Don't Brag about Tomorrow
1 Don't brag about tomorrow!
Each day brings
its own surprises.
2 Don't brag about yourself—
let others praise you.
3 Stones and sand are heavy,
but trouble caused by a fool
is a much heavier load.
4 An angry person is dangerous,
but a jealous person
is even worse.
5 A truly good friend
will openly correct you.
6 You can trust a friend
who corrects you,
but kisses from an enemy
are nothing but lies.
7 If you have had enough to eat,
honey doesn't taste good,
but if you are really hungry,
you will eat anything.
8 When you are far from home,
you feel like a bird
without a nest.
9 The sweet smell of incense
can make you feel good,
but true friendship
is better still.
10 Don't desert an old friend
of your family
or visit your relatives
when you are in trouble.
A friend nearby is better
than relatives far away.
11 My child, show good sense!
Then I will be happy
and able to answer anyone
who criticizes me.
12 Be cautious and hide
when you see danger—
don't be stupid and walk
right into trouble.
13 You deserve to lose your coat
if you loan it to someone
to guarantee payment
for the debt of a stranger.
14 A loud greeting
early in the morning
is the same as a curse.
15 The steady dripping of rain
and the nagging of a wife
are one and the same.
16 It's easier to catch the wind
or hold olive oil in your hand
than to stop a nagging wife.
17 Just as iron sharpens iron,
friends sharpen the minds
of each other.
18 Take care of a tree,
and you will eat its fruit;
look after your master,
and you will be praised.
19 You see your face in a mirror
and your thoughts
in the minds of others.
20 Death and the grave
are never satisfied,
and neither are humans.
21 Gold and silver are tested
in a red-hot furnace,
but we are tested by praise.
22 No matter how hard
you beat a fool,
you can't pound out
the foolishness.
23 You should take good care
of your sheep and goats,
24 because wealth and honor
don't last forever.
25 After the hay is cut
and the new growth appears
and the harvest is over,
26 you can sell lambs and goats
to buy clothes and land.
27 From the milk of the goats,
you can make enough cheese
to feed your family
and all your servants.
1 Usitongo babgwa nekwe mangwana,
ngobe autoziba kuti la nasi lowoshwa la zhisani.
2 Ima mmwe nthu akukulumbidze, kusi ne nlomo uwo;
nthu upoga, kusi iwe.
3 Bgwe lolema, nsetje ntolo,
koga kuthumulana kwe tjilengwe kolema kupinda bubili gwazo.
4 Bushongola bukukutu, kugwadzamoyo ko kulila,
ngono ndiani ungamidzana ne fupa?
5 Kutjemelela patjena
kopinda ludo gwakasumbikika.
6 Mabanga awapiwa ne nkwinya anoyita
pana kuputiwa nge tjita kanjinji.
7 Wakaguta unolamba butji,
koga unazhala unoti ne kunobaba kose kozipa.
8 Nlume unosiya nsha uwe, unonga nyuni, inowulukila kule ne shaka layo.
9 Mafuta ne zwinonuhwilila zogutsha moyo,
kushathisa kwe nzwalani kodwa mu moyo ekumbuludza.
10 Nzwalani uwo ne nzwalani wa tate babo usibalashe,
Usitongo yenda ku nzi we mwana wa tate babo zhuba le manikano.
Mbakidzani uwo upejo unoyita
pa mwana wa tate babo ukulekule.
11 Tjenjela nkololo wangu, u shathise moyo wangu,
kuti ndishandule iye unondigongobola.
12 Nthu wakatjenjela unobona mbatsha kabgwata,
koga usina mano unodwilila ewila mu mbatsha.
13 Mutolele tjiambalo nthu wa zwisunga kulipila ntaya,
ha e milila ntaya mu mbhatile thundu.
14 Iye unokombolela mbakidzani uwe nge hwi lipezhugwi,
emuka mangwanana,
unowotogwa se unolonga bhiso.
15 Vula inona idumbilidza zhuba lose,
ne nkadzi unosilinga zofanana,
16 ha uti unondzibisa konga unomisa phepo
kene ku bhata mafuta nge luboko gwe luji.
17 Butale gokuswa butale,
ne nthu unokuswa umwe nthu.
18 Iye unotjengeta mpaya unowoja zwizwalo zwawo,
na iye unotjengeta tetshi uwe unowokudziwa.
19 Semu vula tjiso tjilingisana ne tjiso,
saikoko moyo we nthu unolingisana ne nthu.
20 Lufu ne Golomodzo azwitotongoguta,
ne mesho e nthu aatofa aguta.
21 Hali inonyawusa ngeye siliva, koga vutho ngeye golide,
ngono nthu unozibgwa ngo kudzwa kwaanokudziwa ndiko.
22 Nenguba ungakhwilanya tjilengwe ne mathunde nge nsi mu duni,
atjingalashe bulengwe gwatjo.
23 Ziba kwazo tjimo tje ngubi dzidzo,
utjengete zwibuya matanga e zwithuwo zwizo,
24 ngobe fumwa aitogalila tjose,
apa tjiala tje bumambo tjogala kuswikila ku zwizekugwana zose kene?
25 Bushwa ha gwa pela, lukulakula gu mela,
ne bushwa gumu matombo gukubunganyiwa,
26 pkhwizi dzowokuwanila zwiambalo,
ne mbudzi dziwanisa mari ethemba ye minda,
27 kowobe ne nkaka we mbudzi wakalizana zojiwa zwizo,
zojiwa zwe nsha uwo
ne kujisa balandakadzi babo.