Nshingo we makungulupeswa
1 Makungulupeswa a Solomoni, nkololo wa Dafite, mambo we Iziraela,
2 anodiya butjenjedu ne matama e ndayo,
ekuhwisisa matama e ndingisiso,
3 ne kuamutjila nlayo kunotjenjedza,
kuthama kululwama ne kutambunuka ne kusa shalaula,
4 kupa basina luzibo butjenjedu,
kupa luzibo ne njele ku batjetjana,
5 ntjenjedu unohwa kapapha kudiyika kukwe,
una hwisiso kapapha bunyambi gugwe,
6 kuhwisisa gungulupeswa ne zwifano,
matama e batjenjedu ne mabatsho abo.
Gumbuludzo ku batjetjana
7 Kutja Yahwe ndiko kutangisa kwe luzibo,
zwilengwe zolingila pasi butjenjedu ne ndayo.
8 Nkololo wangu, teedza ndayo dza tate babo,
usilashe zwidiyo zwa mmeyabo,
9 ngobe zowobe tjiala mu nsholo uwo,
ne ndalama mu ntshibha uwo.
10 Nkololo wangu, ha batjinyi bekutjengedza,
usitongo duma.
11 Ha beti, “Ngati yende tose, tilalile nthu titebule lopa,
tinyange tibhate usina nlandu,
12 se ikumbu ngati bamidzeni bali bapenyu,
bali bapumbulu, sa ibabo banolongwa mu gomba,
13 towowana fumwa inoguta,
tikazhadza ng'umba dzedu ne zwatinowotapa,
14 iwe ibe mmwe wedu,
tibe ne hwomwana ing'ompela.”
15 Nkololo wangu, usitongo yenda zila nabo,
dziba gumbo lilo kuyenda mu zila dzabo,
16 ngobe makumbo abo anotjimbidzo tizhila ku bubi,
kakale banotjimbidzo kutebula lopa.
17 Akutobhatsha tjimwe kuteya
nyuni yakakulinga,
18 koga bathu ibaba banolalila lopa labo,
bakalalila butjilo gwabo.
19 Ndiyo zila ya bose banowana fumwa nge phipiti,
inotolela bathu butjilo gwabo.
Butjenjedu godana
20 Butjenjedu gomimilila pezhugwi mu dzizila,
mu matengeselo gomilidza hwi lago,
21 pezhugwi kwe makuma gomimilila pezhugwi,
pa mikoba ye nzi nkulu golebeleka guti,
22 “Kowodzina kukabe lini, imwi basina mano,
muda kusabe ne mano?
Kowodzina kukabe lini badadi bedada beshathila kudada kwabo
ne zwilengwe zwibenga luzibo?
23 Shandukani ha ndimutjemela,
bonani, ndowodila meya yangu mu muli,
ndowothama kuti matama angu muazibe.
24 Nekuti ndakamudana mukasinditeedze,
ndikatambunudza luboko gwangu mukasibe ne hanya,
25 mukasibe ne hanya ne gumbuludzo langu,
mukasibe ne tjimwe ngotjemela kwangu,
26 namibo ndowomuseka mu mbhatsha dzenyu,
ndowomuseka mahanya ha kutja kwenyu kwamuswikila,
27 ha kutja kumuwila se dutu,
ne mbhatsha dzenyu kumuzhila se tjampupudze,
ha buyendasi ne manikano zwimuwila.
28 Ipapo banowondidana, koga anditowodabila,
banowondishaka bakalonga meya mu nyama koga abatowondiwana.
29 Ngoti bakabenga luzibo
kakale bakasishalule kutja Yahwe,
30 bakasibe ne hanya ne gumbuludzo langu,
bakalingila pasi kutjemela kwangu kose,
31 ndizo banowovuna tjabakadzwala mu zila dzabo
kakale bakagutshiwa ne butjakwani gwabo.
32 Ngoti basina mano banobulawa ngopambuka kwabo,
kusabe ne hanya kwe zwilengwe kozwipaladza,
33 koga iye unonditeedza unowogala akabakililika,
unowogala asakabiga asingatje mbipo.”
The Value of Proverbs
1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David and king of Israel.
2 Here are proverbs that will help you recognize wisdom and good advice, and understand sayings with deep meaning. 3 They can teach you how to live intelligently and how to be honest, just, and fair. 4 They can make an inexperienced person clever and teach young people how to be resourceful. 5 These proverbs can even add to the knowledge of the wise and give guidance to the educated, 6 so that they can understand the hidden meanings of proverbs and the problems that the wise raise.
Advice to the Young
7 To have knowledge, you must first have reverence for the Lord. Stupid people have no respect for wisdom and refuse to learn.
8 My child, pay attention to what your father and mother tell you. 9 Their teaching will improve your character as a handsome turban or a necklace improves your appearance.
10 My child, when sinners tempt you, don't give in. 11 Suppose they say, “Come on; let's find someone to kill! Let's attack some innocent people for the fun of it! 12 They may be alive and well when we find them, but they'll be dead when we're through with them! 13 We'll find all kinds of riches and fill our houses with loot! 14 Come and join us, and we'll all share what we steal.”
15 My child, don't go with people like that. Stay away from them. 16 They can't wait to do something bad. They're always ready to kill. 17 It does no good to spread a net when the bird you want to catch is watching, 18 but people like that are setting a trap for themselves, a trap in which they will die. 19 Robbery always claims the life of the robber—this is what happens to anyone who lives by violence.
Wisdom Calls
20 Listen! Wisdom is calling out in the streets and marketplaces, 21 calling loudly at the city gates and wherever people come together:
22 “Foolish people! How long do you want to be foolish? How long will you enjoy making fun of knowledge? Will you never learn? 23 Listen when I reprimand you; I will give you good advice and share my knowledge with you. 24 I have been calling you, inviting you to come, but you would not listen. You paid no attention to me. 25 You have ignored all my advice and have not been willing to let me correct you. 26 So when you get into trouble, I will laugh at you. I will make fun of you when terror strikes— 27 when it comes on you like a storm, bringing fierce winds of trouble, and you are in pain and misery. 28 Then you will call for wisdom, but I will not answer. You may look for me everywhere, but you will not find me. 29 You have never had any use for knowledge and have always refused to obey the Lord. 30 You have never wanted my advice or paid any attention when I corrected you. 31 So then, you will get what you deserve, and your own actions will make you sick. 32 Inexperienced people die because they reject wisdom. Stupid people are destroyed by their own lack of concern. 33 But whoever listens to me will have security. He will be safe, with no reason to be afraid.”