1 Never boast about tomorrow. You don't know what will happen between now and then.
2 Let other people praise you—even strangers; never do it yourself.
3 The weight of stone and sand is nothing compared to the trouble that stupidity can cause.
4 Anger is cruel and destructive, but it is nothing compared to jealousy.
5 Better to correct someone openly than to let him think you don't care for him at all.
6 Friends mean well, even when they hurt you. But when an enemy puts his arm around your shoulder—watch out!
7 When you are full, you will refuse honey, but when you are hungry, even bitter food tastes sweet.
8 Anyone away from home is like a bird away from its nest.
9 Perfume and fragrant oils make you feel happier, but trouble shatters your peace of mind.
10 Do not forget your friends or your father's friends. If you are in trouble, don't ask a relative for help; a nearby neighbor can help you more than relatives who are far away.
11 Be wise, my child, and I will be happy; I will have an answer for anyone who criticizes me.
12 Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later.
13 Any people stupid enough to promise to be responsible for a stranger's debts deserve to have their own property held to guarantee payment.
14 You might as well curse your friends as wake them up early in the morning with a loud greeting.
15 A nagging wife is like water going drip-drip-drip on a rainy day. 16 How can you keep her quiet? Have you ever tried to stop the wind or ever tried to hold a handful of oil?
17 People learn from one another, just as iron sharpens iron.
18 Take care of a fig tree and you will have figs to eat. Servants who take care of their master will be honored.
19 It is your own face that you see reflected in the water and it is your own self that you see in your heart.
20 Human desires are like the world of the dead—there is always room for more.
21 Fire tests gold and silver; a person's reputation can also be tested.
22 Even if you beat fools half to death, you still can't beat their foolishness out of them.
23 Look after your sheep and cattle as carefully as you can, 24 because wealth is not permanent. Not even nations last forever. 25 You cut the hay and then cut the grass on the hillsides while the next crop of hay is growing. 26 You can make clothes from the wool of your sheep and buy land with the money you get from selling some of your goats. 27 The rest of the goats will provide milk for you and your family, and for your servant women as well.
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.