< Muparidzi 10 >
1 Nhunzi dzakafa dzinonhuwisa mafuta akanaka, saizvozvowo upenzi hushoma hunorema kukunda uchenjeri nokukudzwa.
[A few] dead flies in [a bottle of] perfume cause [all] the perfume to stink. Similarly [SIM], a small amount of acting foolishly can have a greater effect than acting wisely.
2 Mwoyo womunhu akachenjera unosimbira kurudyi, asi mwoyo webenzi unosimbira kuruboshwe.
If people think sensibly, it will lead them to do what is right; if they think foolishly, it causes them to do what is wrong.
3 Kunyange richifamba pamugwagwa, benzi rinoshayiwa njere uye rinoratidza vanhu vose upenzi hwaro.
Even while foolish people walk along the road, they show that they do not have good sense; they show everyone that they are not wise.
4 Kana kutsamwa kwomutongi kukakumukira, usabva panzvimbo yako; unyoro hunonyaradza mhosva huru.
Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
5 Kune chinhu chakaipa chandakaona pasi pezuva, kutadza kunobva kuvatongi:
There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
6 Mapenzi anoiswa munzvimbo zhinji dzapamusoro, ipapo vapfumi vachitora nzvimbo dzakaderera.
They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
7 Ndakaona varanda vakatasva mabhiza, ipapo machinda achifamba pasi netsoka savaranda.
They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
8 Ani naani anochera gomba angangowira mariri; ani naani anopwanya naparusvingo angangorumwa nenyoka.
[It is possible that] those who dig pits will fall into one of those pits. [It is possible that] someone who tears down a wall will be bitten by a snake [that is in that wall].
9 Ani naani anopwanya matombo angangokuvadzwa nawo; ani naani anotsemura matanda angangozviisa panjodzi nawo.
If you work in a quarry, [it is possible that] a stone [will fall on you and] injure you. [It is possible that] men who split logs will be injured by one of those logs.
10 Kana demo rakagomara uye rikasarodzwa, panodiwa simba rakawanda, asi unyanzvi hunouyisa kubudirira.
If your axe is not sharp [DOU], you will need to work harder [to cut down a tree], but by being wise, you will succeed.
11 Kana nyoka ikaruma mupingudzi asati aibata, mupingudzi haachabatsiri.
If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
12 Mashoko anobva mumuromo momunhu akachenjera ane unyoro, asi benzi rinomedzwa nomuromo waro.
Wise people say [MTY] what is sensible, and because of that, people honor them; but foolish people are destroyed by what they say [MTY].
13 Kutanga kwamashoko ake upenzi; nokuguma kwokutaura kwake mupengo wakashata.
When foolish people start to talk, they say things that are foolish, and they end by saying things that are both wicked and foolish.
14 Uye benzi rinowanza mashoko. Hapana munhu anoziva zvichauya, ndiani angamuudza zvichaitika shure kwake?
They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
15 Basa rebenzi rinomunetesa; haazivi nzira inoenda kuguta.
Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
16 Une nhamo iwe nyika ina mambo aiva muranda uye ina machinda anoita mabiko mangwanani.
Terrible things will happen to the people of a nation whose ruler is a foolish young man, and whose [other] leaders continually eat, all day long, every day.
17 Wakaropafadzwa iwe nyika ina mambo akaberekwa mukukudzwa uye ina machinda anodya panguva yakafanira, kuti vasimbiswe kwete kuti vadhakwe.
[But] a nation will prosper if its ruler is from a (noble/well-educated) family, and if its [other] leaders feast [only] at the proper times, and [if they eat and drink only] to be strong, not to become drunk.
18 Kana munhu ari simbe, denga remba rinosakara; kana achigarira maoko, imba inobvinza.
Some men are very lazy [and do not repair the rafters], with the result that the rafters sag [and collapse]; and if they do not repair the roof, water will leak into the house [when it rains].
19 Mabiko anoitirwa kuseka, uye waini inofadza upenyu, asi mari imhinduro kune zvose.
Eating food and drinking wine causes us to laugh and be happy, [but] we are able to enjoy those things only if we have money [to buy them].
20 Usatuka mambo kunyange mupfungwa dzako, kana kutuka mupfumi paimba yako yokuvata, nokuti shiri yedenga ingangotakura mashoko ako, uye china mapapiro chingangozivisa zvawataura.
Do not even think about cursing the king, or cursing rich [people, even] when you are [alone] in your bedroom, because [it is possible that] a little bird will hear [what you are saying], [and] tell those people what you said [about them].