¹Uchenjeri hwakavaka imba yahwo; Hwakaveza mbiru dzahwo nomwe;

¹Wisdom hath builded her house, She hath hewn out her pillars — seven.

²Hwakabaya zvipfuwo zvahwo; Hwakavhenganisa waini yahwo; Hwakagadzirawo tafura yahwo.

²She hath slaughtered her slaughter, She hath mingled her wine, Yea, she hath arranged her table.

³Hwakatuma varandakadzi vahwo; hunodanidzira pamitunhu yeguta, huchiti,

³She hath sent forth her damsels, She crieth on the tops of the high places of the city:

⁴Asina mano ngaatsaukire muno; Asina njere, hunoti kwaari,

⁴`Who [is] simple? let him turn aside hither.` Whoso lacketh heart: she hath said to him,

⁵Uyai mudye chingwa changu, Mumwe waini yandakavhenganisa.

⁵`Come, eat of my bread, And drink of the wine I have mingled.

⁶Regai kusasvinuka murarame; Mufambe nenzira yenjere.

⁶Forsake ye, the simple, and live, And be happy in the way of understanding.

⁷Munhu, anoraira mudadiri anozvitsvakira kunyadziswa; Anotuka munhu wakaipa achasvibiswa.

⁷The instructor of a scorner Is receiving for it — shame, And a reprover of the wicked — his blemish.

⁸Usaraira mudadiri, kuti arege kukuvenga; Raira munhu wakachenjera, iye achakuda.

⁸Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee, Give reproof to the wise, and he loveth thee.

⁹Ipa wakachenjera dzidzo, ipapo iye achawedzerwa huchenjeri; Dzidzisa wakarurama, ipapo iye achawedzerwa zivo.

⁹Give to the wise, and he is wiser still, Make known to the righteous, And he increaseth learning.

¹⁰Kuvamba kouchenjeri ndiko kutya Iehovha., Kuziva Mutsvene ndidzo njere.

¹⁰The commencement of wisdom [is] the fear of Jehovah, And a knowledge of the Holy Ones [is] understanding.

¹¹nekuti neni mazuva ako achaitwa mazhinji, Makore oupenyu hwako achawedzerwa.

¹¹For by me do thy days multiply, And added to thee are years of life.

¹²Kana wakachenjera, iwe, wakazvichenjerera hako; Kana uri mudadiri, iwe woga uchava nemhosva yazvo.

¹²If thou hast been wise, thou hast been wise for thyself, And thou hast scorned — thyself bearest [it].

¹³Mukadzi benzi anopupira; Haana mano, haazivi chinhu.

¹³A foolish woman [is] noisy, Simple, and hath not known what.

¹⁴Anogara pamukova weimba yake, Pachigaro pamitunhu yeguta.

¹⁴And she hath sat at the opening of her house, On a throne — the high places of the city,

¹⁵Kuti adanidzire kuna vanopfuura napo, Ivo vanorurama nenzira dzavo, achiti,

¹⁵To call to those passing by the way, Who are going straight [on] their paths.

¹⁶Ani naani asina mano, ngaatsaukire muno; Asine njere, mukadzi anoti kwaari,

¹⁶`Who [is] simple? let him turn aside hither.` And whoso lacketh heart — she said to him,

¹⁷Mvura yabiwa inozipa, Chingwa chinodyiwa pakavanda chinonaka.

¹⁷`Stolen waters are sweet, And hidden bread is pleasant.`

¹⁸Asi haazivi kuti vanopindamo vanofa; Kuti vakakokerwa naye vari mukati-kati meSheori.

¹⁸And he hath not known that Rephaim [are] there, In deep places of Sheol her invited ones!