1Kana ukagara pakudya pamwechete nomubati, Cherekedza zvakanaka zviri pamberi pako;
1When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, Thou considerest diligently that which [is] before thee,
2Uzvigure huro dzako, Kana uri munhu wamadyo
2And thou hast put a knife to thy throat, If thou [art] a man of appetite.
3Usapanga zvinozipa zvake, nekuti zvokudya izvo zvinonyengedzera.
3Have no desire to his dainties, seeing it [is] lying food.
4Usazvinetsa kuwana fuma; Rega huchenjeri hwako.
4Labour not to make wealth, From thine own understanding cease, Dost thou cause thine eyes to fly upon it? Then it is not.
5Unoda kuzvitarira nameso ako? Zvaenda! nekuti zvirokwazvo fuma inozviitira mapapiro, Segondo rinobhururukira kudenga
5For wealth maketh to itself wings, As an eagle it flieth to the heavens.
6Usadya zvokudya zvomunhu anoruchiva; Kana kupanga zvinozipa zvake.
6Eat not the bread of an evil eye, And have no desire to his dainties,
7nekuti sezvaanofunga mumoyo make, ndozvaakaita; Anoti kwauri, Chidya, chimwa; , Asi moyo wake haune hanya newe.
7For as he hath thought in his soul, so [is] he, `Eat and drink,` saith he to thee, And his heart [is] not with thee.
8Musuva wawadya, uchaurutsazve, Ukarashikirwa namashoko ako akanaka.
8Thy morsel thou hast eaten thou dost vomit up, And hast marred thy words that [are] sweet.
9Usataura paunonzwikwa nebenzi; nekuti richazvidza uchenjeri hwamashoko ako.
9In the ears of a fool speak not, For he treadeth on the wisdom of thy words.
10Usabvisa muganhu wekare; Uye usapinda paminda yenherera;
10Remove not a border of olden times, And into fields of the fatherless enter not,
11nekuti Mudzikunuri wavo ane simba; Iye uchavarwira pamhaka dzavo newe.
11For their Redeemer [is] strong, He doth plead their cause with thee.
12moyo wako ushingaire kudzidziswa, Nenzeve dzako kunzwa mashoko ezivo.
12Bring in to instruction thy heart, And thine ear to sayings of knowledge.
13Usarega kuranga mwana; nekuti kunyange ukamurova neshamhu, haangafi.
13Withhold not from a youth chastisement, When thou smitest him with a rod he dieth not.
14Umurove neshamhu, Ugorwira mweya wake paSheori.
14Thou with a rod smitest him, And his soul from Sheol thou deliverest.
15Mwanakomana wangu, kana moyo wako wochenjera, Nomoyo wangu uchafarawo.
15My son, if thy heart hath been wise, My heart rejoiceth, even mine,
16Zvirokwazvo, itsvo dzangu dzichafarisisa, Kana miromo yako ichitaura zvinhu zvakarurama.
16And my reins exult when thy lips speak uprightly.
17moyo wako ngaurege kugodora vatadzi; Asi utye Jehovha mazuva ose.
17Let not thy heart be envious at sinners, But — in the fear of Jehovah all the day.
18nekuti zvirokwazvo mubayiro uripo; Chawakatarira hachingaparadzwi.
18For, is there a posterity? Then thy hope is not cut off.
19Inzwa, iwe mwanakomana wangu, uchenjere, Ururamise moyo wako munzira.
19Hear thou, my son, and be wise, And make happy in the way thy heart,
20Usava pakati pavanokarira waini, Pakati pavanokarira nyama.
20Be not thou among quaffers of wine, Among gluttonous ones of flesh,
21nekuti mumwi neane madyo vachava varombo; Hope dzichapfekedza munhu mamvemve.
21For the quaffer and glutton become poor, And drowsiness clotheth with rags.
22Teerera baba vako vakakubereka; Usazvidza mai vako kana vachembera.
22Hearken to thy father, who begat thee, And despise not thy mother when she hath become old.
23Tenga zvokwadi, urege kuzoitengesazve; Uye tenga uchenjeri nedzidzo nenjere.
23Truth buy, and sell not, Wisdom, and instruction, and understanding,
24Baba vovakarurama vachafara kwazvo; Uye akabereka mwana akachenjera, achafadzwa naye.
24The father of the righteous rejoiceth greatly, The begetter of the wise rejoiceth in him.
25Baba vako namai vako ngavafare, Mai vakakubereka ngavafare kwazvo.
25Rejoice doth thy father and thy mother, Yea, she that bare thee is joyful.
26Mwanakomana wangu, ndipe moyo wako; Meso ako ngaafarire nzira dzangu.
26Give, my son, thy heart to me, And let thine eyes watch my ways.
27nekuti chifeve igoronga rakadzika; Nomukadzi wokumwe gomba rakamanikana.
27For a harlot [is] a deep ditch, And a strange woman [is] a strait pit.
28Zvirokwazvo anovandira segororo; Anowedzera vanyengedzeri pakati pavanhu.
28She also, as catching prey, lieth in wait, And the treacherous among men she increaseth.
29Ndiani ane: Urombo? Ndiani ane: Urombo? Ndiani anokukakavara? Ndiani anokuchema? Ndiani anemavanga pasina mhaka? Ndiani ane meso akatsvuka?
29Who hath wo? who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions? who hath plaint? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes?
30Ndivo vanogarisa pawaini; Ivo vanondotsvaka waini yavhenganiswa.
30Those tarrying by the wine, Those going in to search out mixed wine.
31Usatarira waini kana yakatsvuka, Kana ichivaima mumukombe, Kana ichitapira pakumwiwa.
31See not wine when it showeth itself red, When it giveth in the cup its colour, It goeth up and down through the upright.
32Pakupedzisira inoruma senyoka, Inobaya semvumbi.
32Its latter end — as a serpent it biteth, And as a basilisk it stingeth.
33Meso ako achaona zvisingazikamwi, moyo wako uchabudisa zvisakarurama.
33Thine eyes see strange women, And thy heart speaketh perverse things.
34Zvirokwazvo uchava somunhu avete pasi mukati megungwa, Kana soavete pamusoro pedanda rechikepe.
34And thou hast been as one lying down in the heart of the sea, And as one lying down on the top of a mast.
35Uchati, Vakandirova, asi handina kurwadziwa, Vakandirova, asi handina kuzvinzwa; Ndichapepuka rinhiko? Ipapo ndichandoitsvakazve.
35`They smote me, I have not been sick, They beat me, I have not known. When I awake — I seek it yet again!`