Mbuyilo ye butjenjedu
1 Imwi bakololo, ihwani kudiya kwa tate benyu,
mu bhulutane, kuti mube ne hwisiso,
2 ngobe ndomupa zwidiyo zwibuya
musilashe zwidiyo zwangu.
3 Ndakati ndili nkololo wa tate bangu,
nditji ntjetjana, ndili ndoga mwana muna mme,
4 tate bakandidiya beti kundili,
“Moyo uwo ubhate matama angu
londolodza milayo yangu, utjile.
5 Usikangang'we, kakale usifupatile matama e nlomo wangu.
Wana butjenjedu, uwane hwisiso.
6 Usitongolasha butjenjedu, gowokutjengeta
ugude gowokulinda.
7 Kutangisa kwe butjenjedu ndi woku, wana butjenjedu
na kose kwaunga wana, uwane hwisiso.
8 Ugukudze, gowokumilidzila pezhugwi
gowokukudza ha unga gugumbatila.
9 Gowokubigila tjiala tjakanaka mu nsholo uwo
guka kuambadza tjiala tje bubuya.”
10 Undihwe nkololo wangu, ngono uamutjile matama angu
kuti makole e butjilo gugo abe manjinji.
11 Ndakudiya zila ye butjenjedu
ndakutungamilila mu zila dzakatambunuka.
12 Ha uyenda, thambo dzidzo akuna tjingadzipinganyidza
kakale ha ulabuka, autowokuthiwa ne tjimwe.
13 Ubhate ndayo yangu, usitongoilasha
uitjengete, ndigo butjilo gugo.
14 Usingine mu zila ye babi
usiyende muzila ye bakabipa.
15 Usibe ne hanya nayo, usiitobele,
uileye uyende kwaunoyenda.
16 Ngobe abangayizele basathama tjimwe tjakabipa;
abangadzibone hwope kusina wabatjinyila.
17 Banoja zojiwa zwe mbipo
be ng'wa nkumbi we phipiti.
18 Zila ye bakalulwama inonga tjedza tje mazhokuyedza
tjinopaphidzika kuswikila masikati makulu.
19 Zila ye bathu babi inonga zhalima lakatizwititi,
abatoziba tjingabakutha muili.
20 Nkololo wangu, bhulutana matama angu,
teya zebe muna zwandinoleba.
21 Asitongodwa mu mesho awo,
uabhate nge moyo uwo.
22 Ngobe ndigo butjilo muna unoawana,
i bhodzo mu mbili uwe.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
23 Tjengeta moyo uwo nge butjenjedu,
ngobe kudwa muuli kowunga hwoba dze butjilo.
24 Dusa ndebo dzakaleyana mukuli
uduse ndebo dzakabipa mu nlomo uwo.
25 Mesho awo ngaalinge mbeli,
mesho awo alinge kwaunoyenda.
26 Yelanjele zila yaunotshamba muili,
ngono zila dzidzo dzose dzowotambunuka.
27 Usitongo pambukila kuluji kene ku lumeshwe,
tshedusa gumbo lilo muna zwakabipa.
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. 3 For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. 4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. 6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. 9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. 10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. 11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. 12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. 13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
14 ¶ Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men . 15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. 16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20 ¶ My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 ¶ Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. 25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.