Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
Teererai, vanakomana vangu, kurayira kwababa venyu; nyatsoteererai mugowana kunzwisisa.
2 for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
Ndinokupai dzidziso yakanaka, saka regai kurasa dzidziso yangu.
3 For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
Pandakanga ndiri mukomana mumba mababa vangu, ndichiri muduku uye mwana mumwe chete wamai vangu,
4 He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain 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. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
Wana uchenjeri, wana kunzwisisa; usakanganwa mashoko angu kana kubva paari.
6 Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
Usarasa uchenjeri, ipapo huchakuchengeta; hude, ihwo hugokurinda.
7 Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
Uchenjeri chinhu chikuru; naizvozvo wana uchenjeri. Kunyange huchikutorera zvose zvaunazvo, wana kunzwisisa.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.
Uhukudze; ipapo huchakusimudzira; uhumbundikire, ipapo huchakukudza.
9 She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”
Huchakupfekedza chishongo chenyasha mumusoro mako, uye huchakupa korona yokubwinya.”
10 Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
Teerera, mwanakomana wangu, gamuchira zvandinotaura, ipapo makore oupenyu hwako achava mazhinji.
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
Ndinokudzidzisa nzira youchenjeri uye ndiri kukutungamirira panzira dzakarurama.
12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
Paunofamba, tsoka dzako hadzingapinganidzwi, paunomhanya, haungagumburwi.
13 Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
Batisisa kurayirwa, usarega kuchienda; nyatsokurinda zvakanaka, nokuti ndihwo upenyu hwako.
14 Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
Usaisa rutsoka panzira dzavakaipa, kana kufamba panzira dzavanhu vakaipa.
15 Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
Udzinzvenge, usafamba padziri; tsauka padziri ugopfuurira mberi.
16 For they don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone 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 like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.
Nzira yavakarurama yakafanana nechiedza chamambakwedza, chinoramba chichiwedzera kubwinya kusvikira pachiedza chamasikati makuru.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
Asi nzira yavakaipa yakaita serima guru; havazivi zvinoita kuti vagumburwe.
20 My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
Mwanakomana wangu, nyatsoteerera zvandinotaura; teereresa kumashoko angu.
21 Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart.
Usaite kuti abve pameso ako, achengete pakati pomwoyo wako;
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
nokuti upenyu kuna avo vanoawana uye noutano kumuviri wose womunhu.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
Pamusoro pazvo zvose, chengetedza mwoyo wako, nokuti ndicho chitubu choupenyu.
24 Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
Bvisa zvinotsausa pamuromo wako; kutaura kwakaora ngakuve kure nemiromo yako.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
Meso ako ngaatarire mberi bedzi, ramba wakatarira mberi kwako.
26 Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
Gadzirira tsoka dzako gwara ugofamba munzira dzakasimba chete.
27 Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
Usatsaukira kurudyi kana kuruboshwe; chengetedza rutsoka rwako kuti rusaende pane zvakaipa.
