Detembelo le butjenjedu
1 “Nge lebeswa kuna kunotshiwa siliva,
ne kunokuyungiwako golide.
2 Butali gotshiwa mu mavu,
khopa inokuyungiwa kudwa mu mabgwe.
3 Nthu unopeleledza zhalima,
eshaka phangula kule kule kwakanginilila,
mu mabgwe akusi kusi.
4 Unotsha mukatikati kusingagale bathu,
kusina ndodwa ne nthu wakatongo tshambako,
unoshinga ali mu bushoma akanganika,
akalembelekela yeno na yeno ali misungo ye migodi.
5 Shango iyo inomela zojiwa
kusi kwayo kotshindunugwa nge moto.
6 Mabgwe ayo bugalo gwe mabgwe e safire
ne hwuluba yayo ina golide.
7 “Dzu alitoziba zila inoyenda ko
ne luphangu aguthu kuka ibona.
8 Akuna tjibandana tjakatongo yenda muili,
ne shumba ayithu ikatongo yenda muili bo.
9 “Luboko gwe nthu goswika ku mabgwe akasima,
gutshindinula matombo nge midzi yawo.
10 Unozhula ngolo mu mabgwe,
mesho awe anobona zose zwakanaka.
11 Unoshakisisa misenya kuti vula isiunge
ne tjakasumbikala unotjidusila pa tjena.
12 “Ngono kanti butjenjedu gobong'wa ngayi,
ne bugalo gwe hwisiso gobong'wa ngayi kene?
13 Nthu aatoziba zila inoyenda kuguli,
agutowang'wa mu shango ye batjili.
14 Kwakangina kukati, ‘Agupo mundili,’
gungwa naigobo gukati, ‘Agupo mundili.’
15 Agutotengwa nge golide mbuyanana,
ne themba yago aingalizanyiwe ne siliva.
16 Agungatengwe ne themba ye golide ye Ofi,
nanga ili Onikisi ye safire iyo i pezhugwi kwazo.
17 Golide ne halasi azwingafanidzanyiwe nago,
kene kuli kugutenganya nge jegwa le golide.
18 Apa kuli mabgwe e khorala ne safire
akuna tjingalebgwa nge kwawo,
themba ye butjenjedu ipezhugwi kwazo kupinda ndalama.
19 Topazi ye Khushi aingafanidzanyiwe nayo,
ne golide mbuyanana aingagutenge.
20 “Dumbu ngono bhalule le butjenjedu ini?
Hwisiso yakabaka ngayi ngono?
21 Gwakasumbikala mu mesho e zwitjili zose,
gwakasumbikala ne mu nyuni dzinowuluka dumbu.
22 Golomodzo ne lufu zoti,
‘Takahwa makwayi koga nge zebe dzedu.’
23 “Ndzimu ndiwo unoziba zila inoyenda kuguli,
ndiwo woga unoziba kwagunogala.
24 Ngoti ndiwo unobona kunoti ku phelelo dze shango,
unobona zose zwipasi kwe zhuzhugwi.
25 Wakati upa phepo simba,
ukakala vula, udzipa tjilizanyo,
26 ukadusila vula nlayo,
ukathamila lupenyo gwe vula zila,
27 ndipo kee, pawakagubona ukaleba nge kwago,
ukagusisithila, ukagulika.
28 Ngono Ndzimu ukadwa nthu uti,
‘Bona, kutja She ndigo butjenjedu,
kuleya mbipo ndiko hwisiso.’ ”
In Praise of Wisdom
1 There are mines where silver is dug;
There are places where gold is refined.
2 We dig iron out of the ground
And melt copper out of the stones.
3 Miners explore the deepest darkness.
They search the depths of the earth
And dig for rocks in the darkness.
4 Far from where anyone lives
Or human feet ever travel,
They dig the shafts of mines.
There they work in loneliness,
Clinging to ropes in the pits.
5 Food grows out of the earth,
But underneath the same earth
All is torn up and crushed.
6 The stones of the earth contain sapphires,
And its dust contains gold.
7 No hawk sees the roads to the mines,
And no vulture ever flies over them.
8 No lion or other fierce beast
Ever travels those lonely roads.
9 Miners dig the hardest rocks,
Dig mountains away at their base.
10 As they tunnel through the rocks,
They discover precious stones.
11 They dig to the sources of rivers
And bring to light what is hidden.
12 But where can wisdom be found?
Where can we learn to understand?
13 Wisdom is not to be found among mortals;
No one knows its true value.
14 The depths of the oceans and seas
Say that wisdom is not found there.
15 It cannot be bought with silver or gold.
16 The finest gold and jewels
Cannot equal its value.
17 It is worth more than gold,
Than a gold vase or finest glass.
18 The value of wisdom is more
Than coral or crystal or rubies.
19 The finest topaz and the purest gold
Cannot compare with the value of wisdom.
20 Where, then, is the source of wisdom?
Where can we learn to understand?
21 No living creature can see it,
Not even a bird in flight.
22 Even death and destruction
Admit they have heard only rumors.
23 God alone knows the way,
Knows the place where wisdom is found,
24 Because he sees the ends of the earth,
Sees everything under the sky.
25 When God gave the wind its power
And determined the size of the sea;
26 When God decided where the rain would fall,
And the path that the thunderclouds travel;
27 It was then he saw wisdom and tested its worth—
He gave it his approval.
28 God said to us humans,
“To be wise, you must have reverence for the Lord.
To understand, you must turn from evil.”