Zvirevo 23
1 Kana ukagara pakudya pamwe chete nomubati, nyatsocherechedza zviri pamberi pako,
When thou sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently him who is before thee,
2 uise banga pahuro kana uri munhu wamadyo.
and put a knife to thy throat if thou be a man given to appetite.
3 Usapanga zvokudya zvake zvinonaka nokuti zvokudya izvozvo zvinonyengera.
Be not desirous of his dainties, since they are deceitful food.
4 Usazvionza nokuda kuwana pfuma; iva nouchenjeri hunoita kuti uzvibate.
Weary not thyself to be rich. Out of thine own wisdom, cease.
5 Kungoti tarisei papfuma, wanei yaenda, nokuti zvirokwazvo inomera mapapiro igobhururuka ichienda kudenga segondo.
Will thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For it certainly makes itself wings, like an eagle that flies toward heaven.
6 Usadya zvokudya zvomunhu anonyima, kana kupanga zvokudya zvake zvinonaka;
Eat thou not the bread of an evil eye, nor desire thou his dainties.
7 nokuti munhu uya anongofunga chete mutengo wazvo. Anoti kwauri, “Idya ugonwa,” asi mumwoyo make asingadi.
For as he thinks within himself, so is he. Eat and drink, he says to thee, but his heart is not with thee.
8 Ucharutsa zvishoma izvozvo zvawadya, uye unenge watambisa mashoko ako nokumutenda.
The morsel which thou have eaten thou shall vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
9 Usataura nebenzi, nokuti richashora uchenjeri hwamashoko ako.
Speak not in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
10 Usabvisa dombo romuganhu wakare kana kupinda paminda yenherera,
Remove not the ancient landmark. And enter not into the fields of the fatherless,
11 nokuti Mudziviriri wavo ane simba; iye achavarwira pamhaka yavo newe.
for their Redeemer is strong. He will plead their cause against thee.
12 Isa mwoyo wako kumurayiro nenzeve dzako kumashoko ezivo.
Apply thy heart to instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Usarega kuranga mwana; ukamuranga neshamhu, haafi.
Withhold not correction from the child, for if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Thou shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwanakomana wangu, kana mwoyo wako wakachenjera, ipapo mwoyo wangu uchafara;
My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart will be glad, even mine.
16 mukatikati mangu muchapembera kana miromo yako ichitaura zvakarurama.
Yea, my heart will rejoice when thy lips speak right things.
17 Usarega mwoyo wako uchichiva vatadzi, asi nguva dzose shingairira kutya Jehovha.
Let not thy heart envy sinners, but be thou in the fear of Jehovah all the day long.
18 Zvirokwazvo ramangwana rako rine tariro, uye tariro yako haingaparadzwi.
For surely there is a reward, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
19 Teerera, mwanakomana wangu, ugova nouchenjeri, uye uchengete mwoyo wako panzira yakarurama.
Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thy heart in the way.
20 Usabatana navaya vanonwa waini zhinji, kunyange vaya vanokara nyama,
Be not among winebibbers, among gluttonous eaters of flesh.
21 nokuti zvidhakwa nevane madyo vachava varombo, uye hope dzichavapfekedza mamvemve.
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.
22 Teerera kuna baba vako, ivo vakakubereka, uye usazvidza mai vako kana vachinge vakwegura.
Hearken to thy father who begot thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
23 Tenga zvokwadi urege kuzoitengesa; uwane uchenjeri, kuzvibata nokunzwisisa.
Buy the truth, and do not sell it, yea, wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24 Baba vomunhu akarurama vane mufaro mukuru; uyo ane mwanakomana akachenjera anofadzwa naye.
The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise son will have joy of him.
25 Baba vako namai vako ngavafare; mai vakakubereka ngavafare kwazvo!
Let thy father and thy mother be glad, and let her who bore thee rejoice.
26 Mwanakomana wangu, ndipe mwoyo wako uye meso ako ngaananʼanidze nzira dzangu,
My son, give me thy heart, and let thine eyes delight in my ways.
27 nokuti chifeve igomba rakadzika, uye mukadzi asingazvibati itsime rakamanikana.
For a harlot is a deep ditch, and an interloping woman is a narrow pit.
28 Segororo anohwandira, anowedzera vasina kutendeka pakati pavarume.
Yea, she lies in wait as a robber, and increases the treacherous among men.
29 Ndiani ane nhamo? Ndiani akasuwa? Ndiani anokakavara? Ndiani anonyunyuta? Ndiani ane mavanga pasina mhaka? Ndiani ane meso akatsvuka?
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?
30 Vaya vanogara pawaini, vanoenda kundoravira makate ewaini yakavhenganiswa.
Those who tarry long at the wine. Those who go to seek out mixed wine.
31 Usatarisa waini kana yatsvuka, kana ichivaima iri mumukombe, kana ichidzika zvakanaka pakunwa!
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.
32 Pakupedzisira inoruma senyoka uye ine uturu semvumbi.
At the end it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.
33 Meso ako achaona zvisakamboonekwa uye pfungwa dzako dzichafunga zvakapesana.
Thine eyes shall behold strange things, and thy heart shall utter perverse things.
34 Uchava souya akarara pamusoro pamafungu amakungwa, kana somunhu avete pamusoro pedanda rechikepe.
Yea, thou shall be as he who lies down in the midst of the sea, or as he who lies upon the top of a mast.
35 Uchati, “Vakandirova, asi handina kukuvara! Vakandirova asi handina kuzvinzwa! Ndichamuka rinhiko kuti ndigotsvakazve waini?”
They have stricken me, thou shall say, and I was not hurt. They have beaten me, and I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
