Proverbs 17
1 Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
Lungcono uqweqwe lwesinkwa umuntu elokuthula kulendlu egcwele amagqibhagqibha okudla kodwa kulengxabano.
2 A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
Isisebenzi esihlakaniphileyo sizabusa indodana eyangisayo, sizakwabelwa ilifa njengomunye wamadodana.
3 A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
Isiliva sincibilikiselwa embizeni, imvutho ngeyegolide kodwa uThixo uhlola inhliziyo.
4 A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
Umuntu oxhwalileyo uyazilalela izindebe ezimbi; lomqambimanga uyalulalela ulimi olulomona.
5 He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
Lowo ohleka umyanga weyisa uMenzi wakhe; oklolodayo nxa konakele kayikuphepha isijeziso.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.
Abazukulu bangumqhele wabalupheleyo, njalo labantwana baziqhenya ngabazali babo.
7 Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
Izindebe zokutshinga azisifanelanga isiwula zimbi kangakanani ke izindebe zamanga kumbusi!
8 A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
Isivalamlomo siyintelezi kulowo osinikayo; uyaphumelela kukho konke.
9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
Ofihla ukona komunye uqinisa uthando, kodwa okhuluma ngakho kokuphela wehlukanisa abangane abasekhwapheni.
10 A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
Ukukhuza kuyamqondisa umuntu olengqondo kulokutshaya isiwula imvimvinya ezilikhulu.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
Umuntu omubi udinga ukuhlamuka kuphela; uzathunyelwa inxusa elilesihluku.
12 It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
Kungcono ukuqondana lebhele elithathelwe imidlwane yalo kulokuhlangana lesiwula ebuthutheni baso.
13 If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
Nxa umuntu ephindisela okuhle ngobubi, ububi kabusoze basuka endlini yakhe.
14 To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
Ukusungula inkani kunjengokubhidliza umduli wedamu; ngakho yekela indaba ingakadaleki inkani.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD.
Ukukhulula olecala lokugweba omsulwa uThixo uyakuzonda kokubili.
16 Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
Isizani imali esandleni sesiwula, sivele singatshisekeli ukuzuza ukuhlakanipha?
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Umngane ulothando ngezikhathi zonke, lomzalwane uzalelwa izikhathi zenhlupheko.
18 A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
Umuntu ongananzeleliyo uyaziwisela anike isibambiso enceda umakhelwane wakhe.
19 He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
Lowo othanda inkani uthanda isono; lowo owakha isango eliphakemeyo udinga ukubhidlizwa.
20 The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
Umuntu olenhliziyo exhwalileyo kaphumeleli; lowo olimi lwakhe luyakhohlisa uwela ekuhluphekeni.
21 A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
Ukuba lendodana eyisiwula kuthelela usizi; akulakuthokoza kuyise wesiwula.
22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
Inhliziyo ethokozayo ingumuthi omuhle, kodwa umoya owephukileyo womisa amathambo.
23 A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
Umuntu omubi wamukela isivalamlomo ensitha ukuze ahlanekele indlela yokwahlulela.
24 Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
Umuntu ohluzisisayo izinto ukhokhelwa yikuhlakanipha, kodwa amehlo esiwula asabalala afike ekucineni komhlaba.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
Indodana eyisiwula ithelela uyise usizi lokudabuka kulowo owayizalayo.
26 It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
Kakukuhle ukujezisa umuntu ongelacala, loba ukufaka uswazi izisebenzi ngenxa yobuqotho bazo.
27 A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
Umuntu ololwazi ubeka amazwi akhe ngokunanzelela, njalo umuntu oqedisisayo kathukutheli ngokuphangisa.
28 Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.
Lesiwula kuthiwa sihlakaniphile nxa sithule, kuthiwe siyaqedisisa nxa sibamba ulimi lwaso.
