Zvirevo 23
1 Kana ukagara pakudya pamwe chete nomubati, nyatsocherechedza zviri pamberi pako,
When you sit to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you,
2 uise banga pahuro kana uri munhu wamadyo.
and put a knife to your throat if you are a person who likes to eat a lot of food.
3 Usapanga zvokudya zvake zvinonaka nokuti zvokudya izvozvo zvinonyengera.
Do not crave his delicacies, for it is the food of lies.
4 Usazvionza nokuda kuwana pfuma; iva nouchenjeri hunoita kuti uzvibate.
Do not work too hard to gain wealth; be wise enough to know when to stop.
5 Kungoti tarisei papfuma, wanei yaenda, nokuti zvirokwazvo inomera mapapiro igobhururuka ichienda kudenga segondo.
Will you let your eyes light upon it? It will be gone, for it will surely take up wings like an eagle and fly off to the sky.
6 Usadya zvokudya zvomunhu anonyima, kana kupanga zvokudya zvake zvinonaka;
Do not eat the food of one with an evil eye— and do not crave his delicacies,
7 nokuti munhu uya anongofunga chete mutengo wazvo. Anoti kwauri, “Idya ugonwa,” asi mumwoyo make asingadi.
for he is the kind of man who counts the price of the food. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 Ucharutsa zvishoma izvozvo zvawadya, uye unenge watambisa mashoko ako nokumutenda.
You will vomit up the little you have eaten and you will have wasted your compliments.
9 Usataura nebenzi, nokuti richashora uchenjeri hwamashoko ako.
Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Usabvisa dombo romuganhu wakare kana kupinda paminda yenherera,
Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of orphans,
11 nokuti Mudziviriri wavo ane simba; iye achavarwira pamhaka yavo newe.
for their Redeemer is strong and he will plead their case against you.
12 Isa mwoyo wako kumurayiro nenzeve dzako kumashoko ezivo.
Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
13 Usarega kuranga mwana; ukamuranga neshamhu, haafi.
Do not withhold instruction from a child, for if you discipline him, he will not die.
It is you who must beat him with the rod and save his soul from Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwanakomana wangu, kana mwoyo wako wakachenjera, ipapo mwoyo wangu uchafara;
My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart also will be glad;
16 mukatikati mangu muchapembera kana miromo yako ichitaura zvakarurama.
my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 Usarega mwoyo wako uchichiva vatadzi, asi nguva dzose shingairira kutya Jehovha.
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of Yahweh all the day.
18 Zvirokwazvo ramangwana rako rine tariro, uye tariro yako haingaparadzwi.
Surely there is a future and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Teerera, mwanakomana wangu, ugova nouchenjeri, uye uchengete mwoyo wako panzira yakarurama.
Hear—you!—my son, and be wise and direct your heart in the way.
20 Usabatana navaya vanonwa waini zhinji, kunyange vaya vanokara nyama,
Do not associate with drunkards, or with gluttonous eaters of meat,
21 nokuti zvidhakwa nevane madyo vachava varombo, uye hope dzichavapfekedza mamvemve.
for the drunkard and the glutton become poor and slumber will clothe them with rags.
22 Teerera kuna baba vako, ivo vakakubereka, uye usazvidza mai vako kana vachinge vakwegura.
Listen to your father who begot you and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Tenga zvokwadi urege kuzoitengesa; uwane uchenjeri, kuzvibata nokunzwisisa.
Buy the truth, but do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 Baba vomunhu akarurama vane mufaro mukuru; uyo ane mwanakomana akachenjera anofadzwa naye.
The father of the righteous person will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will be glad in him.
25 Baba vako namai vako ngavafare; mai vakakubereka ngavafare kwazvo!
Let your father and your mother be glad and let her who bore you rejoice.
26 Mwanakomana wangu, ndipe mwoyo wako uye meso ako ngaananʼanidze nzira dzangu,
My son, give me your heart and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 nokuti chifeve igomba rakadzika, uye mukadzi asingazvibati itsime rakamanikana.
For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an immoral woman is a narrow well.
28 Segororo anohwandira, anowedzera vasina kutendeka pakati pavarume.
She lies in wait like a robber and she increases the number of the treacherous among humanity.
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 fights? Who has complaining? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Vaya vanogara pawaini, vanoenda kundoravira makate ewaini yakavhenganiswa.
Those who linger over wine, those who try the mixed wine.
31 Usatarisa waini kana yatsvuka, kana ichivaima iri mumukombe, kana ichidzika zvakanaka pakunwa!
Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
32 Pakupedzisira inoruma senyoka uye ine uturu semvumbi.
In the last it bites like a serpent and it stings like an adder.
33 Meso ako achaona zvisakamboonekwa uye pfungwa dzako dzichafunga zvakapesana.
Your eyes will see strange things and your heart will utter perverse things.
34 Uchava souya akarara pamusoro pamafungu amakungwa, kana somunhu avete pamusoro pedanda rechikepe.
You will be as one who sleeps on the high seas or lies on the top of a mast.
35 Uchati, “Vakandirova, asi handina kukuvara! Vakandirova asi handina kuzvinzwa! Ndichamuka rinhiko kuti ndigotsvakazve waini?”
“They hit me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt. They beat me, but I did not feel it. When will I wake up? I will seek another drink.”
