Muparidzi 7
1 Zita rakanaka rinopfuura mafuta anonhuhwira zvakanaka kwazvo, uye zuva rokufa rinopfuura zuva rokuzvarwa.
A [good] name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than the day of one’s birth.
2 Zviri nani kuenda kuimba yokuchema pano kuenda kuimba yamabiko, nokuti rufu ndiwo mugumo womunhu wose; vapenyu ngavazviise izvi pamwoyo.
It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
3 Kusuwa kunopfuura kuseka, nokuti chiso chinopunyaira chakanakira mwoyo.
Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
4 Mwoyo womuchenjeri uri mumba yokuchema, asi mwoyo yamapenzi iri kuimba yamafaro.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Zviri nani kuteerera kutsiura kwomunhu akachenjera, pano kuteerera rwiyo rwamapenzi.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 Sokuputika kweminzwa pasi pehari, ndizvo zvakaita kuseka kwamapenzi. Naizvozviwo hazvina maturo.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7 Udzvinyiriri hunoshandura muchenjeri achiva benzi, uye fufuro inosvibisa mwoyo.
Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding.
8 Magumo echinhu anopfuura mavambo acho, uye mwoyo murefu unopfuura kuzvikudza.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; [and] the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Usakurumidza kutsamwa pamweya wako nokuti kutsamwa kunogara muchipfuva chamapenzi.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 Usati, “Sei mazuva akare ari nani kupfuura azvino?” Nokuti hazvina kuchenjera kubvunza mibvunzo yakadaro.
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
11 Uchenjeri chinhu chakanaka senhaka, uye hunobatsira avo vanoona zuva.
Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun.
12 Uchenjeri hunodzivirira sokudzivirira kunoita mari, asi kunakisa kworuzivo ndokuku: kuti uchenjeri hunochengetedza upenyu hwomunhu anahwo.
For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.
13 Cherechedza zvakaitwa naMwari: Ndiani angatwasanudza zvaakagonyanisa?
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
14 Kana zvinhu zvakanaka, fara; asi kana nguva dzakaipa, rangarira kuti: Mwari ndiye akaita izvozvo zvose zviri zviviri. Naizvozvo, munhu haagoni kuziva chinhu pamusoro peramangwana rake.
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything [that shall be] after him.
15 Muupenyu hwangu husina maturo ndakaona zvose izvi: akarurama achiparara mukururama kwake, nowakaipa achirarama nguva refu mukuipa kwake.
All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth [his life] in his evil-doing.
16 Usava munhu akanyanyisa kururama, kana munhu akanyanyisa kuchenjera, uchazviparadzireiko?
Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17 Usava munhu akanyanyisa kuipa, uye usava benzi. Ungada kufa nguva yako isati yakwana?
Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18 Zvakanaka kubatisisa chimwe chinhu, uye usingaregedzi chimwe chacho chichienda. Munhu anotya Mwari acharega kuita zvinopfurikidza mwero.
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all.
19 Uchenjeri hunoita kuti mumwe munhu akachenjera ave nesimba guru kupfuura vatariri gumi vari muguta.
Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
20 Hapana munhu akarurama panyika, anoita zvakanaka uye asingatadzi.
Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21 Usava nehanya namashoko ose anotaurwa navanhu, zvichida ungangonzwa muranda wako achikutuka,
Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;
22 nokuti unoziva mumwoyo mako kuti nguva zhinji iwe pachako wakambotuka vamwe.
for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23 Zvose izvi ndakazviedza nouchenjeri ndikati, “Ndakazvipira kuva munhu akachenjera,” asi izvi zvaiva kure neni.
All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 Chii zvacho chingava uchenjeri, chiri kure kwazvo uye chakadzama, ndiani angachiwana?
That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
25 Saka ndakashandura pfungwa dzangu ndikatanga kutsvaka kunzwisisa, kuti ndiongorore uye nditsvakisise uchenjeri nourongwa hwezvinhu, uye kuti ndinzwisise upenzi hwokuipa nomupengo hwoupenzi.
I turned about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.
26 Ndakawana chinhu chinovava kupfuura rufu, mukadzi anova musungo, mwoyo wake uri hunza uye maoko ake ari ngetani. Munhu anofadza Mwari achapunyuka kwaari, asi mutadzi achabatwa naye.
And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, [and] whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27 Muparidzi anoti, “Tarira, izvi ndizvo zvandakawana: “Ndichisanganisa chimwe nechimwe kuti ndiwane marongerwo ezvinhu,
Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, [laying] one thing to another, to find out the account;
28 pandakanga ndichiri kutsvaka asi ndisina chandinowana, ndakawana murume mumwe chete akarurama pakati pechiuru, asi handina kuwana mukadzi mumwe chete akarurama pakati pavo vose.
which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 Chinhu ichi chete ndicho chandakawana chokuti: Mwari akaita vanhu vakarurama, asi vanhu vakaenda kundotsvaka mano mazhinji.”
Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
