1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. 2 The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all. 3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. 4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life. 5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them. 6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. 8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail. 9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor. 10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease. 11 He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend. 12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor. 13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets. 14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein. 15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. 16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. 18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. 19 That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. 20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, 21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: 23 For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
26 Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. 27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee? 28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. 29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men .
1 Zina buya lakafanilo shalugwa kupinda fumwa njinji,
ne ludo gopinda siliva ne golide.
2 Bafumi ne bashayi banoshangana pathu pang'ompela,
Yahwe ndibo bakabasika bose.
3 Nthu wakatjenjela unobona mbatsha kabgwata,
koga tjilengwe tjodwilila koga tjiwila mu mbatsha.
4 Mbhayilo we kuzwiyesapasi ne kutja Yahwe,
ifumwa ne gudzo ne butjilo.
5 Mihwa ne matati amu zila ye basakalulwama,
iye unozwitjengeta unowobe kule nazo.
6 Diya mwana zila yaakafanila kutobela,
ndizo ha akula aatobhuda muili.
7 Nfumi unobusa nshayi,
ne unoadzimiwa nlanda we wan'adzima.
8 Iye unodzwala mbipo unowovuna tjiga,
ngono shamu ye bushongola gugwe inowokong'wa.
9 Iye una lubu unowokombolegwa,
ngobe unokwamulana tjiwunga tjitje ne bashayi.
10 Tatila ndadi kutjena, ngono kukwebakwebana kowopela,
ne kukayikana ne tshambilidzo zowoma.
11 Iye unoda moyo mbuyanana, ne unoleba nge bubuya,
unowobe nzwalani wa Mambo.
12 Mesho a Yahwe anotjengeta luzibo,
koga banolasha matama e basingagale moyo.
13 Simbe inoti, “Kuna shuba kuzhe!
Ndowo bulawa mu zila!”
14 Nlomo we nkadzi we bamba i gomba lakangina,
iye wakagwadzigwamoyo ndi Yahwe unowowila mu lili.
15 Bulengwe gwakasungiligwa mu moyo we mwana,
koga shamu ye kunlaya inogudusila kutjena naye.
16 Iye unotshambilidza bashayi kuzwipaphidzila fumwa,
kene kupa bafumi unowobe nshayi nge kukwe.
17 Teya zebe uhwe matama e wakatjenjela,
ube ubhulutana luzibo gwangu;
18 ngobe kowokushathisa ha ugala nazo mu moyo uwo,
kakale zwigale zwili pejo ne nlomo uwo.
19 Kuti kugalabgwe kuko kube muna Yahwe,
ndakuzibisa izo nasi, iwe dumbu.
20 Apa andizokukwalila makungulupeswa ali makumi matatu
anokumbuludza ne luzibo kene,
21 kukulakidza tjakatambunuka tjili malebeswa,
ndizo kuti upe bakakutuma shandulo ye malebeswa?
22 Usitolele nshayi, ngobe ali nshayi,
kene kutshamba unosheta mu lubazhe,
23 ngobe Yahwe banowobamila,
kabuya katjinyidzila butjilo ibabo banobatjinyidzila.
24 Usitongozwizwadzanya ne nthu unoda gala akagwadzamoyo,
kene ukayenda ne nthu una shungu,
25 udwa uzwidiya zila dzidze,
udwa uzwiwana wawila mu dati.
26 Usitongobe mmwe we banogadzabgwe kupa,
bezwisungila zwikoloto.
27 Ha usina tjimwe tjaunga lipa nditjo,
unotolelegwani thobo dzidzo kusi kuko?
28 Usitongodusa n'gathu wa ntolo
wakathamiwa na botate babo.
29 Unobona nthu unyambi mu nshingo uwe kene?
Unowoma mbeli kwa bomambo,
aangame mbeli kwe bathu basina ntutshi.