy heart shall utter perverse things.
Meso ako achaona zvisakamboonekwa uye pfungwa dzako dzichafunga zvakapesana.
34 And thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
Uchava souya akarara pamusoro pamafungu amakungwa, kana somunhu avete pamusoro pedanda rechikepe.
35 They have stricken me, [wilt thou say], [and] I was not sick; they have beaten me, [and] I felt [it] not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
Uchati, “Vakandirova, asi handina kukuvara! Vakandirova asi handina kuzvinzwa! Ndichamuka rinhiko kuti ndigotsvakazve waini?”

< Proverbs 23 >