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

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

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 thing.

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

³The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, and 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 the great;

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

⁷for better it is 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 see.

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 neighbour hath put thee to shame.

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

⁹Debate thy cause with thy neighbour, but reveal not the secret of another;

¹⁰Kuti mumwe anozvinzwa arege kukutuka, Guhwa rako rikasaguma.

¹⁰lest he that heareth [it] disgrace thee, and thine evil report turn not away.

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

¹¹[As] apples of gold in pictures of silver, is a word spoken in season.

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

¹²An ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, is a wise reprover upon an attentive 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.

¹⁴Clouds and wind without rain, [so] is a man that boasteth himself of a false gift.

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 surfeited therewith, and vomit it.

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

¹⁷Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee and hate thee.

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

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

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

¹⁹A broken tooth, and a tottering foot, is confidence in an unfaithful [man] in the day of trouble.

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

²⁰[As] he that taketh off a garment in cold weather, [and as] vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a sad 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 shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and Jehovah shall reward thee.

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

²³The north wind bringeth forth rain, and the angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

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

²⁴It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a contentious woman, and a house in common.

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.

²⁶A troubled fountain, and a defiled well, 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; and to search into weighty matters is [itself] a weight.

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

²⁸He that hath no rule over his own spirit is [as] a city broken down, without walls.