Zvirevo 24

¹Usagodora vanhu vakaipa; Usashuva kuva pakati pavo.Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

²Nokuti moyo yavo inorangarira kuparadza; Nemiromo yavo inotaura zvakashata.For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

³Imba inovakwa nouchenjeri; Inosimbiswa nenjere.Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

⁴Nezivo dzimba dzomukati dzinozadzwa Nefuma yose inokosha inofadza.And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

⁵Munhu akachenjera ane simba; Zvirokwazvo, munhu wezivo anowedzera simbaA wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

⁶Nokuti anofanira kurwa pfumo amborairirwa nouchenjeri; Asi kuna varairiri vazhinji ndiko kune ruponeso.For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

⁷Uchenjeri hahusvikirwi nebenzi; Harishamisi muromo waro padare.Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.

⁸Anorangarira kuita zvakaipa, Achanzi navanhu mwene wezvakashata.He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.

⁹Mufungo woupenzi zvivi; Mudadi anonyangadza vanhu.The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.

¹⁰Kana ukapera simba nezuva rokutambudzika, Simba rako ishoma.If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

¹¹Rwira vanoiswa kurufu; Novourawa usarega kuvadzosa.If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;

¹²Kana ukati, Tarirai, hatina kuzviziva; Ko iye anoidza moyo, haazvioni here? Naiye anochengeta mweya wako, haazvizivi here? Ko iye haangapi mumwe nomumwe zvakaenzana nebasa rake here?If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

¹³Mwanakomana wangu, idya uchi, nokuti hwakanaka; Nomusvi unozipa pamukanwa wako.My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

¹⁴Uchaona kuti ndizvo zvichaita uchenjeri kumweya wako; Kana wahuwana, mubayiro uchavapo, Nezvawakatarira hazvingaparadzwi.So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

¹⁵Iwe munhu akaipa, usavandira panogara wakarurama; Usaparadza paanozorora.Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:

¹⁶Nokuti munhu akarurama angawa kanomwe, achisimukazve; Asi vakaipa vanowisirwa pasi nenjodzi.For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

¹⁷Usafarisisa kana muvengi wako achiwa; Kana achiwisirwa pasi, moyo wako ngaurege kufara.Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

¹⁸Kuti Jehovha arege kuzviona, zvisamufadza, Akazodzora kutsamwa kwake kwaari.Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

¹⁹Usatsamwa nokuda kwavaiti vezvakaipa; Uye usagodora vakaipa.Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;

²⁰Nokuti munhu akaipa haana mubayiro; Mwenje wakaipa uchadzimwa.For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

²¹Mwanakomana wangu, itya Jehovha namambo; Usafambidzana navanongosishanduka.My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

²²Nokuti nhamo yavo ichamuka pakarepo; Nokuguma kwamakore avo, ndiani achazviziva?For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

²³Zvirevo izviwo zvakabva kuna vakachenjera, Kutsaura vanhu pakutonga hazvina kunakaThese things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

²⁴Anoti kune wakaipa, Akarurama, Vanhu vachamutuka, nendudzi dzichamusema.He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

²⁵Asi vanomuraira, vachaitirwa zvakanaka; ropafadzo yakanaka ichauya pamusoro pavo.But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

²⁶Anopindura namashoko akarurama, anotsvoda nemiromo.Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.

²⁷Gadzira basa rako kunze, Uzvigadzirire iro pamunda; Pashure ugovaka imba yako.Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

²⁸Usava chapupu chinopomera wokwako asina mhosva; Usanyengedzera nemiromo yako.Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

²⁹Usati, Sezvaakandiitira, ndizvo zvandichamuitirawo; Ndicharipira munhu sezvaakaita iye.Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

³⁰Ndakapfuura napamunda wesimbe, Napamunda wemizambiringa womunhu anoshaiwa njere;I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

³¹Tarirai, akanga angomera minzwa chete; Munda wose wakanga wakafukidzwa norukato, Norusvingo rwawo rwamabwe rwakanga rwakoromoka.And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

³²Ipapo ndakacherekedza, ndikanatsofunga; Ndakaona, ndikadzidziswa.Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.

³³Kumbovata zvishomanene, kumbotsumwaira zvishomanene, Kumbofungatira maoko zvishomanene, ndizorore;Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

³⁴Saizvozvo urombo hwako huchasvika segororo, Nokushaiwa kwako somunhu akashonga nhumbi dzokurwa.So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.