1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. 2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left. 3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him , and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. 5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: 6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. 7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. 8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. 9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. 10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. 11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. 14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him? 15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
16 ¶ Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! 17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 ¶ By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
19 ¶ A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things .
20 ¶ Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
1 Thuzi dzakafa dzonuhwisa zwizholo zwakabipa,
saikoko bulengwe butukununu gokulila butjenjedu ne gudzo.
2 Moyo we ntjenjedu unolinga zwakalulwama,
koga we tjilengwe unolinga zwakabipa.
3 Nenguba tjilengwe tjiyenda mu zila, atjina mano,
koga tjoyenda tjilakidza mmwe ne mmwe kuti tjilengwe.
4 Ha mbusi ekugwadzila moyo, usibhude pa uyapo,
ngoti kugadzikana kozwimba milandu mikulu.
5 Kuna bubi gwandakabona mu shango,
godwa pa kuleyanya kwe babusi,
6 bulengwe gowanika mu mamo manjinji a pezhugwi,
koga bafumi bali mu mamo a pasi.
7 Ndakabona balanda bakatatha mbizi,
ne makulukota betshamba ne gumbo se balanda.
8 Iye unotsha gomba unowowila mu lili,
ne nyoka inowoluma iye unowothuka guma.
9 Iye uno pkhwanya mabgwe unowokubadziwa ndiwo,
naiye unophapha hwuni unowokubadziwa ne mbatsha dze hwuni.
10 Shathu ha lakapuma, ngono nthu asakalikuswa,
wakafanila kushingisa masimba,
koga butjenjedu gobhatsha nthu kubhudilila.
11 Ha nyoka ingaluma isathu ikalapiwa,
nlapi haatjina nshingo.
12 Matama e nlomo we ntjenjedu anompa gudzo,
koga milomo ye tjilengwe inotjibulaya.
13 Tjotanga ne kuleba bulengwe tjikanopedza tjileba bubi
gwe bupengo.
14 Tjilengwe tjobalabala, akuna unoziba kuti mangwana kowobeni,
hakuna ungaleba kuti kowoshingikalani shule kwatjo.
15 Kushinga kwe tjilengwe kotjinyadza kwatjinopelela
tjisingatjazibe zila inoyenda ku nzi nkulu.
16 Yee mme wee! Mapalala imwi shango ha mambo wenyu ali itojana,
ne makulukota enyu ana nzano mangwanana.
17 Wakakombolegwa iwe shango, ha mambo uwo akazwagwa mu nsha we bushe,
ne makulukota enyu ebe ne nzano mu tjibaka tjakalingisana,
kuti ba sime, kusikuti balaladze.
18 Nge busimbe denga le ng'umba lowila,
ne kusazwibhatila ne maboko ng'umba ino na.
19 Nzano wakathamigwa kushatha,
ne nkumbi we zhambi wakathamigwa zipisa butjilo,
ne mari i dabilo ye tjimwe ne tjimwe.
20 Ne mu nkumbulo uwo, usitongolonga mambo bhiso,
kene uli mu ng'umbana iyo ye bulalo usilonge bafumi bhiso,
ngobe nyuni ye phepo inga senga hwi lilo,
kene tjimwe tjina mapapilo tjingasenga matama awo.