1 Usiyemule bathu babiibi,
kene kuyemula kube nabo,
2 ngobe mikumbulo yabo inoluka phipiti,
ne milomo yabo inolebazwakabipa.
3 Nge butjenjedu ng'umba inobumbiwa,
nge hwisiso inothumbidziwa,
4 ne luzibo ng'umba dzi mukati dzozhadziwa,
ne thundu inoguta yakanaka.
5 Nthu wakatjenjela wakasima kupinda una matatabuko,
ne nthu una luzibo unopinda unasimba,
6 ngobe nge kukumbuludziwa nge butjenjedu ungatangisa ngwa,
ne pana bakumbuludzi banjinji kuna kunda.
7 Butjenjedu gu pezhugwi kwazo mu tjilengwe,
ku lubazhe atjitozhula nlomo watjo.
8 Iye unoluka mano e kuthama mbipo,
unowodang'wa kuyi nthami we zwibi.
9 Kuluka maano e bulengwe tjibi,
ne ndadi unoshimisa ku bathu.
10 Ha upela meya zhuba le kudziyila,
simba lilo ishomanana.
11 Sunungula ibabo banoyisiwa ku lufu;
udzibile banotshatsharikila kunobulawa.
12 Ha uti, “Bonani, tabe tisingakuzibe ikoku,”
apa iye unokala moyo aatokubona kene?
Apa iye unotjengeta meya iyo aatokuziba kene,
apa aatolipa nthu kunoyendidzana ne mishingo iye kene?
13 Nkololo wangu ija butji, ngoti gwakalulwama,
ne butji gwe mape gokuzipila.
14 Ziba kuti butjenjedu gwakajalo ku meya iyo,
ha uguwana mbhailo uyapo,
ne njemulo dzidzo adzinga kolomoke.
15 Usilalile bugalo gwe wakalulwama se nthu mbiimbi,
usitongo nginilila nzi uwe,
16 ngobe nlulwami unowa katendeka, ngono kamuka kakale,
koga bakabipa banowiswa nge mbatsha.
17 Usitongo shatha ha tjita tjiwa,
kakale moyo uwousipembele ha e kuthiwa,
18 Yahwe bakadwa bebona ngono kube kusingabashathise,
bebe beshandusa bushongola gwabo kunli.
19 Usitongo zwidziyidza ngekwe banoshinga bubi,
kakale usiyemule babi,
20 ngobe nthu mbiimbi aana mbhayilo,
luvone gwe mbiimbi gowodzimiwa
21 nkololo wangu, itja Yahwe na mambo,
kakale usishete kuhwa mmwe wabo,
22 ngobe mbatsha kudwa kubali dzingazha tjinyolotjo,
ndizo wali ndiyani unoziba mbatsha dzabanga zhisa?
23 Zwilebo ezwi naizobo nge zwe batjenjedu.
Kushalawula bathu mu kusumikilisa akuzolulwama.
24 Iye unodwa mbiimbi eti, “Auna nlandu,”
unowolongwa bhiso nge bathu, ka kashimiwa nge njudzi,
25 koga ibabo banotjemela babiibi banowobe ne shatho,
makombolelo akanaka anobawila.
26 Iye unopa shandulo yakalulwama,
unoputa milomo.
27 Lulwamisa nshingo uwo kuzhe,
lulwamisa tjimwe ne tjimwe mu nnda,
kudwapo ukobaka ng'umba iyo.
28 Usibe ntendeki ngekwe mbakidzani kusina tjimwe,
kakale usitongo tjebela nge nlomo uwo.
29 Usitongoti, “Ndowonthamila sekwa akandithamilabo,
ndowobgwilizila nthu kuyendidzana ne tjaakathama.”
30 Ndaka pinda pa nnda we simbe,
pa nnda we zhambi we usina nkumbulo,
31 wakabe una matenjana emihwa pamwe ne pamwe,
pasi kuli zhele dishwa,
ne luswingo gwawo gwe mabgwe gwakawa.
32 Ipapo abona aalakana ngekwako,
alinga aamutjila ndayo.
33 Hwope shomanana ne tshung'ayila kushomanana,
ne kufukata maboko kunyaluluka,
34 ne bushayi gowozha kukuli se ntoleli,
ne ku sheta se nlume wakasenga zwibhayano.
–19–
1 Don't be jealous of crooks
or want to be their friends.
2 All they think about
and talk about
is violence and cruelty.
–20–
3 Use wisdom and understanding
to establish your home;
4 let good sense fill the rooms
with priceless treasures.
–21–
5 Wisdom brings strength,
and knowledge gives power.
6 Battles are won
by listening to advice
and making a lot of plans.
–22–
7 Wisdom is too much for fools!
Their advice is no good.
–23–
8 No one but troublemakers
think up trouble.
9 Everyone hates senseless fools
who think up ways to sin.
–24–
10 Don't give up and be helpless
in times of trouble.
–25–
11 Don't fail to rescue those
who are doomed to die.
12 Don't say, “I didn't know it!”
God can read your mind.
He watches each of us
and knows our thoughts.
And God will pay us back
for what we do.
–26–
13 Honey is good for you,
my children,
and it tastes sweet.
14 Wisdom is like honey
for your life—
if you find it,
your future is bright.
–27–
15 Don't be a cruel person
who attacks good people
and hurts their families.
16 Even if good people
fall seven times,
they will get back up.
But when trouble strikes
the wicked,
that's the end of them.
–28–
17 Don't be happy
to see your enemies trip
and fall down.
18 The Lord will find out
and be unhappy.
Then he will stop
being angry with them.
–29–
19 Don't let evil people
worry you
or make you jealous.
20 They will soon be gone
like the flame of a lamp
that burns out.
–30–
21 My children, you must respect
the Lord and the king,
and you must not make friends
with anyone who rebels
against either of them.
22 Who knows what sudden disaster
the Lord or a ruler
might bring?
More Sayings That Make Good Sense
23 Here are some more sayings
that make good sense:
When you judge,
you must be fair.
24 If you let the guilty
go free,
people of all nations
will hate and curse you.
25 But if you punish the guilty,
things will go well for you,
and you will prosper.
26 Giving an honest answer
is a sign
of true friendship.
27 Get your fields ready
and plant your crops
before starting a home.
28 Don't accuse anyone
who isn't guilty.
Don't ever tell a lie
29 or say to someone,
“I'll get even with you!”
30 I once walked by the field
and the vineyard
of a lazy fool.
31 Thorns and weeds
were everywhere,
and the stone wall
had fallen down.
32 When I saw this,
it taught me a lesson:
33 Sleep a little. Doze a little.
Fold your hands
and twiddle your thumbs.
34 Suddenly poverty hits you
and everything is gone!