1nekuti mugodhi uripo panobva sirivha, Nzvimbo iripo pavanonatsa ndarama.
1Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine;
2Mhangura inocherwa pasi, Nendarira inonyauswa pabwe.
2Iron from the dust is taken, And [from] the firm stone brass.
3Munhu anokunda rima, Anotsvakisisa kusvikira kumativi ose-ose. Mabwe erima guru nomumumvuri worufu.
3An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, A stone of darkness and death-shade.
4Anochera mugodhi kure napanogara vanhu, vanokanganikwa norutsoka rwoga rwoga; vanorembera kure navanhu, vachizeya uku nokuku.
4A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered.
5Kana iri nyika, zvokudya zvinobva mairi; Pasi pazvo pakashandurwa zvinenge nomoto.
5The earth! from it cometh forth bread, And its under-part is turned like fire.
6Pamabwe ayo ndipo panogara zvibwe zesafiro, Ano upfu hwendarama.
6A place of the sapphire [are] its stones, And it hath dust of gold.
7Nzira iyo haizikamwi negondo, Ziso rorukodzi harina kuiona;
7A path — not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite,
8Zvikara, zvinozvikudza, hazvina kupfuura napo. Shumba, ine hasha, haina kupfuura napo.
8Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion.
9Iye anotema dombo romusarasara noruoko rwake; Anoshandukura makomo nemidzi yawo.
9Against the flint he sent forth his hand, He overturned from the root mountains.
10Anochera mugero pamatombo; Ziso rake rinoona zvinokosha.
10Among rocks, brooks he hath cleaved, And every precious thing hath his eye seen.
11Anodzivira nzizi dzemvura dzirege kudonha; Chinhu chakavanzika anochibudisa pachena.
11From overflowing floods he hath bound, And the hidden thing bringeth out [to] light.
12Asi uchenjeri huchawanikwepiko? Kunzwisisa kunogarepi?
12And the wisdom — whence is it found? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
13Munhu haazivi mutengo wahwo; Hauwanikwi panyika yavapenyu.
13Man hath not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living.
14Pakadzika panoti, Hauzi mandiri; Negungwa rinoti, Hauzi mandiri.
14The deep hath said, `It [is] not in me,` And the sea hath said, `It is not with me.`
15Haungatengwi nendarama, Nyangwe nesirivha haingaidzirwi mutengo wawo.
15Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed — its price.
16Haungaenzaniswi nendarama yeOfiri, Kana nezvibwe zveonikisi inokosha kana zvesafiro.
16It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire,
17Ndarama negirazi hazvingaenzani nahwo; Zvishongo zvendarama yakaisvonaka hazvingatsinhaniswi nahwo.
17Not equal it do gold and crystal, Nor [is] its exchange a vessel of fine gold.
18Korari nemapere hazvingarangarirwi; zvirokwazvo mutengo wouchenjeri unopfuura matombo akatsvuka.
18Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom [is] above rubies.
19Topazi yeItiopia haingaenzani nahwo, Haungaenzaniswi nendarama yakaisvonaka.
19Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued.
20Zvino huchenjeri unobvepiko? Kunzwisisa kunogarepi?
20And the wisdom — whence doth it come? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
21Zvahwakavanzirwa meso avapenyu vose, Nokudzitirirwa shiri dzokudenga.
21It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath been hidden.
22Kuparadza noRufu zvinoti, Takanzwa guhu rahwo panzeve dzedu.
22Destruction and death have said: `With our ears we have heard its fame.`
23Mwari anonzwisisa nzira yahwo, Ndiye anoziva kwahunobva.
23God hath understood its way, And He hath known its place.
24Nekuti anotarira kumigumo yenyika, anoona, zvose pasi pokudenga pose;
24For He to the ends of the earth doth look, Under the whole heavens He doth see,
25Panguva yaanotarira mhepo kurema kwayo; Zvirokwazvo, anoyera mvura nechiyero
25To make for the wind a weight, And the waters He meted out in measure.
26Panguva yaakatemera mvura chirevo, Nemheni yomutinhiro nzira yayo.
26In His making for the rain a limit, And a way for the brightness of the voices,
27Panguva iyo akahuona, akahududzira; Akahusimbisa, nokuhunzvera.
27Then He hath seen and declareth it, He hath prepared it, and also searched it out,
28Akaudza munhu achiti, Tarira, kutya Ishe, ndihwo uchenjeri. Kurega zvakaipa ndiko kunzwisisa.
28And He saith to man: — `Lo, fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom, And to turn from evil [is] understanding.`