Proverbs 30
1 These are the words of Agur son of Jakeh—the burden that this man declared to Ithiel: “I am weary, O God, and worn out.
Amazwi ka-Aguri indodana kaJakhe, amazwi ahlakaniphileyo: Umuntu lo wathi ku-Ithiyeli: “Ngikhathele, Oh Nkulunkulu, kodwa ngizophumelela.
2 Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.
Angilalwazi okudlula bonke abantu; angilakho ukuzwisisa komuntu.
3 I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
Angikufundanga ukuhlakanipha njalo kangilalwazi ngaye oNgcwele.
4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son— surely you know!
Ngubani oseke waya ezulwini waphinda wehla na? Ngubani oseke wafumbatha umoya ngesandla sakhe na? Ngubani oseke wagoqela amanzi ngesigqoko sakhe na? Ngubani omise yonke imikhawulo yomhlaba na? Lingubani ibizo lakhe, lebizo lendodana yakhe? Ngitshela nxa usazi!
5 Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Wonke amazwi kaNkulunkulu akalamposiso; uyisihlangu kulabo abacatsha kuye.
6 Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.
Ungengezeleli emazwini akhe, funa akukhuze akwenze umqambimanga.
7 Two things I ask of You— do not refuse me before I die:
Zimbili izinto engizicela kuwe, Oh Thixo; ungangincitshi zona ngingakafi:
8 Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion.
Susa kimi inkohliso lamanga; ungangiphi ubuyanga loba inotho, kodwa ungiphe kuphela ukudla kwami kwansukuzonke.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.
Phela ngingaba lokunengi kakhulu ngikuphike wena ngithi, ‘Ungubani uThixo?’ loba ngibengumyanga ngintshontshe; ngalokho ngiliyangise ibizo likaNkulunkulu wami.
10 Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt.
Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, ngoba izakuqalekisa ungene enkathazweni.
11 There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
Bakhona abathuka oyise, abangababusisiyo onina;
12 There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
labo abazibona belungile ikanti kabahlambululwanga emanyaleni abo;
13 There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances—
labo abamehlo abo ahlezi egcwele ulaka, abakhangela ngokudelela;
14 there is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth and the needy from among men.
labo omazinyo abo zinkemba, omihlathi yabo inanyathiselwe izingqamu ukuze baginye abayanga baphele emhlabeni, labaswelayo abaphakathi kwabantu.
15 The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
Umkhaza ulamadodakazi amabili; ayamemeza athi, ‘Siphe! Siphe!’ Zintathu izinto ezingasuthiyo, zine ezingakaze zithi, ‘Sekwanele!’:
16 Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ (Sheol h7585)
lingcwaba yisisu senyumba, lomhlabathi ongasuthiyo amanzi, lomlilo ongezukufa wathi, ‘Sekwanele!’ (Sheol h7585)
17 As for the eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, may the ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures devour it.
Ilihlo elihleka uyise, elidelela ukulalela unina, lizakotsholwa ngamawabayi asesigodini, lizadliwa ngamanqe.
18 There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand:
Kukhona izinto ezintathu ezingimangalisayo kakhulu, ezine engingazizwisisiyo:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship at sea, and the way of a man with a maiden.
indlela yengqungqulu emkhathini, umzila wenyoka edwaleni, indlela yomkhumbi olwandle, lendlela yejaha lentombi.
20 This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
Le yindlela yesiphingikazi: siyadla sesule umlomo waso besesisithi, ‘Angenzanga lutho olubi.’
21 Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
Zintathu izinto ezizamazamisa umhlaba, zine ongeke uzithwale:
22 a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,
yinceku ebayinkosi, yisiwula esisuthiyo,
23 an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.
ngumfazi owendileyo ongathandwayo, lencekukazi ethathela inkosikazi indoda.
24 Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:
Kukhona emhlabeni izinto ezine ezincinyane, ikanti-ke zihlakaniphile kakhulu:
25 The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
Ubunyonyo kabulamandla anganani, kodwa buyabuthelela ukudla kwabo ehlobo;
26 the rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks;
lezimbila ziyizidalwa ezilamandla angatsho lutho, kodwa zenza izikhundla zazo ezingoxweni zamadwala;
27 the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation;
izintethe kazilankosi, kodwa zihamba ziludibi olwesabekayo;
28 and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings.
umbankwa ungabanjwa ngesandla, kodwa ungena lasezigodlweni zamakhosi.
29 There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk:
Kulezinto ezintathu ezihamba zinqekuza kamnandi, zine ezihamba zibeka kamnandi:
30 a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;
yisilwane, esilamandla esabekayo phakathi kwezilo, esingabalekeli lutho;
31 a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.
liqhude eliditshazelayo, yimpongo, njalo lenkosi nxa ihanqwe libutho layo.
32 If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth.
Nxa ube yisithutha waziphakamisa, kumbe nxa wakhe amacebo okwenza okubi, vala umlomo wakho ngesandla sakho.
33 For as the churning of milk yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.”
Ngoba njengokuphehla uchago kudala iphehla, lanjengoba ukugubha amakhala kubanga umungula, kunjalo ukuvusa ulaka kudala ingxabano.”
