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.
Wisdom Gives a Feast
1 Wisdom has built her house
with its seven columns.
2 She has prepared the meat
and set out the wine.
Her feast is ready.
3 She has sent her servant women
to announce her invitation
from the highest hills:
4 “Everyone who is ignorant
or foolish is invited!
5 All of you are welcome
to my meat and wine.
6 If you want to live,
give up your foolishness
and let understanding
guide your steps.”
True Wisdom
7 Correct a worthless bragger,
and all you will get
are insults and injuries.
8 Any bragger you correct
will only hate you.
But if you correct someone
who has common sense,
you will be loved.
9 If you have good sense,
instruction will help you
to have even better sense.
And if you live right,
education will help you
to know even more.
10 Respect and obey the Lord!
This is the beginning
of wisdom.
To have understanding,
you must know the Holy God.
11 I am Wisdom. If you follow me,
you will live a long time.
12 Good sense is good for you,
but if you brag,
you hurt yourself.
A Foolish Invitation
13 Stupidity is reckless,
senseless, and foolish.
14 She sits in front of her house
and on the highest hills
in the town.
15 She shouts to everyone
who passes by,
16 “If you are stupid,
come on inside!”
And to every fool she says,
17 “Stolen water tastes best,
and the food you eat in secret
tastes best of all.”
18 None who listen to Stupidity
understand that her guests
are as good as dead.