–6–
1 When you are invited
to eat with a king,
use your best manners.
2 Don't go and stuff yourself!
That would be just the same
as cutting your throat.
3 Don't be greedy for all
of that fancy food!
It may not be so tasty.
–7–
4 Give up trying so hard
to get rich.
5 Your money flies away
before you know it,
just like an eagle
suddenly taking off.
–8–
6 Don't accept an invitation
to eat a selfish person's food,
no matter how good it is.
7 People like that take note
of how much you eat.
They say, “Take all you want!”
But they don't mean it.
8 Each bite will come back up,
and all your kind words
will be wasted.
–9–
9 Don't talk to fools—
they will make fun of you.
–10–
10 Don't move a boundary marker
or take the land
that belongs to orphans.
11 God All-Powerful is there
to defend them against you.
–11–
12 Listen to instruction
and do your best to learn.
–12–
13 Don't fail to correct
your children.
You won't kill them
by being firm,
14 and it may even
save their lives.
–13–
15 My children,
if you show good sense,
I will be happy,
16 and if you are truthful,
I will really be glad.
–14–
17 Don't be jealous of sinners,
but always honor the Lord.
18 Then you will truly have hope
for the future.
–15–
19 Listen to me, my children!
Be wise and have enough sense
to follow the right path.
20 Don't be a heavy drinker
or stuff yourself with food.
21 It will make you feel drowsy,
and you will end up poor
with only rags to wear.
–16–
22 Pay attention to your father,
and don't neglect your mother
when she grows old.
23 Invest in truth and wisdom,
discipline and good sense,
and don't part with them.
24 Make your father truly happy
by living right and showing
sound judgment.
25 Make your parents proud,
especially your mother.
–17–
26 My son, pay close attention,
and gladly follow
my example.
27 Bad women and unfaithful wives
are like a deep pit—
28 they are waiting to attack you
like a gang of robbers
with victim after victim.
–18–
29 Who is always in trouble?
Who argues and fights?
Who has cuts and bruises?
Whose eyes are red?
30 Everyone who stays up late,
having just one more drink.
31 Don't even look
at that colorful stuff
bubbling up in the glass!
It goes down so easily,
32 but later it bites
like a poisonous snake.
33 You will see weird things,
and your mind
will play tricks on you.
34 You will feel tossed about
like someone trying to sleep
on a ship in a storm.
35 You will be bruised all over,
without even remembering
how it all happened.
And you will lie awake asking,
“When will morning come,
so I can drink some more?”
1 Ha ungagala pasi u ja ne mbusi,
uyele njele tjimbeli kuko,
2 ubige mpanga pa hwulo dzidzo
ha uli nthu unoda ja kwazo.
3 Usiyemule zwinamunamu zwizwe,
nekuti zojiwa zwinotjebela.
4 Usitongo zwinyadza nge kushaka fumwa,
tjenjela uzwidzibe mu nkumbulo uwoyo.
5 Ha uyilashila mesho awo, ibile ya yenda,
tjinyolotjo ya milidza mapapilo,
iwuluka se dzu liwulukila zhuzhugwi.
6 Usije zojiwa zwe nthu unonyimana,
usiyemule zwinamunamu zwizwe,
7 ngekuti unonga zwaanoalakana mu moyo.
Unokudwa eti “Ija u ng'we!”,
Koga moyo uwe usinga jalo.
8 Unowothwa kushomanana kwawaja,
ukabe wazanisa matama awo mabuya.
9 Usilebelekele mu zebe dze tjilengwe,
ngobe unowolingila pasi butjenjedu gwe matama awo.
10 Usi duse n'gathu wa ntolo,
kene ukangina mu minda ye siyang'wa,
11 ngobe Ntjidzi wabo wakasima;
unowobamilila mu ndebo dzabo nawe.
12 Moyo uwo ngawude kulayiwa,
ne zebe iyo iteedze matama e luzibo.
13 Usiletjedze kutjemela mwana,
ha unloba nge shamu, aangafe.
14 Ha unloba nge shamu
unogwila kuti asingine mu lufu.
15 Mwanangu, ha moyo uwo wakatjenjela,
moyo wangu unowoshathabo.
16 Meya yangu inowopembela,
ha nlomo uwo uleba tjakalulwama.
17 Moyo uwo usitongo yemula batjinyi,
koga dwilila mu kutja Yahwe zhuba lose.
18 Malebeswa wose mbhayilo uyapo
ne kugalabgwe kuko akutowothubugwa.
19 Ihwa mwanangu, kakale u tjenjele,
kakale ulonge moyo uwo mu zila yakatambunuka.
20 Usibe mmwe we banogungila nkumbi we zhambi,
kene pakati kwe magovu baji be nyama;
21 ngobe tjidakwa ne govu banowobe bashayi,
ne hwope dzowombadza nthu makandana.
22 Teedza tate babo bakakuzwala,
kakale usilingile mmeyabo pasi ha batjikwegula.
23 Tenga lebeswa, usitongo litengesa,
tenga butjenjedu, ndayo ne hwisiso.
24 Tate be wakalulwama banowoshatha kwazo,
iye unozwala nkololo wakatjenjela unowonshathila.
25 Tate babo na mmeyabo ngabashathe,
nkadzi wakakuzwala ngaashathe.
26 Nkololo wangu, undipe moyo uwo,
ne mesho awo ngaabone zila dzangu.
27 Ngekuti fukula i gomba lakangina,
ne bamba i tshime lakamanikana.
28 Unolalila se ntoleli
epaphidza kusagagwabgwe mu balume.
29 Ndiani una mbatsha? Ndiyani una buyendasi?
Ndiyani una phipiti? Ndiyani unong'ong'ola?
Ndiyani wakadusigwa mbonje suli?
Ndiyani una mesho mashabashaba?
30 Ndiibabo banogalisa mu nkumbi we zhambi,
ndiibabo banoyenda beshaka nkumbi we zhambi wakashanganyiwa.
31 Usilinge nkumbi we zhambi ha uli nshaba,
ha ubayima mu bhepe,
usodzoloka mu hwulo.
32 Gwe bupelo unoluma se nyoka,
unoluma se thumbi.
33 Mesho awo anowobona mazhangaladzimu,
ne nkumbulo uwo unowoleba mazhuluzhulu.
34 Unowonga nthu wakayizela mu gungwa
kene nthu wakayizela pezhugwi kwe bhango le ikepe.
35 Unowoti, “Bakandiwomba, koga andizokubala,
bakandiloba, koga andizohwila.
Ndowomuka lini?
Ndowoshaka kung'wa kakale?”