1 Nkumbi we zhambi n'dadi, busukwa go gwisanya,
koga iye unolaladziswa nazo aazotjenjela.
2 Bushongola gwa mambo gonga tjibombo tje shumba,
iye uno ntanga e n'gwadzisa moyo butjilo gugwe gumu mbatsha.
3 Kuna gudzo mu nthu kube kule ne kukwebakwebana,
koga tjilengwe tjimwe ne tjimwe tjowokwebakwebana.
4 Simbe aitolima mu tjibaka tje ndimo,
inowoshaka ikashaya tjainovuna mu zhizha.
5 Mano mu moyo we nthu anonga vula imu tshime lakangina,
koga nthu una hwisiso unoyitjela.
6 Bathu banjinji bana babanoti banobagalabgwe,
koga ndiyani ungawana iye unoyi una malebeswa?
7 Nlume wakalulwama unozwibhata ne thambunuko,
kwakakombolegwa bakololo babe banotobela zila iye!
8 Mambo unogala pa tjigalo tje kusumikilisa
unowulusa bubi gose nge mesho awe.
9 Ndiani ungati, “Nda thama moyo wangu ukabe mbuyanana,
ndi mbuyanana andina tjibi”?
10 Zwiyelo zwakasiyana ne zwilizanyo zwakasiyana,
zose zoshimisa kuna Yahwe.
11 Na iye mwana unozwizibisa nge zwiyito zwizwe,
kene zwili zwibuyanana kene zwakalulwama.
12 Zebe inohwa ne zhisho linobona,
zose zwakasikwa ndi Yahwe.
13 Uside hwope kuti ndizo usibe nshayi;
zhula mesho awo ngono unowana zwinojiwa zwinjinji.
14 “Kwakabipa, kwakabipa,” koleba ntengi,
koga ha edwa ipapo unozwiloba ifuba.
15 Kuna golide ne thundu ye mabgwe e themba ipezhugwi,
koga milomo inoleba zibo mibuya kupinda zose.
16 Mutole tjiambalo tje nthu unolipila ntaya,
ngaabe mbatshi we bataya.
17 Zojiwa zwawang'wa nge bupitipiti zo zipila nthu,
koga kudwa ipapo nlomo uwe unowozhala lushale.
18 Mano anothumbidziwa nge kulangana,
musa ngwa wa layiwa.
19 Iye unoyenda e nyeya unodusa zwikohwa,
ndizo usitongozwihwananya ne nthu unolebanya.
20 Iye unolonga tate babe kene mmeyabe bhiso,
luvone gugwe gowodzimiwa mu zhalima lakati zwititi.
21 Fumwa yakawang'wa ngolibilidza,
ayitowokombolegwa kubupelo.
22 Usitongoti, “Ndowo bgwiliza bubi ku bubi,”
milila Yahwe, banowokubhatsha.
23 Zwiyelo zwakasiyana zoshimisa kuna Yahwe,
ne zwiyelo zwe manyepkhwa azwizolulwama.
24 Thambo dze nthu dzolawugwa ndi Yahwe,
ndizo nthu ungahwisisa zila iye tjini?
25 Kumbatsha mu nthu kungoleba koga eti, “Kwakayengemala,”
ekokumbula shule asatongo alakana asathu ajalo.
26 Mambo wakatjenjela uno wulusa batjinyi,
ngono kabakwiya nge gumbgwana.
27 Meya ye nthu luvone gwa Yahwe,
gunoshakisisa mukati kukwe kose.
28 Ludo ne kugagwabgwe kotjengeta Mambo,
ne bugalo gugwe gosimisiwa nge ndulamo.
29 Gudzo le bazhuzha isimba labo,
koga bubuya gwe bathuntana mavudzi abo matjena.
30 Lobgwa kunokubadza kotata bubi,
shamu dzosuka mukati kwe nthu.
1 Drinking too much makes you loud and foolish. It's stupid to get drunk.
2 Fear an angry king as you would a growling lion; making him angry is suicide.
3 Any fool can start arguments; the honorable thing is to stay out of them.
4 A farmer too lazy to plow his fields at the right time will have nothing to harvest.
5 A person's thoughts are like water in a deep well, but someone with insight can draw them out.
6 Everyone talks about how loyal and faithful he is, but just try to find someone who really is!
7 Children are fortunate if they have a father who is honest and does what is right.
8 The king sits in judgment and knows evil when he sees it.
9 Can anyone really say that his conscience is clear, that he has gotten rid of his sin?
10 The Lord hates people who use dishonest weights and measures.
11 Even children show what they are by what they do; you can tell if they are honest and good.
12 The Lord has given us eyes to see with and ears to listen with.
13 If you spend your time sleeping, you will be poor. Keep busy and you will have plenty to eat.
14 The customer always complains that the price is too high, but then he goes off and brags about the bargain he got.
15 If you know what you are talking about, you have something more valuable than gold or jewels.
16 Anyone stupid enough to promise to be responsible for a stranger's debts ought to have their own property held to guarantee payment.
17 What you get by dishonesty you may enjoy like the finest food, but sooner or later it will be like a mouthful of sand.
18 Get good advice and you will succeed; don't go charging into battle without a plan.
19 A gossip can never keep a secret. Stay away from people who talk too much.
20 If you curse your parents, your life will end like a lamp that goes out in the dark.
21 The more easily you get your wealth, the less good it will do you.
22 Don't take it on yourself to repay a wrong. Trust the Lord and he will make it right.
23 The Lord hates people who use dishonest scales and weights.
24 The Lord has determined our path; how then can anyone understand the direction his own life is taking?
25 Think carefully before you promise an offering to God. You might regret it later.
26 A wise king will find out who is doing wrong, and will punish him without pity.
27 The Lord gave us mind and conscience; we cannot hide from ourselves.
28 A king will remain in power as long as his rule is honest, just, and fair.
29 We admire the strength of youth and respect the gray hair of age.
30 Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways.