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.
Advice to a King
1 These are the solemn words which King Lemuel's mother said to him:
2 “You are my own dear son, the answer to my prayers. What shall I tell you? 3 Don't spend all your energy on sex and all your money on women; they have destroyed kings. 4 Listen, Lemuel. Kings should not drink wine or have a craving for alcohol. 5 When they drink, they forget the laws and ignore the rights of people in need. 6 Alcohol is for people who are dying, for those who are in misery. 7 Let them drink and forget their poverty and unhappiness.
8 “Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves. Protect the rights of all who are helpless. 9 Speak for them and be a righteous judge. Protect the rights of the poor and needy.”
The Capable Wife
10 How hard it is to find a capable wife! She is worth far more than jewels!
11 Her husband puts his confidence in her, and he will never be poor.
12 As long as she lives, she does him good and never harm.
13 She keeps herself busy making wool and linen cloth.
14 She brings home food from out-of-the-way places, as merchant ships do.
15 She gets up before daylight to prepare food for her family and to tell her servant women what to do.
16 She looks at land and buys it, and with money she has earned she plants a vineyard.
17 She is a hard worker, strong and industrious.
18 She knows the value of everything she makes, and works late into the night.
19 She spins her own thread and weaves her own cloth.
20 She is generous to the poor and needy.
21 She doesn't worry when it snows, because her family has warm clothing.
22 She makes bedspreads and wears clothes of fine purple linen.
23 Her husband is well known, one of the leading citizens.
24 She makes clothes and belts, and sells them to merchants.
25 She is strong and respected and not afraid of the future.
26 She speaks with a gentle wisdom.
27 She is always busy and looks after her family's needs.
28 Her children show their appreciation, and her husband praises her.
29 He says, “Many women are good wives, but you are the best of them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive and beauty disappears, but a woman who honors the Lord should be praised.
31 Give her credit for all she does. She deserves the respect of everyone.