1 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. 2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him. 3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them. 4 Where no oxen are , the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. 5 A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies. 6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth. 7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge. 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit. 9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour. 10 The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. 11 The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish. 12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. 13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness. 14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself. 15 The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going. 16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident. 17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated. 18 The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge. 19 The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous. 20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends. 21 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he. 22 Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good. 23 In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury. 24 The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly. 25 A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.
26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. 27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. 28 In the multitude of people is the king’s honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince. 29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. 30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones. 31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor. 32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death. 33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known. 34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. 35 The king’s favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.
1 Butjenjedu gobaka ng'umba yago,
koga bulengwe ne maboko ago gukaikolomola,
2 Iye unoyenda nge thambunuko unotja Yahwe,
koga iye we zila dzakamonana unobalingila pasi.
3 Ndebo dze tjilengwe dzotjizhisila shamu mu ikamba tjatjo,
koga milomo ye batjenjedu inowobabakilila.
4 Pasina ng'ombe akuna mathunde,
koga mathunde manji anozhisiwa nge simba le ng'ombe.
5 Ntendeki unogalikabwe aatonyepa,
koga ntendeki we manyepkhwa unofema manyepkhwa.
6 Ndadi unoshakila butjenjedu suli,
koga luzibo gotjimbidza wanika ku nthu unohwisisa.
7 Thubukana ne tjilengwe,
ngobe atjina luzibo gwatjinga kupa.
8 Butjenjedu gwe wakatjenjela wulingisisa zila iye,
koga bulengwe gwe zwilengwe hwutjebela.
9 Ndzimu unoshima bathu babi,
koga unoda bakalulwama.
10 Moyo unoziba kugwadziwa kwawo,
kakale akuna wakashanganyila shatho nawo.
11 Ng'umba ye babi inowokolomogwa,
koga nshasha we bakatambunuka unowobhudilila.
12 Kuna zila inolingika yakatambunuka ku nthu,
koga bhelelo layo i zila ye lufu.
13 Moyo unohwa zogwadza ne mu tjiseko
ne bhelelo le shatho tjililo.
14 Nthu we meya mibi unogutshiwa nge mitjelo ye zwiyito zwizwe,
nlulwami naiye unogutshiwa nge mitjelo ye mishingo iye.
15 Tjilengwe tjoduma tjimwe ne tjimwe,
koga ntjenjedu unolinga kwaanoyenda.
16 Ntjenjedu unotja zwakabipa ebe ezwileya,
koga tjilengwe tjopaparika atjina njele.
17 Nthu una moywana unotjimbidza ayita zwithu nge bulengwe,
koga nthu unoluka mano mabi unobengwa.
18 Zwilengwe zowana thaka ye bulengwe,
koga bakatjenjela banoambadzwa tjiala tje luzibo.
19 Bathu babi banothigama mbeli kwe balulwami,
babi banothigama pa mikoba ye mizi ye bakalulwama.
20 Nshayi aatodiwa nenge mbakidzani naye dumbu,
koga nfumi una bazwalani basi bashoma.
21 Iye unolingila pasi mbakidzani naye ntjinyi,
koga una ludo mu bashayi una kushatha.
22 Ibo banoluka mano akabipa abatolashika kene?
Ibabo banoluka mano mabuya banogalikabgwe.
23 Kushinga kwazo kose kuna mbayilo,
koga balabala nge nlomo koyisa ku bushayi.
24 Tjiala tje bakatjenjela butjenjedu gwabo,
koga mbuyilo ye zwilengwe bulengwe gwazo.
25 Ntendeki we malebeswa unotjidza bathu,
koga unoleba manyepkhwa ntjebeli.
26 Mu kutja Yahwe nthu una kugalabgwe kwakasima,
ne bana babe banowobe ne dizhilo.
27 Kutja Yahwe nsenya we butjilo,
kuti nthu aleye dati le lufu.
28 Bukulu gwa Mambo goboneka nge bunjinji gwe bathu,
koga pasina bathu nkololo wa mambo unokolomoka.
29 Iye usingagwadze moyo tjinyolotjo una hwisiso hwulu,
koga unotjimbidza kupkhwita moyo unopaphidza bulengwe.
30 Meya yakatebama inopa butjilo mu mbili,
koga tjiba dzobodza mafupa.
31 Iye unotshambilidza nshayi unotuka Mbumbi uwe,
koga iye una ngoni ku bashayi unokudza Ndzimu.
32 Mbiimbi unowolashiwa ngekushinga bubi kukwe,
koga nlulwami unowana dizhilo ngekushinga zwibuya kukwe.
33 Butjenjedu gogala mu nkumbulo we nthu una njele,
koga mu mimoyo ye zwilengwe agutozibgwa.
34 Ndulamo inokudza ludzi,
koga tjibi mabhatisashoni mu ludzi gupi kene gupi.
35 Nlanda unoshinga zwibuya akatjenjela unodika kuna mambo,
koga usinga shinge nge butjenjedu unozwibengesa mambo.