¹Mwanakomana wangu, kana uchinge wakazviitira wokwako rubatso, Wazvisunga nokuda komutorwa noruoko rwako,

¹My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

²Wazviteya namashoko omuromo wako, Wabatwa namashoko omuromo wako,

²Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

³Zvino ita kudai, mwanakomana wangu, uzvirwire, Zvawabatwa noruoko rwowokwako, Enda, undozvininipisa, ukumbire zvikuru kunowokwako.

³Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.

⁴Usatendera meso ako hope, Kana mafungiro ameso ako kutsumwaira;

⁴Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

⁵Uzvirwire semhara paruoko rwomuvhimi, Seshiri paruoko rwomuteyi.

⁵Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

⁶Enda kumujuru, iwe simbe; Cherekedza nzira dzawo ugova wakachenjera!

⁶Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

⁷Kunyange iwo usina mutongi, Kana mutariri kana mubati,

⁷Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

⁸Unogadzira zvokudya zvawo muzhizha, Nokuunganidza zvokudya zvawo mukukohwa.

⁸Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

⁹Iwe simbe, uchavata pasi kusvikira rinhiko? Uchamuka rinhiko pahope dzako?

⁹How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

¹⁰Kumbovata zvishomanene, kumbotsumwaira zvishomanene, Kumbofungatira maoko zvishomanene, ndizorore;

¹⁰Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

¹¹Saizvozvo urombo hwako huchasvika segororo, Nokushaiwa kwako somunhu wakashonga nhumbi dzokurwa.

¹¹So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

¹²Munhu asina maturo, munhu anoita zvakaipa, Ndiye anofamba nomuromo une nhema;

¹²A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

¹³Anobwaira nameso ake, anotendekera netsoka dzake, Anodudzira nemimwe yake;

¹³He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;

¹⁴Ane zvisakarurama pamoyo pake, Anosifungira vamwe zvakaipa, Anokusha kupesana.

¹⁴Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.

¹⁵Saka njodzi yake ichamuwira kamwe-kamwe; Achavhuniwa pakarepo, kusina chingamubatsira.

¹⁵Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

¹⁶Zvinhu zvitanhatu zviriko zvinovengwa naJehovha; Zvirokwazvo, tingati kune zvinomwe, zvinomunyangadza, zvinoti:

¹⁶These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

¹⁷Meso ounozvikudza, rurimi runoreva nhema, Maoko anodurura ropa risina mhaka;

¹⁷A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

¹⁸moyo unofunga mano akaipa, Tsoka dzinokurumidza kuvangira zvakashata;

¹⁸An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

¹⁹Chapupu chinonyengera chinoreva nhema, Uye anokusha kupesana pakati pehama.

¹⁹A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

²⁰Mwanakomana wangu, chengeta murayiro wababa vako; Usarasha kudzidzisa kwamai vako.

²⁰My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

²¹Uzvisungire nguva dzose pamoyo wako; Uzvishonge pamutsipa wako.

²¹Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

²²Kana uchifamba, zvichakutungamirira; Kana uchivata pasi, zvichakurinda; Kana womuka, zvichataurirana newe.

²²When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

²³nekuti murayiro ndiwo mwenje; murau ndicho chiedza; Kuraira kokurairirwa inzira youpenyu;

²³For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

²⁴Kuti uchengetwe pamukadzi wakaipa, Pakubata kumeso korurimi rwomutorwa.

²⁴To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

²⁵Usachiva kunaka kwake mumoyo mako; Arege kukubata namafungiro ameso ake.

²⁵Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

²⁶nekuti nokuda kwechifeve munhu angasvikira pakudya chimeduchetechechingwa; Mukadzi womumwe munhu anovhima upenyu hunokosha.

²⁶For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adultress will hunt for the precious life.

²⁷Ko munhu ungaisa moto muchipfuva chake, nguvo dzake dzikasatsva here?

²⁷Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?

²⁸Kana munhu angatsika mazimbe anopisa, Tsoka dzake dzikasapiswa here?

²⁸Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

²⁹Ndizvo zvakaita munhu anopinda kumukadzi wowokwake; Ani naani anomubata iye mukadzi haangaregwi kurohwa.

²⁹So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.

³⁰Vanhu havangazvidzi mubi kana achiba Kuti agute kana achinge ane nzara.

³⁰Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;

³¹Asi kana akabatwa anofanira kudzosera zvava zvinomwe; Anofanira kuripa nefuma yose yeimba yake.

³¹But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

³²Anoita upombwe nomukadzi, anoshaiwa njere; Anoda kuparadza upenyu hwake ndiye anoita izvozvo.

³²But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

³³Uchangozviwanira mavanga nokusakudzwa; Kunyadziswa kwake hakungatongopusikwi.

³³A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.

³⁴nekuti godo rinomutsa hasha dzomurume; Haanganzwiri tsitsi pazuva rokutsiva.

³⁴For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

³⁵Haangavi nehanya nomuripo; Haangatendi, kunyange ukamuvigira zvipo zvizhinji.

³⁵He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.