Zvirevo 4
1 Teererai, vanakomana vangu, kurayira kwababa venyu; nyatsoteererai mugowana kunzwisisa.
Hear, ye sons, the correction of a father, and attend, that ye may know understanding.
2 Ndinokupai dzidziso yakanaka, saka regai kurasa dzidziso yangu.
For, good teaching, have I given you, mine instruction, do not ye forsake.
3 Pandakanga ndiri mukomana mumba mababa vangu, ndichiri muduku uye mwana mumwe chete wamai vangu,
For, a son, became I to my father, tender and most precious in the sight of my mother.
4 baba vangu vakandidzidzisa vachiti, “Mwoyo wako ngaubatisise mashoko angu; chengeta mirayiro yangu ugorarama.
So he taught me, and said to me—Let thy heart, lay hold of my words, Keep my commandments and live!
5 Wana uchenjeri, wana kunzwisisa; usakanganwa mashoko angu kana kubva paari.
Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, Do not forget, neither decline thou from the sayings of my mouth.
6 Usarasa uchenjeri, ipapo huchakuchengeta; hude, ihwo hugokurinda.
Do not forsake her, and she will guard thee, —love her and she will keep thee.
7 Uchenjeri chinhu chikuru; naizvozvo wana uchenjeri. Kunyange huchikutorera zvose zvaunazvo, wana kunzwisisa.
The principal thing, is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition, acquire thou understanding.
8 Uhukudze; ipapo huchakusimudzira; uhumbundikire, ipapo huchakukudza.
Exalt her, and she will set thee on high, she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her:
9 Huchakupfekedza chishongo chenyasha mumusoro mako, uye huchakupa korona yokubwinya.”
She will give for thy head, a wreath of beauty, A crown of adorning, will she bestow upon thee.
10 Teerera, mwanakomana wangu, gamuchira zvandinotaura, ipapo makore oupenyu hwako achava mazhinji.
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and they will multiply to thee the years of life.
11 Ndinokudzidzisa nzira youchenjeri uye ndiri kukutungamirira panzira dzakarurama.
In the way of wisdom, have I taught thee, I have guided thee in tracks of uprightness.
12 Paunofamba, tsoka dzako hadzingapinganidzwi, paunomhanya, haungagumburwi.
When thou walkest, thy step shall not be hemmed in, and, if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Batisisa kurayirwa, usarega kuchienda; nyatsokurinda zvakanaka, nokuti ndihwo upenyu hwako.
Take fast hold of correction, let her not go, —keep her, for, she, is thy life.
14 Usaisa rutsoka panzira dzavakaipa, kana kufamba panzira dzavanhu vakaipa.
Upon the path of the lawless, do not thou enter, and do not advance in the way of the wicked:
15 Udzinzvenge, usafamba padziri; tsauka padziri ugopfuurira mberi.
Avoid it, do not pass thereon—turn from it, and depart.
16 Nokuti havangavati vasati vaita zvakaipa; havangabatwi nehope kusvikira vaita kuti mumwe munhu aputsike.
For they sleep not, unless they can do mischief, —They rob themselves of their sleep, if they cannot cause someone to stumble,
17 Vanodya zvokudya zvezvakaipa, uye vanonwa waini yezvechisimba.
For they consume bread gotten by lawlessness, and, wine obtained by violence, they drink.
18 Nzira yavakarurama yakafanana nechiedza chamambakwedza, chinoramba chichiwedzera kubwinya kusvikira pachiedza chamasikati makuru.
But, the path of the righteous, is as the light of dawn, —going on and brightening, unto meridian day.
19 Asi nzira yavakaipa yakaita serima guru; havazivi zvinoita kuti vagumburwe.
The way of the lawless, is like darkness, they know not, at what they stumble.
20 Mwanakomana wangu, nyatsoteerera zvandinotaura; teereresa kumashoko angu.
My son, to my words, attend, to my sayings, incline thou thine ear;
21 Usaite kuti abve pameso ako, achengete pakati pomwoyo wako;
Let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart;
22 nokuti upenyu kuna avo vanoawana uye noutano kumuviri wose womunhu.
For, life, they are, to them who find them, —and, to every part of one’s flesh, they bring healing.
23 Pamusoro pazvo zvose, chengetedza mwoyo wako, nokuti ndicho chitubu choupenyu.
Above all that must be guarded, keep thou thy heart, for, out of it, are the issues of life.
24 Bvisa zvinotsausa pamuromo wako; kutaura kwakaora ngakuve kure nemiromo yako.
Remove from thee, perverseness of mouth, and, craftiness of lips, put far from thee.
25 Meso ako ngaatarire mberi bedzi, ramba wakatarira mberi kwako.
Let, thine eyes, right onward, look, —and, thine eyelashes, point straight before thee.
26 Gadzirira tsoka dzako gwara ugofamba munzira dzakasimba chete.
Make level the track of thy foot, that, all thy ways, may be directed aright:
27 Usatsaukira kurudyi kana kuruboshwe; chengetedza rutsoka rwako kuti rusaende pane zvakaipa.
Decline not, to the right hand or to the left, —Turn away thy foot from wickedness.
