Zvirevo 23
1 Kana ukagara pakudya pamwe chete nomubati, nyatsocherechedza zviri pamberi pako,
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider well him that 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; seeing they are deceitful food.
4 Usazvionza nokuda kuwana pfuma; iva nouchenjeri hunoita kuti uzvibate.
Weary not thyself to be rich; cease from thine own wisdom.
5 Kungoti tarisei papfuma, wanei yaenda, nokuti zvirokwazvo inomera mapapiro igobhururuka ichienda kudenga segondo.
Wilt thou set thine eyes upon it? it is gone; for riches certainly make themselves wings, like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.
6 Usadya zvokudya zvomunhu anonyima, kana kupanga zvokudya zvake zvinonaka;
Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainties;
7 nokuti munhu uya anongofunga chete mutengo wazvo. Anoti kwauri, “Idya ugonwa,” asi mumwoyo make asingadi.
For as one that hath reckoned within himself, so is he: 'Eat and drink', saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
8 Ucharutsa zvishoma izvozvo zvawadya, uye unenge watambisa mashoko ako nokumutenda.
The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
9 Usataura nebenzi, nokuti richashora uchenjeri hwamashoko ako.
Speak not in the ears 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 with thee.
12 Isa mwoyo wako kumurayiro nenzeve dzako kumashoko ezivo.
Apply thy heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Usarega kuranga mwana; ukamuranga neshamhu, haafi.
Withhold not correction from the child; for though thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Thou beatest him with the rod, and wilt deliver his soul from the nether-world. (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 reins 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 in the fear of the LORD all the day;
18 Zvirokwazvo ramangwana rako rine tariro, uye tariro yako haingaparadzwi.
For surely there is a future; 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 shall clothe a man with rags.
22 Teerera kuna baba vako, ivo vakakubereka, uye usazvidza mai vako kana vachinge vakwegura.
Hearken unto thy father that begot thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
23 Tenga zvokwadi urege kuzoitengesa; uwane uchenjeri, kuzvibata nokunzwisisa.
Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24 Baba vomunhu akarurama vane mufaro mukuru; uyo ane mwanakomana akachenjera anofadzwa naye.
The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; and he that begetteth a wise child 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 that 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 observe my ways.
27 nokuti chifeve igomba rakadzika, uye mukadzi asingazvibati itsime rakamanikana.
For a harlot is a deep ditch; and an alien woman is a narrow pit.
28 Segororo anohwandira, anowedzera vasina kutendeka pakati pavarume.
She also lieth in wait as a robber, and increaseth the faithless among men.
29 Ndiani ane nhamo? Ndiani akasuwa? Ndiani anokakavara? Ndiani anonyunyuta? Ndiani ane mavanga pasina mhaka? Ndiani ane meso akatsvuka?
Who crieth: 'Woe'? who: 'Alas'? who hath contentions? who hath raving? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30 Vaya vanogara pawaini, vanoenda kundoravira makate ewaini yakavhenganiswa.
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to try 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 giveth its colour in the cup, when it glideth down smoothly;
32 Pakupedzisira inoruma senyoka uye ine uturu semvumbi.
At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like a basilisk.
33 Meso ako achaona zvisakamboonekwa uye pfungwa dzako dzichafunga zvakapesana.
Thine eyes shall behold strange things, and thy heart shall utter confused things.
34 Uchava souya akarara pamusoro pamafungu amakungwa, kana somunhu avete pamusoro pedanda rechikepe.
Yea, 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.
35 Uchati, “Vakandirova, asi handina kukuvara! Vakandirova asi handina kuzvinzwa! Ndichamuka rinhiko kuti ndigotsvakazve waini?”
'They have struck me, and I felt it not, they have beaten me, and I knew it not; when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.'
