Zvirevo 4
1 Teererai, vanakomana vangu, kurayira kwababa venyu; nyatsoteererai mugowana kunzwisisa.
My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.
2 Ndinokupai dzidziso yakanaka, saka regai kurasa dzidziso yangu.
What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.
3 Pandakanga ndiri mukomana mumba mababa vangu, ndichiri muduku uye mwana mumwe chete wamai vangu,
When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,
4 baba vangu vakandidzidzisa vachiti, “Mwoyo wako ngaubatisise mashoko angu; chengeta mirayiro yangu ugorarama.
my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].
5 Wana uchenjeri, wana kunzwisisa; usakanganwa mashoko angu kana kubva paari.
Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.
6 Usarasa uchenjeri, ipapo huchakuchengeta; hude, ihwo hugokurinda.
Do not turn away from wisdom, because if you are wise, you will be protected [from all evil/danger]. If you love wisdom, wisdom [PRS] will guard you.
7 Uchenjeri chinhu chikuru; naizvozvo wana uchenjeri. Kunyange huchikutorera zvose zvaunazvo, wana kunzwisisa.
The most important thing that you can do is to get wisdom. Even if you obtain many other things, the best thing is to know what things are wise.
8 Uhukudze; ipapo huchakusimudzira; uhumbundikire, ipapo huchakukudza.
If you consider being wise to be very valuable, [people] will think very highly of you. If you cling to wisdom [like you would cling to a woman you love], [many people] will honor you.
9 Huchakupfekedza chishongo chenyasha mumusoro mako, uye huchakupa korona yokubwinya.”
If you become wise, that will for you be [like] a beautiful wreath that is put {someone puts} on your head; it will be [like] a king’s glorious crown.” [That is what my father told me].
10 Teerera, mwanakomana wangu, gamuchira zvandinotaura, ipapo makore oupenyu hwako achava mazhinji.
[So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.
11 Ndinokudzidzisa nzira youchenjeri uye ndiri kukutungamirira panzira dzakarurama.
I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].
12 Paunofamba, tsoka dzako hadzingapinganidzwi, paunomhanya, haungagumburwi.
If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].
13 Batisisa kurayirwa, usarega kuchienda; nyatsokurinda zvakanaka, nokuti ndihwo upenyu hwako.
Hold fast to the things I have taught you to do, and do not let them go. Guard them, because they [will be the source of a good] life.
14 Usaisa rutsoka panzira dzavakaipa, kana kufamba panzira dzavanhu vakaipa.
Do not do the things that wicked people do; [do not behave like they do]; do not even walk on the roads that evil [people] walk on [MET].
15 Udzinzvenge, usafamba padziri; tsauka padziri ugopfuurira mberi.
Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;
16 Nokuti havangavati vasati vaita zvakaipa; havangabatwi nehope kusvikira vaita kuti mumwe munhu aputsike.
because evil people cannot sleep if they have not done some evil deed [on that day]. They cannot rest if they have not harmed someone.
17 Vanodya zvokudya zvezvakaipa, uye vanonwa waini yezvechisimba.
What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”
18 Nzira yavakarurama yakafanana nechiedza chamambakwedza, chinoramba chichiwedzera kubwinya kusvikira pachiedza chamasikati makuru.
The behavior of good/righteous [people] is like the light [that begins to shine] at dawn and then [continues to] shine brighter until the brightest time of day.
19 Asi nzira yavakaipa yakaita serima guru; havazivi zvinoita kuti vagumburwe.
[But] the behavior of wicked [people] is like deep/thick darkness. [Because it is very dark], they cannot see the things that cause them to stumble.
20 Mwanakomana wangu, nyatsoteerera zvandinotaura; teereresa kumashoko angu.
My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.
21 Usaite kuti abve pameso ako, achengete pakati pomwoyo wako;
Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,
22 nokuti upenyu kuna avo vanoawana uye noutano kumuviri wose womunhu.
because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.
23 Pamusoro pazvo zvose, chengetedza mwoyo wako, nokuti ndicho chitubu choupenyu.
It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.
24 Bvisa zvinotsausa pamuromo wako; kutaura kwakaora ngakuve kure nemiromo yako.
Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.
25 Meso ako ngaatarire mberi bedzi, ramba wakatarira mberi kwako.
Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.
26 Gadzirira tsoka dzako gwara ugofamba munzira dzakasimba chete.
Plan carefully where you will go and what you will do, and then stay on that road. Then what you do will be right.
27 Usatsaukira kurudyi kana kuruboshwe; chengetedza rutsoka rwako kuti rusaende pane zvakaipa.
Do not leave the straight road by turning to the left or to the right. [Do only what is right] and keep yourself from [doing what is] evil.
