< Zvirevo 4 >
1 Teererai, vanakomana vangu, kurayira kwababa venyu; nyatsoteererai mugowana kunzwisisa.
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 Ndinokupai dzidziso yakanaka, saka regai kurasa dzidziso yangu.
For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
3 Pandakanga ndiri mukomana mumba mababa vangu, ndichiri muduku uye mwana mumwe chete wamai vangu,
For I was my father's son, tender and only [beloved] in the sight of my mother.
4 baba vangu vakandidzidzisa vachiti, “Mwoyo wako ngaubatisise mashoko angu; chengeta mirayiro yangu ugorarama.
He taught me also, and said to me, Let thy heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
5 Wana uchenjeri, wana kunzwisisa; usakanganwa mashoko angu kana kubva paari.
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget [it] not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6 Usarasa uchenjeri, ipapo huchakuchengeta; hude, ihwo hugokurinda.
Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
7 Uchenjeri chinhu chikuru; naizvozvo wana uchenjeri. Kunyange huchikutorera zvose zvaunazvo, wana kunzwisisa.
Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
8 Uhukudze; ipapo huchakusimudzira; uhumbundikire, ipapo huchakukudza.
Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.
9 Huchakupfekedza chishongo chenyasha mumusoro mako, uye huchakupa korona yokubwinya.”
She shall give to thy head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
10 Teerera, mwanakomana wangu, gamuchira zvandinotaura, ipapo makore oupenyu hwako achava mazhinji.
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11 Ndinokudzidzisa nzira youchenjeri uye ndiri kukutungamirira panzira dzakarurama.
I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
12 Paunofamba, tsoka dzako hadzingapinganidzwi, paunomhanya, haungagumburwi.
When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Batisisa kurayirwa, usarega kuchienda; nyatsokurinda zvakanaka, nokuti ndihwo upenyu hwako.
Take fast hold of instruction; let [her] not go: keep her; for she [is] thy life.
14 Usaisa rutsoka panzira dzavakaipa, kana kufamba panzira dzavanhu vakaipa.
Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil [men].
15 Udzinzvenge, usafamba padziri; tsauka padziri ugopfuurira mberi.
Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16 Nokuti havangavati vasati vaita zvakaipa; havangabatwi nehope kusvikira vaita kuti mumwe munhu aputsike.
For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause [some] to fall.
17 Vanodya zvokudya zvezvakaipa, uye vanonwa waini yezvechisimba.
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18 Nzira yavakarurama yakafanana nechiedza chamambakwedza, chinoramba chichiwedzera kubwinya kusvikira pachiedza chamasikati makuru.
But the path of the just [is] as the shining light, that shineth more and more to the perfect day.
19 Asi nzira yavakaipa yakaita serima guru; havazivi zvinoita kuti vagumburwe.
The way of the wicked [is] as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20 Mwanakomana wangu, nyatsoteerera zvandinotaura; teereresa kumashoko angu.
My son, attend to my words; incline thy ear to my sayings.
21 Usaite kuti abve pameso ako, achengete pakati pomwoyo wako;
Let them not depart from thy eyes; keep them in the midst of thy heart.
22 nokuti upenyu kuna avo vanoawana uye noutano kumuviri wose womunhu.
For they [are] life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Pamusoro pazvo zvose, chengetedza mwoyo wako, nokuti ndicho chitubu choupenyu.
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.
24 Bvisa zvinotsausa pamuromo wako; kutaura kwakaora ngakuve kure nemiromo yako.
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
25 Meso ako ngaatarire mberi bedzi, ramba wakatarira mberi kwako.
Let thy eyes look right on, and let thy eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Gadzirira tsoka dzako gwara ugofamba munzira dzakasimba chete.
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27 Usatsaukira kurudyi kana kuruboshwe; chengetedza rutsoka rwako kuti rusaende pane zvakaipa.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.