1Usagodora vanhu vakaipa; Usashuva kuva pakati pavo.
1Be not envious of evil men, And desire not to be with them.
2nekuti moyo yavo inorangarira kuparadza; Nemiromo yavo inotaura zvakashata.
2For destruction doth their heart meditate, And perverseness do their lips speak.
3Imba inovakwa nouchenjeri; Inosimbiswa nenjere.
3By wisdom is a house builded, And by understanding it establisheth itself.
4Nezivo dzimba dzomukati dzinozadzwa Nefuma yose inokosha inofadza.
4And by knowledge the inner parts are filled, [With] all precious and pleasant wealth.
5Munhu akachenjera ane simba; Zvirokwazvo, munhu wezivo anowedzera simba
5Mighty [is] the wise in strength, And a man of knowledge is strengthening power,
6nekuti anofanira kurwa pfumo amborairirwa nouchenjeri; Asi kuna varairiri vazhinji ndiko kune ruponeso.
6For by plans thou makest for thyself war, And deliverance [is] in a multitude of counsellors.
7Uchenjeri hahusvikirwi nebenzi; Harishamisi muromo waro padare.
7Wisdom [is] high for a fool, In the gate he openeth not his mouth.
8Anorangarira kuita zvakaipa, Achanzi navanhu mwene wezvakashata.
8Whoso is devising to do evil, Him they call a master of wicked thoughts.
9Mufungo woupenzi zvivi; Mudadi anonyangadza vanhu.
9The thought of folly [is] sin, And an abomination to man [is] a scorner.
10Kana ukapera simba nezuva rokutambudzika, Simba rako ishoma.
10Thou hast shewed thyself weak in a day of adversity, Straitened is thy power,
11Rwira vanoiswa kurufu; Novourawa usarega kuvadzosa.
11If [from] delivering those taken to death, And those slipping to the slaughter — thou keepest back.
12Kana ukati, Tarira, hatina kuzviziva; Ko iye anoidza moyo, haazvioni here? Naiye anochengeta mweya wako, haazvizivi here? Ko iye haangadzoaeri mumwe nomumwe zvakaenzana nebasa rake here?
12When thou sayest, `Lo, we knew not this.` Is not the Ponderer of hearts He who understandeth? And the Keeper of thy soul He who knoweth? And He hath rendered to man according to his work.
13Mwanakomana wangu, idya uchi, nekuti hwakanaka; Nomusvi unozipa pamukamwa wako.
13Eat my son, honey that [is] good, And the honeycomb — sweet to thy palate.
14Uchaona kuti ndizvo zvichaita uchenjeri kumweya wako; Kana wahuwana, mubayiro uchavapo, Nezvawakatarira hazvingaparadzwi.
14So [is] the knowledge of wisdom to thy soul, If thou hast found that there is a posterity And thy hope is not cut off.
15Iwe munhu akaipa, usavandira panogara wakarurama; Usaparadza paanozorora.
15Lay not wait, O wicked one, At the habitation of the righteous. Do not spoil his resting-place.
16nekuti munhu akarurama angawa kanomwe, achisimukazve; Asi vakaipa vanowisirwa pasi nenjodzi.
16For seven [times] doth the righteous fall and rise, And the wicked stumble in evil.
17Usafarisisa kana muvengi wako achiwa; Kana achiwisirwa pasi, moyo wako ngaurege kufara.
17In the falling of thine enemy rejoice not, And in his stumbling let not thy heart be joyful,
18Kuti Jehovha arege kuzviona, zvisamufadza, Akazodzora kutsamwa kwake kwaari.
18Lest Jehovah see, and [it be] evil in His eyes, And He hath turned from off him His anger.
19Usatsamwa nokuda kwavaiti vezvakaipa; Uye usagodora vakaipa.
19Fret not thyself at evil doers, Be not envious at the wicked,
20nekuti munhu akaipa haana mubayiro; Mwenje wakaipa uchadzimwa.
20For there is not a posterity to the evil, The lamp of the wicked is extinguished.
21Mwanakomana wangu, itya Jehovha namambo; Usafambidzana navanongoshanduka shanduka.
21Fear Jehovah, my son, and the king, With changers mix not up thyself,
22nekuti nhamo yavo ichamuka pakarepo; Nokuguma kwamakore avo, ndiani achazviziva?
22For suddenly doth their calamity rise, And the ruin of them both — who knoweth!
23Zvirevo izviwo zvakabva kuna vakachenjera, Kutsaura vanhu pakutonga hazvina kunaka
23These also are for the wise: — To discern faces in judgment is not good.
24Anoti kune wakaipa, Akarurama, Vanhu vachamutuka, nendudzi dzichamusema.
24Whoso is saying to the wicked, `Thou [art] righteous,` Peoples execrate him — nations abhor him.
25Asi vanomuraira, vachaitirwa zvakanaka; ropafadzo yakanaka ichauya pamusoro pavo.
25And to those reproving it is pleasant, And on them cometh a good blessing.
26Anopindura namashoko akarurama, unotsvoda nemiromo.
26Lips he kisseth who is returning straightforward words.
27Gadzira basa rako kunze, Uzvigadzirire iro pamunda; Pashure ugovaka imba yako.
27Prepare in an out-place thy work, And make it ready in the field — go afterwards, Then thou hast built thy house.
28Usava chapupu chinopomera wokwako asina mhosva; Usanyengedzera nemiromo yako.
28Be not a witness for nought against thy neighbour, Or thou hast enticed with thy lips.
29Usati, Sezvaakandiitira, ndizvo zvandichamuitirawo; Ndicharipira munhu sezvaakaita iye.
29Say not, `As he did to me, so I do to him, I render to each according to his work.`
30Ndakapfuura napamunda wesimbe, Napamunda wemizambiringa womunhu anoshaiwa njere;
30Near the field of a slothful man I passed by, And near the vineyard of a man lacking heart.
31Tarirai, akanga angomera mhinzwa chete; Munda wose wakange wakafukidzwa norukato, Norusvingo rwawo rwamabwe rwakanga rwakoromoka.
31And lo, it hath gone up — all of it — thorns! Covered its face have nettles, And its stone wall hath been broken down.
32Ipapo ndakacherekedza, ndikanatsofunga; Ndakaona, ndikadzidziswa.
32And I see — I — I do set my heart, I have seen — I have received instruction,
33Kumbovata zvishomanene, kumbotsumwaira zvishomanene, Kumbofungatira maoko zvishomanene, ndizorore;
33A little sleep — a little slumber — A little folding of the hands to lie down.
34Saizvozvo urombo hwako huchasvika segororo, Nokushaiwa kwako somunhu akashonga nhumbi dzokurwa.
34And thy poverty hath come [as] a traveller, And thy want as an armed man!