Zvirevo 23
1 Kana ukagara pakudya pamwe chete nomubati, nyatsocherechedza zviri pamberi pako,
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what [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: for they [are] deceitful meat.
4 Usazvionza nokuda kuwana pfuma; iva nouchenjeri hunoita kuti uzvibate.
Labour not 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 that which is not? for [riches] certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle 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 dainty meats:
7 nokuti munhu uya anongofunga chete mutengo wazvo. Anoti kwauri, “Idya ugonwa,” asi mumwoyo make asingadi.
For as he thinketh in his heart, 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 old 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] mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.
12 Isa mwoyo wako kumurayiro nenzeve dzako kumashoko ezivo.
Apply thine 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 [if] thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwanakomana wangu, kana mwoyo wako wakachenjera, ipapo mwoyo wangu uchafara;
My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
16 mukatikati mangu muchapembera kana miromo yako ichitaura zvakarurama.
Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
17 Usarega mwoyo wako uchichiva vatadzi, asi nguva dzose shingairira kutya Jehovha.
Let not thine heart envy sinners: but [be thou] in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
18 Zvirokwazvo ramangwana rako rine tariro, uye tariro yako haingaparadzwi.
For surely there is an end; and thine expectation 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 thine heart in the way.
20 Usabatana navaya vanonwa waini zhinji, kunyange vaya vanokara nyama,
Be not among winebibbers; among riotous 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 begat 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 shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise [child] shall have joy of him.
25 Baba vako namai vako ngavafare; mai vakakubereka ngavafare kwazvo!
Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
26 Mwanakomana wangu, ndipe mwoyo wako uye meso ako ngaananʼanidze nzira dzangu,
My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
27 nokuti chifeve igomba rakadzika, uye mukadzi asingazvibati itsime rakamanikana.
For a whore [is] a deep ditch; and a strange woman [is] a narrow pit.
28 Segororo anohwandira, anowedzera vasina kutendeka pakati pavarume.
She also lieth in wait as [for] a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.
29 Ndiani ane nhamo? Ndiani akasuwa? Ndiani anokakavara? Ndiani anonyunyuta? Ndiani ane mavanga pasina mhaka? Ndiani ane meso akatsvuka?
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? 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 seek 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 his colour in the cup, [when] it moveth itself aright.
32 Pakupedzisira inoruma senyoka uye ine uturu semvumbi.
At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
33 Meso ako achaona zvisakamboonekwa uye pfungwa dzako dzichafunga zvakapesana.
Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse 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 stricken me, [shalt thou say, and] I was not sick; they have beaten me, [and] I felt [it] not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
