¹Izvowo ndizvo zvirevo zvaSo­romoni, zvakanyorwa navanhu vaHezekia mambo wavaJudha,

¹These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

²Ndiko kukudzwa kwaMwari kuti avanze chinhu; Asi kukudzwa kwamadzimambo ndiko kuti vanzvere mhosva.

²It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

³Kukwirira kwedenga, nokudzika kwenyika, Nemoyo yamadzimambo hazvibviri kunzverwa.

³As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

⁴Bvisa marara pasirivha, Muumbi agobudisirwa hari.

⁴Take away the dross from the silver, And there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner:

⁵Bvisa akaipa pamberi pamambo, Chigaro chake choushe chisimbiswe nokururama.

⁵Take away the wicked [from] before the king, And his throne shall be established in righteousness.

⁶Usava namanyawi pamberi pamambo; Usamira panzvimbo yavakuru.

⁶Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king, And stand not in the place of great men:

⁷nekuti zviri nani kuti vati kwauri, Kwira pano, Pakuti uninipiswe pamberi pomuchinda. Wawaona nameso ako.

⁷For better is it that it be said unto thee, Come up hither, Than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom thine eyes have seen.

⁸Usakurumidza kundoita nharo; nekuti uchazodini pashure, Kana wokwako akunyadzisa?

⁸Go not forth hastily to strive, Lest [thou know not] what to do in the end thereof, When thy neighbor hath put thee to shame.

⁹Rangana nowakaipa pamusoro pemhosva iri pakati penyu, Asi usareurura zvakavanzika zvomumwe;

⁹Debate thy cause with thy neighbor [himself], And disclose not the secret of another;

¹⁰Kuti mumwe anozvinzwa arege kukutuka, Guhwa rako rikasaguma.

¹⁰Lest he that heareth it revile thee, And thine infamy turn not away.

¹¹Shoko rinotaurwa nenguva yakafanira, Rakafanana namatamba endarama mumidziyo yesirivha.

¹¹A word fitly spoken Is [like] apples of gold in network of silver.

¹²Murairi akachenjera panzeve inoteerera, Zvakafanana nechindori chenzeve chendarama noukomba hwendarama yakaisvonaka.

¹²[As] an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, [So is] a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

¹³Nhume yakatendeka kuna vanoituma yakafanana nokutonhorera kwechando panguva yokukohwa; nekuti anoponesa mweya yavatenzi vayo.

¹³As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, [So is] a faithful messenger to them that send him; For he refresheth the soul of his masters.

¹⁴Munhu anozvirumbidza pamusoro pechipo chenhema, Akafanana namakore nemhepo zvisina mvura.

¹⁴[As] clouds and wind without rain, [So is] he that boasteth himself of his gifts falsely.

¹⁵Mubati anokundwa kana achiitirwa moyo murefu, Uye rurimi runyoro runovhuna mafupa.

¹⁵By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

¹⁶Wawana uchi here? Chidya hunokuringana, Kuti urege kuzvimbirwa nahwo, ukahurutsa.

¹⁶Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

¹⁷Rutsoka rwako ngarurege kuwanza kupinda paimba yowokwako; Arege kuzoneta newe, akakuvenga.

¹⁷Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbor's house, Lest he be weary of thee, and hate thee.

¹⁸Munhu anopupurira wokwake nhema, Akafanana netsvimbo, nomunondo, nomuseve unopinza.

¹⁸A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor Is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.

¹⁹Kutenda munhu asina kutendeka panguva yenhamo, Kwakafanana nezino rakagurika norutsoka rwakashodoka.

¹⁹Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is [like] a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

²⁰Somunhu anobvisa nguvo kana kuchitonhora, uye sevhiniga kana ichiiswa pasoda, Ndizvo zvakaita munhu anoimbira moyo unorwadza nziyo.

²⁰[As] one that taketh off a garment in cold weather, [and as] vinegar upon soda, So is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.

²¹Kana muvengi wako ane nzara, umupe zvokudya adye; Kana ane nyota, umupe mvura amwe.

²¹If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

²²nekuti uchatutira mazimbe omoto pamusoro wake, Uye Jehovha achakuripira.

²²For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head, And Jehovah will reward thee.

²³Mhepo inobva kumaodzanyemba inouyisa mvura; Saizvozvo rurimi runa makuhwa runouyisa chiso chakatsamwa.

²³The north wind bringeth forth rain: So doth a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.

²⁴Zviri nani kugara pakona redenga, Pakugara muimba imwe nomukadzi unokakavara.

²⁴It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, Than with a contentious woman in a wide house.

²⁵Shoko rakanaka, rinobva kunyika iri kure, Rakafanana nemvura inotonhorera kumweya ane nyota.

²⁵[As] cold waters to a thirsty soul, So is good news from a far country.

²⁶Munhu akarurama, anozununguka pamberi pavakaipa, Akafanana netsime rakabvongodzwa nechitubu chine tsvina.

²⁶[As] a troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring, [So is] a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.

²⁷Hazvina kunaka kudya uchi huzhinji; Asi kunzvera zvinorema ndiko kukudzwa.

²⁷It is not good to eat much honey: So [for men] to search out their own glory is grievous.

²⁸Munhu asingadzori mweya wake, Akafanana neguta rakaputswa, risina rusvingo.

²⁸He whose spirit is without restraint Is [like] a city that is broken down and without walls.