¹Mwanakomana wangu, kana uchinge wakazviitira wokwako rubatso, Wazvisunga nokuda komutorwa noruoko rwako,

¹My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger;

²Wazviteya namashoko omuromo wako, Wabatwa namashoko omuromo wako,

²You are trapped by the words of your mouth. You are ensnared with the words of your mouth.

³Zvino ita kudai, mwanakomana wangu, uzvirwire, Zvawabatwa noruoko rwowokwako, Enda, undozvininipisa, ukumbire zvikuru kunowokwako.

³Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, since you have come into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbor.

⁴Usatendera meso ako hope, Kana mafungiro ameso ako kutsumwaira;

⁴Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.

⁵Uzvirwire semhara paruoko rwomuvhimi, Seshiri paruoko rwomuteyi.

⁵Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

⁶Enda kumujuru, iwe simbe; Cherekedza nzira dzawo ugova wakachenjera!

⁶Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;

⁷Kunyange iwo usina mutongi, Kana mutariri kana mubati,

⁸Unogadzira zvokudya zvawo muzhizha, Nokuunganidza zvokudya zvawo mukukohwa.

⁸provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.

⁹Iwe simbe, uchavata pasi kusvikira rinhiko? Uchamuka rinhiko pahope dzako?

⁹How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?

¹⁰Kumbovata zvishomanene, kumbotsumwaira zvishomanene, Kumbofungatira maoko zvishomanene, ndizorore;

¹⁰A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

¹¹Saizvozvo urombo hwako huchasvika segororo, Nokushaiwa kwako somunhu wakashonga nhumbi dzokurwa.

¹¹so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.

¹²Munhu asina maturo, munhu anoita zvakaipa, Ndiye anofamba nomuromo une nhema;

¹²A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth;

¹³Anobwaira nameso ake, anotendekera netsoka dzake, Anodudzira nemimwe yake;

¹³who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers;

¹⁴Ane zvisakarurama pamoyo pake, Anosifungira vamwe zvakaipa, Anokusha kupesana.

¹⁴in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.

¹⁵Saka njodzi yake ichamuwira kamwe-kamwe; Achavhuniwa pakarepo, kusina chingamubatsira.

¹⁵Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.

¹⁶Zvinhu zvitanhatu zviriko zvinovengwa naJehovha; Zvirokwazvo, tingati kune zvinomwe, zvinomunyangadza, zvinoti:

¹⁶There are six things which Yahweh hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:

¹⁷Meso ounozvikudza, rurimi runoreva nhema, Maoko anodurura ropa risina mhaka;

¹⁷haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood;

¹⁸moyo unofunga mano akaipa, Tsoka dzinokurumidza kuvangira zvakashata;

¹⁸a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,

¹⁹Chapupu chinonyengera chinoreva nhema, Uye anokusha kupesana pakati pehama.

¹⁹a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.

²⁰Mwanakomana wangu, chengeta murayiro wababa vako; Usarasha kudzidzisa kwamai vako.

²⁰My son, keep your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.

²¹Uzvisungire nguva dzose pamoyo wako; Uzvishonge pamutsipa wako.

²¹Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.

²²Kana uchifamba, zvichakutungamirira; Kana uchivata pasi, zvichakurinda; Kana womuka, zvichataurirana newe.

²²When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.

²³nekuti murayiro ndiwo mwenje; murau ndicho chiedza; Kuraira kokurairirwa inzira youpenyu;

²³For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

²⁴Kuti uchengetwe pamukadzi wakaipa, Pakubata kumeso korurimi rwomutorwa.

²⁴to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.

²⁵Usachiva kunaka kwake mumoyo mako; Arege kukubata namafungiro ameso ake.

²⁵Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.

²⁶nekuti nokuda kwechifeve munhu angasvikira pakudya chimeduchetechechingwa; Mukadzi womumwe munhu anovhima upenyu hunokosha.

²⁶For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.

²⁷Ko munhu ungaisa moto muchipfuva chake, nguvo dzake dzikasatsva here?

²⁷Can a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burned?

²⁸Kana munhu angatsika mazimbe anopisa, Tsoka dzake dzikasapiswa here?

²⁸Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?

²⁹Ndizvo zvakaita munhu anopinda kumukadzi wowokwake; Ani naani anomubata iye mukadzi haangaregwi kurohwa.

²⁹So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.

³⁰Vanhu havangazvidzi mubi kana achiba Kuti agute kana achinge ane nzara.

³⁰Men don’t despise a thief, if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry:

³¹Asi kana akabatwa anofanira kudzosera zvava zvinomwe; Anofanira kuripa nefuma yose yeimba yake.

³¹but if he is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.

³²Anoita upombwe nomukadzi, anoshaiwa njere; Anoda kuparadza upenyu hwake ndiye anoita izvozvo.

³²He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.

³³Uchangozviwanira mavanga nokusakudzwa; Kunyadziswa kwake hakungatongopusikwi.

³³He will get wounds and dishonor. His reproach will not be wiped away.

³⁴nekuti godo rinomutsa hasha dzomurume; Haanganzwiri tsitsi pazuva rokutsiva.

³⁴For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won’t spare in the day of vengeance.

³⁵Haangavi nehanya nomuripo; Haangatendi, kunyange ukamuvigira zvipo zvizhinji.

³⁵He won’t regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.