1Mbiri yakanaka inopfuura chizoro chakanaka, nezuva rokufa kupfuura zuva rokuzvarwa.
1A [good] name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than the day of one's birth.
2Zviri nani kuenda kuimba yokuchema, pakuenda kuimba yomutambo; nekuti ndiwo mugumo wavanhu vose; munhu mupenyu achazvirangarira pamoyo pake.
2It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
3Kuchema kunopfuura kuseka, nekuti moyo unofadzwa nokupunyaira kwechiso.
3Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
4moyo yavakachenjera iri paimba yokuchema, asi moyo yamapenzi iri paimba yokufara.
4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5Zviri nani kuti munhu anzwe kutuka kwavakachenjera, pakuti anzwe kuimba kwamapenzi.
5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6nekuti kuseka kwebenzi kwakafanana nokuputika kwemhinzwa pasi pehari; naizvozvowo hazvina maturo.
6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7Zvirokwazvo kumanikidza kunoita muchenjeri benzi; uye fufuro inoparadza njere.
7Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding.
8Kuguma kwechinhu kunopfuura kutanga kwacho; ano moyo murefu anopfuura ano moyo unozvikudza.
8Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; [and] the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9Usakurumidza pamweya wako kutsamwa, nekuti kutsamwa kunogara pachipfuva chamapenzi.
9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10Usati, Mazuva ekare anopfuura azvino nokunaka neiko? nekuti haungabvunzi saizvozvo nouchenjeri.
10Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
11Uchenjeri hwakaenzana nenhaka; zvirokwazvo, hwakaisvonaka kuna vanoona zuva.
11Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun.
12nekuti uchenjeri chitaviridzo, mariwo chitaviridzo, asi kunakisa kwezivo ndiko, kuti uchenjeri hunochengeta hupenyu hwaiye anahwo.
12For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.
13Cherekedza basa raMwari, nekuti ndiani angaruramisa chaakakombamisa iye?
13Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
14Fara nezuva rokugara zvakanaka, rangarira nezuva rokutambudzika; Mwari ndiye akaita izvozvo zvose zviviri, kuti munhu arege kuziva zviri mberi kwake.
14In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything [that shall be] after him.
15Izvozvi zvose ndakazviona pamazuva angu asina maturo. Akarurama ariko, anoparara pakati pokururama kwake, uyezve, munhu akaipa ariko, anorarama nguva huru pakati pezvakaipa zvake.
15All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth [his life] in his evil-doing.
16Usava munhu wakaisvorurama, usava wakaisvochenjera; uchazviparadzireiko?
16Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17Usava munhu akaisvoipa, uye usava benzi; uchafireiko nguva yako isati yasvika?
17Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18Zvakanaka kuti ubatisise chinhu ichi, uye usabvisa ruoko rwako panechecho; nekuti anotya Mwari, achapukunyuka panaizvozvo zvose.
18It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all.
19Uchenjeri hunosimbisa akachenjera kupfuura vabati vane gumi vari muguta.
19Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
20Zvirokwazvo, hapana munhu akarurama panyika, anoita zvakanaka, asingatadzi.
20Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21Uyezve, usava nehanya namashoko ose anotaurwa, kuti urege kunzwa muranda wako achikutuka.
21Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;
22nekuti kazhinji moyo wako unoziva kuti newewo wakatuka vamwe saizvozvo.
22for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23Izvozvi zvose ndakazviidza nouchenjeri; ndakati, Ndichava akachenjera; asi zvakanga zviri kure neni.
23All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24Izvo, zviripo, zviri kure, zvakadzika kwazvo, ndiani angazviziva?
24That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
25Ndakatendeuka, nemoyo wangu ukada kuziva nokunzvera, nokutsvaka uchenjeri namano, ndizive kuti kuipa upenzi, noupenzi kupenga.
25I turned about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.
26Ndikawana chinhu chinovava kukunda rufu, ndiye mukadzi ari musungo, moyo wake ari mambure, namaoko ake zvisungo; Ani naani wakanaka pana Mwari, achapukunyuka kwaari; asi mutadzi achabatwa naye.
26And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, [and] whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27Zvanzi noMuparidzi, Tarirai, ndizvozvi zvandakawana, ndichiverenga chinhu chimwe nechimwe, kuti ndiwane shumo yazvo;
27Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, [laying] one thing to another, to find out the account;
28zvinongoramba zvichitsvakwa nomweya wangu, asi ndigere kuzviwana, ndakawana murume mumwe pakati pechiuru chezana, asi handina kuwana mukadzi pakati pavazhinji vakadai.
28which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29Asi tarirai, chinhu chimwe ichi chete ndicho chandakawana, kuti Mwari akaita munhu akarurama, asi ivo vakatsvaka mano mazhinji.
29Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.