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.
For thou puttest a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man of a craving desire.
3 Usapanga zvokudya zvake zvinonaka nokuti zvokudya izvozvo zvinonyengera.
Do not long for his savory meats; they are deceitful food.
4 Usazvionza nokuda kuwana pfuma; iva nouchenjeri hunoita kuti uzvibate.
Fatigue thyself not to become rich; because thou hast understanding, forbear.
5 Kungoti tarisei papfuma, wanei yaenda, nokuti zvirokwazvo inomera mapapiro igobhururuka ichienda kudenga segondo.
When thou lettest merely thy eyes fly over it, it is no more: for it will ever make itself wings: like an eagle will it fly toward heaven.
6 Usadya zvokudya zvomunhu anonyima, kana kupanga zvokudya zvake zvinonaka;
Eat not the bread of a man with an evil eye, and do not long for his savory meats;
7 nokuti munhu uya anongofunga chete mutengo wazvo. Anoti kwauri, “Idya ugonwa,” asi mumwoyo make asingadi.
For as though there were a division in his soul, so doth he act: 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.
Thy morsel which thou hast eaten must thou spit out, and thou hast wasted thy pleasant words.
9 Usataura nebenzi, nokuti richashora uchenjeri hwamashoko ako.
Speak not before the ears of a fool; for he will despise the intelligence of thy words.
10 Usabvisa dombo romuganhu wakare kana kupinda paminda yenherera,
Remove not the ancient landmark, and into the fields of the fatherless must thou not enter;
11 nokuti Mudziviriri wavo ane simba; iye achavarwira pamhaka yavo newe.
For their redeemer is strong; he will indeed plead their cause with thee.
12 Isa mwoyo wako kumurayiro nenzeve dzako kumashoko ezivo.
Apply thy heart unto instruction, and thy ears to the sayings of knowledge.
13 Usarega kuranga mwana; ukamuranga neshamhu, haafi.
Withhold not from a lad correction; for if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Thou wilt indeed beat him with the rod; but thou wilt deliver his soul from perdition. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwanakomana wangu, kana mwoyo wako wakachenjera, ipapo mwoyo wangu uchafara;
My son, If thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
16 mukatikati mangu muchapembera kana miromo yako ichitaura zvakarurama.
And my reins shall exult when thy lips speak what is equitable.
17 Usarega mwoyo wako uchichiva vatadzi, asi nguva dzose shingairira kutya Jehovha.
Let not thy heart be envious against sinners; but [remain] in the fear of the lord all the time.
18 Zvirokwazvo ramangwana rako rine tariro, uye tariro yako haingaparadzwi.
For surely there is a future, and thy hope will not be cut off.
19 Teerera, mwanakomana wangu, ugova nouchenjeri, uye uchengete mwoyo wako panzira yakarurama.
Hear thou, my son, and become wise, and guide thy heart on the right way.
20 Usabatana navaya vanonwa waini zhinji, kunyange vaya vanokara nyama,
Be not among those that drink wine immoderately, among those that over-indulge in eating flesh:
21 nokuti zvidhakwa nevane madyo vachava varombo, uye hope dzichavapfekedza mamvemve.
For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty; and drowsiness clotheth a man in rags.
22 Teerera kuna baba vako, ivo vakakubereka, uye usazvidza mai vako kana vachinge vakwegura.
Hearken unto thy father that hath begotten thee, and despise not thy mother although she be 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 be greatly glad, and he that begetteth a wise child will have joy through him.
25 Baba vako namai vako ngavafare; mai vakakubereka ngavafare kwazvo!
Let [then] thy father and thy mother rejoice, and let her that hath born thee be glad.
26 Mwanakomana wangu, ndipe mwoyo wako uye meso ako ngaananʼanidze nzira dzangu,
Give, my son, thy heart unto me, and let thy eyes watch my ways.
27 nokuti chifeve igomba rakadzika, uye mukadzi asingazvibati itsime rakamanikana.
For a harlot is a deep ditch, and a strange woman is a narrow well.
28 Segororo anohwandira, anowedzera vasina kutendeka pakati pavarume.
She also lieth in wait like a robber, and she increaseth the treacherous 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 quarrels? who hath complaints? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30 Vaya vanogara pawaini, vanoenda kundoravira makate ewaini yakavhenganiswa.
They that tarry late over the wine: they that come to seek for mixed drink.
31 Usatarisa waini kana yatsvuka, kana ichivaima iri mumukombe, kana ichidzika zvakanaka pakunwa!
Do not look on the wine when it looketh red, when it giveth its color in the cup, when it glideth down so readily.
32 Pakupedzisira inoruma senyoka uye ine uturu semvumbi.
At the last it will bite like a serpent, and like a basilisk will it sting.
33 Meso ako achaona zvisakamboonekwa uye pfungwa dzako dzichafunga zvakapesana.
Thy eyes will see strange forms, and thy heart will speak perverse things.
34 Uchava souya akarara pamusoro pamafungu amakungwa, kana somunhu avete pamusoro pedanda rechikepe.
And thou wilt be like one that lieth down in the heart of the sea, or as he that lieth on the top of a mast.
35 Uchati, “Vakandirova, asi handina kukuvara! Vakandirova asi handina kuzvinzwa! Ndichamuka rinhiko kuti ndigotsvakazve waini?”
“They smote me, [but] I suffered no pain; they struck me hard, [but] I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will continue to seek it again.”
