Zvirevo 23
1 Kana ukagara pakudya pamwe chete nomubati, nyatsocherechedza zviri pamberi pako,
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, thou shalt consider well, what is before thee;
2 uise banga pahuro kana uri munhu wamadyo.
And shalt put a knife to thy throat, if, of great appetite, thou art:
3 Usapanga zvokudya zvake zvinonaka nokuti zvokudya izvozvo zvinonyengera.
Do not crave his dainties, for, the same, are deceitful food.
4 Usazvionza nokuda kuwana pfuma; iva nouchenjeri hunoita kuti uzvibate.
Do not toil to get wealth, of thine own understanding, forbear:
5 Kungoti tarisei papfuma, wanei yaenda, nokuti zvirokwazvo inomera mapapiro igobhururuka ichienda kudenga segondo.
Wilt thou let thine eye fly thereupon, when it is nothing? for it will, surely make, itself wings, Like an eagle, will it wing its way across the heavens.
6 Usadya zvokudya zvomunhu anonyima, kana kupanga zvokudya zvake zvinonaka;
Do not eat the food of him that hath a begrudging eye, neither crave thou his dainties;
7 nokuti munhu uya anongofunga chete mutengo wazvo. Anoti kwauri, “Idya ugonwa,” asi mumwoyo make asingadi.
For, just as he hath thought in his own mind, so, he is: Eat and drink! he may say to thee, but, his heart, is not with thee.
8 Ucharutsa zvishoma izvozvo zvawadya, uye unenge watambisa mashoko ako nokumutenda.
As for thy morsel thou hast eaten, thou shalt vomit it, so shalt thou waste thy things so sweet.
9 Usataura nebenzi, nokuti richashora uchenjeri hwamashoko ako.
In the ears of a dullard, do not speak, for he will despise the good sense of thy words.
10 Usabvisa dombo romuganhu wakare kana kupinda paminda yenherera,
Do not move back the ancient boundary, and, into the fields of the fatherless, do not enter;
11 nokuti Mudziviriri wavo ane simba; iye achavarwira pamhaka yavo newe.
For, their near of kin, is strong, he, will plead their cause with thee.
12 Isa mwoyo wako kumurayiro nenzeve dzako kumashoko ezivo.
Bring, to correction, thy heart, and thine ears, to the sayings of knowledge.
13 Usarega kuranga mwana; ukamuranga neshamhu, haafi.
Do not withhold, from a child, correction, When thou smitest him with the rod, he shall not die:
Thou, with the rod, shalt smite him, and, his soul from hades, shalt thou deliver. (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.
So shall my reins exult, when thy lips speak the things that are right.
17 Usarega mwoyo wako uchichiva vatadzi, asi nguva dzose shingairira kutya Jehovha.
Let not thy heart be envious of sinners, only of the reverence of Yahweh, all day long;
18 Zvirokwazvo ramangwana rako rine tariro, uye tariro yako haingaparadzwi.
For surely there is a future, 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 lead forward, in duty, thy heart.
20 Usabatana navaya vanonwa waini zhinji, kunyange vaya vanokara nyama,
Do not be among them who tipple with wine, —among them who are gluttons;
21 nokuti zvidhakwa nevane madyo vachava varombo, uye hope dzichavapfekedza mamvemve.
For, the tippler and the glutton, shall come to poverty, and, rags, shall Slumber put on!
22 Teerera kuna baba vako, ivo vakakubereka, uye usazvidza mai vako kana vachinge vakwegura.
Hearken to thy father here, who begat thee, and despise not, when she is old, thy mother.
23 Tenga zvokwadi urege kuzoitengesa; uwane uchenjeri, kuzvibata nokunzwisisa.
Truth, buy thou, but do not sell, wisdom, and correction, and understanding.
24 Baba vomunhu akarurama vane mufaro mukuru; uyo ane mwanakomana akachenjera anofadzwa naye.
Greatly shall exult, the father of a righteous man, and, he that begetteth a wise son, shall rejoice in him:
25 Baba vako namai vako ngavafare; mai vakakubereka ngavafare kwazvo!
Rejoice shall thy father and thy mother, yea she, shall exult, who bare thee.
26 Mwanakomana wangu, ndipe mwoyo wako uye meso ako ngaananʼanidze nzira dzangu,
Oh give, my son, thy mind unto me, and let, thine eyes, observe, my ways;
27 nokuti chifeve igomba rakadzika, uye mukadzi asingazvibati itsime rakamanikana.
For, a deep chasm, is the unchaste woman, and, a narrow pit, the female unknown;
28 Segororo anohwandira, anowedzera vasina kutendeka pakati pavarume.
Yea, she, as for prey, lieth in wait, and, the treacherous among mankind, she causeth to abound.
29 Ndiani ane nhamo? Ndiani akasuwa? Ndiani anokakavara? Ndiani anonyunyuta? Ndiani ane mavanga pasina mhaka? Ndiani ane meso akatsvuka?
Who hath woe? Who hath outcry of pain? Who hath contentions? Who hath complaining? Who hath needless wounds? Who hath dullness of eyes?
30 Vaya vanogara pawaini, vanoenda kundoravira makate ewaini yakavhenganiswa.
They who tarry over wine, they who go in to search for mixed wine.
31 Usatarisa waini kana yatsvuka, kana ichivaima iri mumukombe, kana ichidzika zvakanaka pakunwa!
Do not look on wine when it becometh red, when it giveth in the cup its sparkle, glideth down smoothly.
32 Pakupedzisira inoruma senyoka uye ine uturu semvumbi.
Its after effect, is that, like a serpent, it biteth, and, like a viper, it doth sting.
33 Meso ako achaona zvisakamboonekwa uye pfungwa dzako dzichafunga zvakapesana.
Thine eyes, will see strange women, and, thy heart, will speak perverse things:
34 Uchava souya akarara pamusoro pamafungu amakungwa, kana somunhu avete pamusoro pedanda rechikepe.
So shalt thou become, as one lying down in the heart of the sea, —or as one lying down on the top of the mastgear:
35 Uchati, “Vakandirova, asi handina kukuvara! Vakandirova asi handina kuzvinzwa! Ndichamuka rinhiko kuti ndigotsvakazve waini?”
They smote me—I felt no pain, They struck me down—I noticed it not, —When shall I wake up? I will go on, I will seek it, again!
