1When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider well who is before thee;
1Kana ukagara pakudya pamwechete nomubati, Cherekedza zvakanaka zviri pamberi pako;
2and put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
2Uzvigure huro dzako, Kana uri munhu wamadyo
3Be not desirous of his dainties; for they are deceitful food.
3Usapanga zvinozipa zvake, nekuti zvokudya izvo zvinonyengedzera.
4Weary not thyself to become rich; cease from thine own intelligence:
4Usazvinetsa kuwana fuma; Rega huchenjeri hwako.
5wilt thou set thine eyes upon it, it is gone; for indeed it maketh itself wings and it flieth away as an eagle towards the heavens.
5Unoda kuzvitarira nameso ako? Zvaenda! nekuti zvirokwazvo fuma inozviitira mapapiro, Segondo rinobhururukira kudenga
6Eat thou not the food of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainties.
6Usadya zvokudya zvomunhu anoruchiva; Kana kupanga zvinozipa zvake.
7For as he thinketh in his soul, so is he. Eat and drink! will he say unto thee; but his heart is not with thee.
7nekuti sezvaanofunga mumoyo make, ndozvaakaita; Anoti kwauri, Chidya, chimwa; , Asi moyo wake haune hanya newe.
8Thy morsel which thou hast eaten must thou vomit up, and thou wilt have wasted thy sweet words.
8Musuva wawadya, uchaurutsazve, Ukarashikirwa namashoko ako akanaka.
9Speak not in the ears of a foolish [man], for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
9Usataura paunonzwikwa nebenzi; nekuti richazvidza uchenjeri hwamashoko ako.
10Remove not the ancient landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
10Usabvisa muganhu wekare; Uye usapinda paminda yenherera;
11for their redeemer is mighty; he will plead their cause against thee.
11nekuti Mudzikunuri wavo ane simba; Iye uchavarwira pamhaka dzavo newe.
12Apply thy heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
12moyo wako ushingaire kudzidziswa, Nenzeve dzako kunzwa mashoko ezivo.
13Withhold not correction from the child; for [if] thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die:
13Usarega kuranga mwana; nekuti kunyange ukamurova neshamhu, haangafi.
14thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from Sheol.
14Umurove neshamhu, Ugorwira mweya wake paSheori.
15My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine;
15Mwanakomana wangu, kana moyo wako wochenjera, Nomoyo wangu uchafarawo.
16and my reins shall exult, when thy lips speak right things.
16Zvirokwazvo, itsvo dzangu dzichafarisisa, Kana miromo yako ichitaura zvinhu zvakarurama.
17Let not thy heart envy sinners, but [be thou] in the fear of Jehovah all the day;
17moyo wako ngaurege kugodora vatadzi; Asi utye Jehovha mazuva ose.
18for surely there is a result, and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
18nekuti zvirokwazvo mubayiro uripo; Chawakatarira hachingaparadzwi.
19Thou, my son, hear and be wise, and direct thy heart in the way.
19Inzwa, iwe mwanakomana wangu, uchenjere, Ururamise moyo wako munzira.
20Be not among winebibbers, among riotous eaters of flesh.
20Usava pakati pavanokarira waini, Pakati pavanokarira nyama.
21For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; and drowsiness clotheth with rags.
21nekuti mumwi neane madyo vachava varombo; Hope dzichapfekedza munhu mamvemve.
22Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
22Teerera baba vako vakakubereka; Usazvidza mai vako kana vachembera.
23Buy the truth, and sell it not; wisdom, and instruction, and intelligence.
23Tenga zvokwadi, urege kuzoitengesazve; Uye tenga uchenjeri nedzidzo nenjere.
24The father of a righteous [man] shall greatly rejoice, and he that begetteth a wise [son] shall have joy of him:
24Baba vovakarurama vachafara kwazvo; Uye akabereka mwana akachenjera, achafadzwa naye.
25let thy father and thy mother have joy, and let her that bore thee rejoice.
25Baba vako namai vako ngavafare, Mai vakakubereka ngavafare kwazvo.
26My son, give me thy heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
26Mwanakomana wangu, ndipe moyo wako; Meso ako ngaafarire nzira dzangu.
27For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
27nekuti chifeve igoronga rakadzika; Nomukadzi wokumwe gomba rakamanikana.
28She also lieth in wait as a robber, and increaseth the treacherous among men.
28Zvirokwazvo anovandira segororo; Anowedzera vanyengedzeri pakati pavanhu.
29Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who contentions? Who complaining? Who wounds without cause? Who redness of eyes?
29Ndiani ane: Urombo? Ndiani ane: Urombo? Ndiani anokukakavara? Ndiani anokuchema? Ndiani anemavanga pasina mhaka? Ndiani ane meso akatsvuka?
30-- They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to try mixed wine.
30Ndivo vanogarisa pawaini; Ivo vanondotsvaka waini yavhenganiswa.
31Look not upon the wine when it is red, when it sparkleth in the cup, and goeth down smoothly:
31Usatarira waini kana yakatsvuka, Kana ichivaima mumukombe, Kana ichitapira pakumwiwa.
32at the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
32Pakupedzisira inoruma senyoka, Inobaya semvumbi.
33Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thy heart shall speak froward things;
33Meso ako achaona zvisingazikamwi, moyo wako uchabudisa zvisakarurama.
34and thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, and as he that lieth down upon the top of a mast:
34Zvirokwazvo uchava somunhu avete pasi mukati megungwa, Kana soavete pamusoro pedanda rechikepe.
35-- ''They have smitten me, [and] I am not sore; they have beaten me, [and] I knew it not. When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.''
35Uchati, Vakandirova, asi handina kurwadziwa, Vakandirova, asi handina kuzvinzwa; Ndichapepuka rinhiko? Ipapo ndichandoitsvakazve.