1Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.
2A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
3The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but the Lord tests the heart.
4A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker;
whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.
6Children’s children are a crown to the aged,
and parents are the pride of their children.
7Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
how much worse lying lips to a ruler!
8A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
they think success will come at every turn.
9Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
10A rebuke impresses a discerning person
more than a hundred lashes a fool.
11Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
the messenger of death will be sent against them.
12Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool bent on folly.
13Evil will never leave the house
of one who pays back evil for good.
14Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—
the Lord detests them both.
16Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
when they are not able to understand it?
17A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
18One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
and puts up security for a neighbor.
19Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
21To have a fool for a child brings grief;
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.
22A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23The wicked accept bribes in secret
to pervert the course of justice.
24A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25A foolish son brings grief to his father
and bitterness to the mother who bore him.
26If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,
surely to flog honest officials is not right.
27The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.
28Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.
1Nʼkwabwino kudya mkute koma pali mtendere,
kuposa kuchita madyerero mʼnyumba mʼmene muli mikangano.
2Kapolo wanzeru adzalamulira mwana wochititsa manyazi,
ndipo kapoloyo adzagawana nawo cholowa ngati mmodzi mwa abale.
3Siliva amamuyesa mʼngʼanjo ndipo golide amamuyesa mʼngʼanjo,
koma Yehova amayesa mitima.
4Munthu woyipa amamvera malangizo oyipa;
munthu wabodza amatchera khutu mawu osakaza.
5Iye amene amalalatira mʼmphawi amanyoza mlengi wake;
amene amakondwerera tsoka la mnzake sadzakhala osalangidwa.
6Zidzukulu ndiye ulemu wa anthu okalamba,
ndipo makolo ndiye ulemerero wa ana.
7Kuyankhula bwino sikuyenerana ndi chitsiru,
nanji kuyankhula bodza kungayenerane kodi ndi mfumu?
8Chiphuphu chili ngati mankhwala amwayi kwa wochiperekayo;
kulikonse kumene amapita zinthu zimamuyendera.
9Iye amene amakhululukira zolakwa za wina, amafunitsitsa chikondi;
wobwerezabwereza nkhani amapha chibwenzi.
10Munthu wanzeru amamva kamodzi kokha,
munthu wopanda nzeru ndi samvamkunkhu.
11Munthu woyipa maganizo ake ali pa kuwukira basi;
ndipo bwana adzamutumizira wamthenga wankhanza.
12Nʼkwabwino kukumana ndi chimbalangondo cholandidwa ana ake
kusiyana ndi kukumana ndi chitsiru mu uchitsiru wake.
13Ngati munthu abwezera choyipa kusinthana ndi zabwino,
ndiye choyipa sichidzachoka mʼnyumba mwake.
14Chiyambi cha mikangano chili ngati kukhamulira madzi,
choncho uzichokapo mkangano usanayambe.
15Kumasula munthu wolakwa kapena kumanga munthu wosalakwa,
zonse ziwirizi Yehova zimamunyansa.
16Ndalama zogulira nzeru zili ndi phindu lanji mʼmanja mwa chitsiru
poti iyeyo mutu wake sumayenda bwino?
17Bwenzi lako limakukonda nthawi zonse,
ndipo mʼbale wako anabadwa kuti azikuthandiza pamavuto.
18Munthu wopanda nzeru amavomereza zopereka chikole
ndipo iyeyo amasanduka chikole cha mnansi wake.
19Wokonda zolakwa amakonda mkangano,
ndipo wokonda kuyankhula zonyada amadziyitanira chiwonongeko.
20Munthu wamtima woyipa zinthu sizimuyendera bwino;
ndipo woyankhula zachinyengo amagwa mʼmavuto.
21Mwana wopusa amamvetsa chisoni abambo ake,
abambo a chitsiru sakhala ndi chimwemwe.
22Mtima wosangalala uli ngati mankhwala abwino,
koma mtima wokhumudwa umafowoketsa mafupa.
23Munthu woyipa amalandira chiphuphu chamseri
kuti apotoze chiweruzo cholungama.
24Munthu wozindikira zinthu, maso ake amakhala pa nzeru,
koma chitsiru chimwazamwaza maso ake pa dziko lonse lapansi.
25Mwana wopusa amamvetsa chisoni abambo ake
ndipo amapweteketsa mtima amayi ake.
26Sibwino kulipitsa munthu wosalakwa,
kapena kulanga anthu osalakwa.
27Munthu wosunga pakamwa ndiye wodziwa zinthu,
ndipo wodekha mtima ndiye womvetsa bwino zinthu.
28Ngakhale chitsiru chimakhala ngati chanzeru chikakhala chete;
ndipo chikatseka pakamwa chimakhala ngati munthu wochenjera.
