Proverbs 30
1 These things says the man to them that trust in God; and I cease.
Amazwi ka-Aguri indodana kaJakhe, amazwi ahlakaniphileyo: Umuntu lo wathi ku-Ithiyeli: “Ngikhathele, Oh Nkulunkulu, kodwa ngizophumelela.
2 For I am the most simple of all men, and there is not in me the wisdom of men.
Angilalwazi okudlula bonke abantu; angilakho ukuzwisisa komuntu.
3 God has taught me wisdom, and I know the knowledge of the holy.
Angikufundanga ukuhlakanipha njalo kangilalwazi ngaye oNgcwele.
4 Who has gone up to heaven, and come down? who has gathered the winds in his bosom? who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? who has dominion of all the ends of the earth? what is his name? or what is the name of his children?
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 For all the words of God are tried in the fire, and he defends those that reverence him.
Wonke amazwi kaNkulunkulu akalamposiso; uyisihlangu kulabo abacatsha kuye.
6 Add not to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be made a liar.
Ungengezeleli emazwini akhe, funa akukhuze akwenze umqambimanga.
7 Two things I ask of you; take not favour from me before I die.
Zimbili izinto engizicela kuwe, Oh Thixo; ungangincitshi zona ngingakafi:
8 Remove far from me vanity and falsehood: and give me not wealth [or] poverty; but appoint me what is needful and sufficient:
Susa kimi inkohliso lamanga; ungangiphi ubuyanga loba inotho, kodwa ungiphe kuphela ukudla kwami kwansukuzonke.
9 lest I be filled and become false, and say, Who sees me? or be poor and steal, and swear [vainly] by the name of God.
Phela ngingaba lokunengi kakhulu ngikuphike wena ngithi, ‘Ungubani uThixo?’ loba ngibengumyanga ngintshontshe; ngalokho ngiliyangise ibizo likaNkulunkulu wami.
10 Deliver not a servant into the hands of his master, lest he curse you, and you be utterly destroyed.
Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, ngoba izakuqalekisa ungene enkathazweni.
11 A wicked generation curse their father, and do not bless their mother.
Bakhona abathuka oyise, abangababusisiyo onina;
12 A wicked generation judge themselves to be just, but do not cleanse their way.
labo abazibona belungile ikanti kabahlambululwanga emanyaleni abo;
13 A wicked generation have lofty eyes, and exalt themselves with their eyelids.
labo abamehlo abo ahlezi egcwele ulaka, abakhangela ngokudelela;
14 A wicked generation have swords [for] teeth and jaw teeth [as] knives, so as to destroy and devour the lowly from the earth, and the poor of them from amongst men.
labo omazinyo abo zinkemba, omihlathi yabo inanyathiselwe izingqamu ukuze baginye abayanga baphele emhlabeni, labaswelayo abaphakathi kwabantu.
15 The horse-leech had three dearly beloved daughters: and these three did not satisfy her; and the fourth was not contented so as to say, Enough.
Umkhaza ulamadodakazi amabili; ayamemeza athi, ‘Siphe! Siphe!’ Zintathu izinto ezingasuthiyo, zine ezingakaze zithi, ‘Sekwanele!’:
16 The grave, and the love of a woman, and the earth not filled with water; water also and fire will not say, It is enough. (Sheol h7585)
lingcwaba yisisu senyumba, lomhlabathi ongasuthiyo amanzi, lomlilo ongezukufa wathi, ‘Sekwanele!’ (Sheol h7585)
17 The eye that laughs to scorn a father, and dishonours the old age of a mother, let the ravens of the valleys pick it out, and let the young eagles devour it.
Ilihlo elihleka uyise, elidelela ukulalela unina, lizakotsholwa ngamawabayi asesigodini, lizadliwa ngamanqe.
18 Moreover there are three things impossible for me to comprehend, and the fourth I know not:
Kukhona izinto ezintathu ezingimangalisayo kakhulu, ezine engingazizwisisiyo:
19 the track of a flying eagle; and the ways of a serpent on a rock; and the paths of a ship passing through the sea; and the ways of a man in youth.
indlela yengqungqulu emkhathini, umzila wenyoka edwaleni, indlela yomkhumbi olwandle, lendlela yejaha lentombi.
20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman, who having washed herself from what she has done, says she has done nothing amiss.
Le yindlela yesiphingikazi: siyadla sesule umlomo waso besesisithi, ‘Angenzanga lutho olubi.’
21 By three thing the earth is troubled, and the fourth it can’t bear:
Zintathu izinto ezizamazamisa umhlaba, zine ongeke uzithwale:
22 if a servant reign; or a fool be filled with food;
yinceku ebayinkosi, yisiwula esisuthiyo,
23 or if a maidservant should cast out her own mistress; and if a hateful woman should marry a good man.
ngumfazi owendileyo ongathandwayo, lencekukazi ethathela inkosikazi indoda.
24 And [there are] four very little things upon the earth, but these are wiser than the wise:
Kukhona emhlabeni izinto ezine ezincinyane, ikanti-ke zihlakaniphile kakhulu:
25 the ants which are weak, and [yet] prepare [their] food in summer;
Ubunyonyo kabulamandla anganani, kodwa buyabuthelela ukudla kwabo ehlobo;
26 the rabbits also [are] a feeble race, who make their houses in the rocks.
lezimbila ziyizidalwa ezilamandla angatsho lutho, kodwa zenza izikhundla zazo ezingoxweni zamadwala;
27 The locusts have no king, and [yet] march orderly at one command.
izintethe kazilankosi, kodwa zihamba ziludibi olwesabekayo;
28 And the eft, which supports itself by [its] hands, and is easily taken, dwells in the fortresses of kings.
umbankwa ungabanjwa ngesandla, kodwa ungena lasezigodlweni zamakhosi.
29 And there are three things which go well, and a fourth which passes along finely.
Kulezinto ezintathu ezihamba zinqekuza kamnandi, zine ezihamba zibeka kamnandi:
30 A lion's whelp, stronger than [all other] beasts, which turns not away, nor fears [any] beast;
yisilwane, esilamandla esabekayo phakathi kwezilo, esingabalekeli lutho;
31 and a cock walking in boldly amongst the hens, and the goat leading the herd; and a king publicly speaking before a nation.
liqhude eliditshazelayo, yimpongo, njalo lenkosi nxa ihanqwe libutho layo.
32 If you abandon yourself to mirth, and stretch forth your hand in a quarrel, you shall be disgraced.
Nxa ube yisithutha waziphakamisa, kumbe nxa wakhe amacebo okwenza okubi, vala umlomo wakho ngesandla sakho.
33 Milk out milk, and there shall be butter, and if you wing [one's] nostrils there shall come out blood: so if you extort words, there will come forth quarrels and strifes.
Ngoba njengokuphehla uchago kudala iphehla, lanjengoba ukugubha amakhala kubanga umungula, kunjalo ukuvusa ulaka kudala ingxabano.”
