Zvirevo 26
1 Sechando muzhizha kana mvura pakukohwa, rukudzo haruna kufanira kubenzi.
Honoring someone stupid is as inappropriate as snow in the summer or rain during harvest.
2 Sezvinoita kadhimba pakubhururuka kwako, kana nyenganyenga pakubhururuka kwayo somuseve, saizvozvowo kutuka pasina mhosva hakuna zvakunoita.
A curse that isn't deserved won't land on the person, like a fluttering sparrow or a flitting swallow.
3 Tyava yakaitirwa bhiza, matomu akaitirwa mbongoro, uye shamhu musana webenzi!
Horses need a whip, donkeys need a bridle, and stupid people need a rod on their backs!
4 Usapindura benzi maererano noupenzi hwaro, kana kuti iwe pachako uchafanana naro.
Don't answer stupid people following their stupidity, or you'll become as bad as them.
5 Pindura benzi maererano noupenzi hwaro, kuti rirege kuona sokuti rakachenjera.
Answer stupid people following their stupidity, otherwise they'll think they're wise.
6 Sokuzvigura tsoka kana kunwa bongozozo, ndizvo zvakaita kutumira shoko noruoko rwebenzi.
Trusting someone stupid to deliver a message is like cutting of your feet or drinking poison.
7 Samakumbo echirema akangorembera ndizvo zvakaita chirevo mumuromo webenzi.
A proverb spoken by someone stupid is as useless as a lame person's legs.
8 Sokusungira ibwe pachipfuramabwe ndizvo zvakaita kupa rukudzo kubenzi.
Honoring someone stupid is as pointless as tying a stone into a sling.
9 Segwenzi reminzwa riri muruoko rwechidhakwa, ndizvo zvakaita chirevo chiri mumuromo webenzi.
A proverb spoken by someone stupid is as ridiculous as a thorn bush waved around by a drunk.
10 Somuwemburi weuta anopfura pose pose, ndizvo zvakaita anoshandirwa nebenzi kana nomupfuuri zvake.
Anyone who hires someone stupid or just a passer-by is like an archer wounding people by shooting arrows at random.
11 Sembwa inodzokera kumarutsi ayo, ndizvo zvakaita benzi rinodzokorora upenzi hwaro.
Stupid people repeat their stupidity like a dog returning to its vomit.
12 Unoona munhu anozviti akachenjera pakuona kwake here? Benzi rinotova netariro kupfuura iye.
Have you seen a man who is wise in his own eyes? There's more hope for stupid people than for him!
13 Simbe inoti, “Kune shumba kunzira, shumba inotyisa iri kufamba-famba munzira dzomumusha!”
Lazy people are the ones who say, “There's a lion on the road—a lion running around the streets!”
14 Segonhi rinotenderera pamahinji aro, ndizvo zvinoita simbe pamubhedha wayo.
A lazy person turns in bed like a door turns on its hinge.
15 Simbe inoisa ruoko rwayo mundiro; inoita usimbe hwokutadza kurudzosera kumuromo wayo.
Lazy people put their hands in a dish, but are too tired to lift the food to their mouths.
16 Simbe inozviti yakachenjera pakuona kwayo kupfuura vanhu vanomwe vanopindura nenjere.
In their own eyes lazy people are wiser than many sensible advisors.
17 Somunhu anobata imbwa nenzeve dzayo, ndizvo zvakaita mupfuuri anopindira pagakava risinei naye.
Interfering in someone else's quarrel is like grabbing a stray dog by the ears.
18 Somupengo unopotsera zvitsiga zvomoto, kana miseve inouraya,
You're like a crazy person firing off blazing arrows and killing people
19 ndizvo zvakaita munhu anonyengera muvakidzani wake uye achizoti, “Ndanga ndichiita zvangu je-e!”
if you lie to your friend and then say, “I was only joking!”
20 Pasina huni moto unodzima; pasina makuhwa kukakavara kunopera.
Without wood, the fire goes out; and without gossips, arguments stop.
21 Sezvakaita mazimbe pazvitsiga zvinopfuta nehuni pamoto, ndizvo zvakaita munhu wegakava pakupfutidza rukave.
An argumentative person fires up quarrels like putting charcoal on hot embers or wood on a fire.
22 Mashoko eguhwa akaita semisuva yakaisvonaka inodzika mukatikati momunhu.
Listening to gossip is like gulping down bites of your favorite food—they go deep down inside you.
23 Sezvinopenya zvakanamirwa kunze kwomudziyo wevhu, ndizvo zvakaita miromo inotaura zvinoyevedza, asi nomwoyo wakaipa.
Smooth talking with evil intent is like a shiny lead glaze on an earthenware pot.
24 Muparadzi anozvivanza namatauriro ake, asi mumwoyo make akaviga ruvengo.
People say nice things to you even though they hate you; deep down they're just lying to you.
25 Kunyange mashoko ake achitapira, usatenda zvaanotaura, nokuti mumwoyo make mune zvinonyangadza zvinomwe.
When people talk nicely to you, don't believe them—their minds are full of hate for you.
26 Ruvengo rwake rungavigwa mukunyengera kwake, asi kuipa kwake kuchabudiswa pachena paungano.
Even though their hatred may be hidden by cunning tricks, their evil will be revealed to everyone.
27 Kana munhu akachera gomba, achawira mariri; kana munhu akakungurutsa ibwe, richakunguruka, richidzokera pamusoro pake.
Those who dig pits to trap others will fall in themselves, and those who start boulders rolling will be crushed themselves.
28 Rurimi runoreva nhema runovenga varunorwadzisa, uye muromo unobata kumeso unoparadza.
If you tell lies, you show you hate your victims; if you flatter people, you cause disaster.
