Zvirevo 4
1 Teererai, vanakomana vangu, kurayira kwababa venyu; nyatsoteererai mugowana kunzwisisa.
Listen, sons, to the discipline of a father, and pay attention, so that you may know prudence.
2 Ndinokupai dzidziso yakanaka, saka regai kurasa dzidziso yangu.
I will bestow upon you a good gift. Do not relinquish my law.
3 Pandakanga ndiri mukomana mumba mababa vangu, ndichiri muduku uye mwana mumwe chete wamai vangu,
For I, too, was the son of my father, tender and an only son in the sight of my mother.
4 baba vangu vakandidzidzisa vachiti, “Mwoyo wako ngaubatisise mashoko angu; chengeta mirayiro yangu ugorarama.
And he taught me, and he also said: “Let your heart accept my words. Keep my precepts, and you shall live.
5 Wana uchenjeri, wana kunzwisisa; usakanganwa mashoko angu kana kubva paari.
Obtain wisdom, obtain prudence. May you neither forget, nor turn away from, the words of my mouth.
6 Usarasa uchenjeri, ipapo huchakuchengeta; hude, ihwo hugokurinda.
Do not send her away, and she will guard you. Love her, and she will preserve you.
7 Uchenjeri chinhu chikuru; naizvozvo wana uchenjeri. Kunyange huchikutorera zvose zvaunazvo, wana kunzwisisa.
The beginning of wisdom is to obtain wisdom, and, with all that you possess, to acquire prudence.
8 Uhukudze; ipapo huchakusimudzira; uhumbundikire, ipapo huchakukudza.
Grasp her, and she will exalt you. You will be glorified by her, when you have embraced her.
9 Huchakupfekedza chishongo chenyasha mumusoro mako, uye huchakupa korona yokubwinya.”
She will bestow upon your head an increase in graces, and she will protect you with a noble crown.
10 Teerera, mwanakomana wangu, gamuchira zvandinotaura, ipapo makore oupenyu hwako achava mazhinji.
Listen, my son, and accept my words, so that years of life may be multiplied for you.
11 Ndinokudzidzisa nzira youchenjeri uye ndiri kukutungamirira panzira dzakarurama.
I will demonstrate to you the way of wisdom. I will lead you along the paths of equity.
12 Paunofamba, tsoka dzako hadzingapinganidzwi, paunomhanya, haungagumburwi.
When you have entered by these, your steps will not be constrained, and when running, you will have no obstacle.
13 Batisisa kurayirwa, usarega kuchienda; nyatsokurinda zvakanaka, nokuti ndihwo upenyu hwako.
Take hold of discipline. Do not dismiss it. Guard it, for it is your life.
14 Usaisa rutsoka panzira dzavakaipa, kana kufamba panzira dzavanhu vakaipa.
Do not delight in the paths of the impious, nor permit the way of evil-doers to please you.
15 Udzinzvenge, usafamba padziri; tsauka padziri ugopfuurira mberi.
Take flight from it. Do not pass close to it. Turn away and abandon it.
16 Nokuti havangavati vasati vaita zvakaipa; havangabatwi nehope kusvikira vaita kuti mumwe munhu aputsike.
For they do not sleep, unless they have done evil. And their sleep is quickly taken away from them, unless they have overthrown.
17 Vanodya zvokudya zvezvakaipa, uye vanonwa waini yezvechisimba.
They eat the bread of impiety, and they drink the wine of iniquity.
18 Nzira yavakarurama yakafanana nechiedza chamambakwedza, chinoramba chichiwedzera kubwinya kusvikira pachiedza chamasikati makuru.
But the path of the just is like a shining light: it advances and increases, even to the day of completion.
19 Asi nzira yavakaipa yakaita serima guru; havazivi zvinoita kuti vagumburwe.
The way of the impious is darkened. They do not know where they may fall.
20 Mwanakomana wangu, nyatsoteerera zvandinotaura; teereresa kumashoko angu.
My son, pay attention to my sermons, and incline your ear to my eloquent words.
21 Usaite kuti abve pameso ako, achengete pakati pomwoyo wako;
Let them not recede from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 nokuti upenyu kuna avo vanoawana uye noutano kumuviri wose womunhu.
For they are life to those who find them and health to all that is flesh.
23 Pamusoro pazvo zvose, chengetedza mwoyo wako, nokuti ndicho chitubu choupenyu.
Preserve your heart with all watchfulness, for life proceeds from this.
24 Bvisa zvinotsausa pamuromo wako; kutaura kwakaora ngakuve kure nemiromo yako.
Remove from yourself a corrupt mouth, and let detracting lips be far from you.
25 Meso ako ngaatarire mberi bedzi, ramba wakatarira mberi kwako.
Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelids precede your steps.
26 Gadzirira tsoka dzako gwara ugofamba munzira dzakasimba chete.
Direct the path of your feet, and all your ways shall be secure.
27 Usatsaukira kurudyi kana kuruboshwe; chengetedza rutsoka rwako kuti rusaende pane zvakaipa.
Turn aside, neither to the right, nor to the left; yet turn your foot away from evil. For the Lord knows the ways that are on the right, and truly, those that are on the left are perverse. But he himself will make your courses straight. Then your journey will advance in peace.
