Proverbs 24
1 Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;
Ungabahawukeli abantu abaxhwalileyo, ungafisi ubungane labo;
2 for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.
ngoba ezingqondweni zabo bahlose udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma ngokuvusa umsindo.
3 By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established;
Indlu yakhiwa ngokuhlakanipha, imiswe ngokuzwisisa;
4 through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.
amakamelo ayo agcwaliswe ngolwazi, agcwaliswe ngemiceciso yakude eligugu.
5 A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.
Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla amakhulu, njalo umuntu ololwazi uyandisa amandla;
6 Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.
ukuthi unqobe empini kufunakala izeluleko, lokunqoba kudinga abeluleki abanengi.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.
Ukuhlakanipha kuphakeme kakhulu koyisiwula; enkundleni kalalutho angalukhuluma.
8 He who plots evil will be called a schemer.
Lowo oceba ububi uzakwaziwa njengomacebomabi.
9 A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.
Amacebo obuwula ayisono, njalo abantu bayasizonda isideleli.
10 If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!
Nxa uthikaza ngezikhathi zenhlupheko, mancinyane kanganani amandla akho!
11 Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
Bahlangule labo abaholelwa ekufeni; banqande labo abadayizela besiya ekubulaweni.
12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?
Nxa usithi, “Angithi besingazi lutho ngalokhu,” kambe lowo ohlola inhliziyo kakuboni lokho na? Kakwazi lokho yini onguye olinda ukuphila kwakho na? Akayikuvuza ubani lobani ngakwenzileyo na?
13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
Dlana uluju ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile; uluju olujuluka ekhekhebeni lumnandi luyanambitheka.
14 Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off.
Yazi njalo ukuthi ukuhlakanipha kumnandi emphefumulweni wakho, aluba ukuzuza ikusasa lakho lilethemba elihle, njalo ithemba lakho aliyikudaniswa.
15 Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place.
Ungacathameli indlu yomuntu olungileyo njengesigebenga, ungawuhlaseli umuzi wakhe;
16 For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
ngoba loba angaze awe kasikhombisa umuntu olungileyo uyavuka futhi, kodwa ababi babhazalaliswa yizinhlupheko.
17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
Ungathatshiswa yikuwa kwesitha sakho; nxa sikhubeka ungavumeli inhliziyo yakho ithokoze,
18 or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.
ngoba uThixo uzakubona lokho asole abesepholisa ulaka lwakhe kuso isitha.
19 Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.
Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabantu ababi loba ubahawukele abaxhwalileyo,
20 For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
ngoba umuntu omubi akalalo ithemba lakusasa, njalo isibane sezixhwali sizacinywa.
21 My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
Yesaba uThixo lombusi, ndodana yami, ungangenelani labahlamuki,
22 For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?
ngoba laba bobabili bazakwehlisa ulaka lubabhubhise, ngoba phela ngubani kambe okwaziyo ukubhubhisa abangakwehlisa?
23 These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
La ngamanye amazwi ezihlakaniphi: Ukwahlulela ngobandlululo kakulunganga:
24 Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”— peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;
Loba ngubani othi kolecala, “Umsulwa,” abantu bonke bazamqalekisa lezizwe zonke zizamhlamukela.
25 but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.
Kodwa kuzabalungela labo abamlahlayo olecala, lezibusiso ezinengi zizabehlela.
26 An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.
Impendulo eqotho injengokwangiwa ezindebeni.
27 Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.
Qeda umsebenzi wakho waphandle ulungise lamasimu akho; kuthi-ke usuqedile wakhe indlu yakho.
28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
Ungafakazi ngokubethela umakhelwane kungelamlandu, kumbe usebenzise izindebe zakho ukhohlisa.
29 Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”
Ungabokuthi, “Ngizakwenza kuye njengoba enze kimi; ngizahlawulisa ngalokho angenze khona.”
30 I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
Ngedlula ensimini yevilavoxo, ngedlula esivinini somuntu ongelangqondo;
31 Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.
ameva ayesekhula indawo yonke, indawo yonke isithe phethu ukhula, lomduli wamatshe usudilikile.
32 I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:
Ngakunanzelela konke engangikubona ngafunda isifundo kulokho engakubonayo:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
