Wisdom and Stupidity
1 Wisdom has built her house and made seven columns for it. 2 She has had an animal killed for a feast, mixed spices in the wine, and set the table. 3 She has sent her servant women to call out from the highest place in town: 4 “Come in, ignorant people!” And to the foolish she says, 5 “Come, eat my food and drink the wine that I have mixed. 6 Leave the company of ignorant people, and live. Follow the way of knowledge.”
7 If you correct conceited people, you will only be insulted. If you reprimand evil people, you will only get hurt. 8 Never correct conceited people; they will hate you for it. But if you correct the wise, they will respect you. 9 Anything you say to the wise will make them wiser. Whatever you tell the righteous will add to their knowledge.
10 To be wise you must first have reverence for the Lord. If you know the Holy One, you have understanding. 11 Wisdom will add years to your life. 12 You are the one who will profit if you have wisdom, and if you reject it, you are the one who will suffer.
13 Stupidity is like a loud, ignorant, shameless woman. 14 She sits at the door of her house or on a seat in the highest part of town, 15 and calls out to people passing by, who are minding their own business: 16 “Come in, ignorant people!” To the foolish she says, 17 “Stolen water is sweeter. Stolen bread tastes better.” 18 Her victims do not know that the people die who go to her house, that those who have already entered are now deep in the world of the dead.
Butjenjedu ne bulengwe
1 Butjenjedu gwakabaka ng'umba yago,
gwakaibamba ne phanda dzili kutendeka.
2 Gwakabhaya ng'ombe dzago, gukashanganya nkumbi wago we zhambi,
ne tafuli ye zojiwa yakalulwamisiwa.
3 Gwatuma balandakadzi kunokoka bathu
mu magalo apezhugwi mu nzi nkulu guti,
4 “Usakatjenjela, ngaanginile ngeno.”
Kuna basina nkumbulo goti,
5 “Buyani muje tjiwunga tjangu,
mung'we nkumbi we zhambi wandakashanganya.
6 Letjedzani bulengwe, mutjile,
muyende mu zila ye hwisiso.”
7 Iye unotjemela ndadi unozwidanila kutukwa,
iye unotambunudza nthu mbimbi unowokubala.
8 Usitongo tjemela ndadi, ngobe unowokubenga,
tjemela ntjenjedu ngono unowokuda.
9 Laya ntjenjedu, ngono iye unowotjenjelela mbeli,
diya nthu wakalulwama unowopaphidzika mu luzibo.
10 Kutja Yahwe ndiko kutangisa kwe butjenjedu,
ne kuziba Wakayengemala ndiyo hwisiso.
11 Ngoti nge kwangu mazhuba awo anowowatshika,
makole anowopaphidziwa mu butjilo gugo.
12 Ha wakatjenjela, wakazwitjenjelegwa,
ha udada, unowodziyila woga.
13 Nkadzi we tjilengwe una zhoba,
ha ana mano kakale ha ana shoni.
14 Unogala pa nkoba we ng'umba iye,
unogala mu tjigalo tjipezhugwi mu nzi nkulu,
15 edana ibabo banopinda,
banoyenda mu zila dzabo eti,
16 “Iye usakatjenjela, ngaanginile ngeno!”
Kuna usina hwisiso unoti kunli,
17 “Vula yakwibiwa inozipa,
ne tjiwunga tjinojigwa mu ikohwa tjozipa.”
18 Koga aatoziba kuti bafi bayapo,
kuti bezi be nkadzi uwoyo ba mukatikati kwe ikumbu.