Matama a Mambo Lemuyeli
1 1 Matama a Mambo Lemuyeli, mambo we Masa aakadiyiwa na mmeyabe,
2 Ndingatini wali nkololo wangu? Ndingatini, nkololo we mbeleko yangu?
Nditini nkololo we phiko dzangu?
3 Usipedzele masimba awo mu bakadzi,
usipedzele zila dzidzo muna ibabo banokolomola bomambo.
4 Akute kuli kwa bomambo Iwe Lemuyeli,
akute kuli kwa bomambo kung'wa nkumbi we zhambi,
kene babusi ku yemula kung'wa busukwa,
5 ngobe pabangan'gwa bangadwa bakakangang'wa nlayo tjaunoleba,
ne kupeyamisa fanilo dze banotshambilidziwa.
6 Ipani busukwa nthu unofazwe,
ne nkumbi we zhambi kuna bana buyendasi bukulu,
7 ngabang'we kuti bakangang'we bushayi gwabo,
ne kukangang'wa kudziyidzika kwabo.
8 Lebelekela mbebebe
na ibabo basina bangabalebelekela.
9 Zhula nlomo uwo, usumikilise nge ndulamo,
utjengete fanilo dze bashayi ne badziyili.
Nkadzi wakalulwama
10 Ndiyani ungawana nkadzi wakati piti kene?
Ngekuti themba iye inopinda ye thakwala.
11 Moyo we nlume uwe unon'galabgwe kunokona,
akuna tjaanosheta tje themba.
12 Unoyitila nlume uwe zwakanaka, kusi zwakabipa,
mu butjilo gugwe gose.
13 Unoshaka wulu ne lutokwe,
eshinga nge bunyambi nge maboko awe.
14 Unofanana ne zwikepe zwe batengesi,
unotola zojiwa kule.
15 Unomuka kutji busikwana,
e shakila be nsha uwe zojiwa
ne kupa balandakadzi mishingo yabo.
16 Unoshaka nnda kawutenga,
nge maboko awe unolima nnda we mizhambi.
17 Unosunga thunji dzidze nge masimba,
kasimisa maboko awe.
18 Unobona kuti kushaba kukwe kombuzila,
luvone gugwe agutodzima busiku.
19 Unobhata nge maboko awe tjinolukisa,
nge maboko awe kabhata theswi dzatjo.
20 Una nzhazho ne bashayi
ka tambunudzila luboko kuna banosheta.
21 Aatotjila be nsha uwe kapuku,
ngekuti bose be nsha uwe banofuka zwinodziya.
22 Unozwithamila tyali,
ne zwimwe zwiambalo zwe mibala mibuya.
23 Nlume uwe unozibgwa ku lubazhe,
ha aligele pakati kwe bahwola be ntuthu.
24 Unothama matyila e atengesa,
unoyisa mimwandabula ku batengesi.
25 Simba ne gudzo ndizo zwiambalo zwizwe,
unoseka ha ekumbula tjibaka tjinozha.
26 Unozhula nlomo uwe elebeleka nge butjenjedu,
ne lulimi gugwe godiya buthu.
27 Uno tjengeta zwinoshingikala kuna be nsha uwe
kakale aatoja zwe busimbe.
28 Bana babe banoma nge makumbo beti kunli, “makakombolegwa,”
nlume uwe na iye unonkudza,
29 “Bakadzi banjinji bakathama zwakanaka,
koga iwe unobakunda bose.”
30 Kunaka kotjengedza, ne bubuya mazakhwa,
koga nkadzi unotja Yahwe ndiye unofanila kulumbidzwa.
31 Mumpe mitjelo ye maboko awe,
ne mishingo iye ngainlumbidze mu lubazhe.
What King Lemuel's Mother Taught Him
1 These are the sayings
that King Lemuel of Massa
was taught by his mother.
2 My son Lemuel, you were born
in answer to my prayers,
so listen carefully.
3 Don't waste your life
chasing after women!
This has ruined many kings.
4 Kings and leaders
should not get drunk
or even want to drink.
5 Drinking makes you forget
your responsibilities,
and you mistreat the poor.
6 Beer and wine are only
for the dying or for those
who have lost all hope.
7 Let them drink and forget
how poor and miserable
they feel.
8 But you must defend
those who are helpless
and have no hope.
9 Be fair and give justice
to the poor and homeless.
In Praise of a Good Wife
10 A truly good wife
is the most precious treasure
a man can find!
11 Her husband depends on her,
and she never
lets him down.
12 She is good to him
every day of her life,
13 and with her own hands
she gladly makes clothes.
14 She is like a sailing ship
that brings food
from across the sea.
15 She gets up before daylight
to prepare food for her family
and for her servants.
16 She knows how to buy land
and how to plant a vineyard,
17 and she always works hard.
18 She knows when to buy or sell,
and she stays busy
until late at night.
19 She spins her own cloth,
20 and she helps the poor
and the needy.
21 Her family has warm clothing,
and so she doesn't worry
when it snows.
22 She does her own sewing,
and everything she wears
is beautiful.
23 Her husband is a well-known
and respected leader
in the city.
24 She makes clothes to sell
to the shop owners.
25 She is strong and graceful,
as well as cheerful
about the future.
26 Her words are sensible,
and her advice
is thoughtful.
27 She takes good care
of her family
and is never lazy.
28 Her children praise her,
and with great pride
her husband says,
29 “There are many good women,
but you are the best!”
30 Charm can be deceiving,
and beauty fades away,
but a woman
who honors the Lord
deserves to be praised.
31 Show her respect—
praise her in public
for what she has done.