Proverbs 23
1 When you sit down to eat with a leader, pay close attention to what has been set before your face,
Nxa uhlala phansi usidla lombusi, nanzelela ukuthi kuyini okuphambi kwakho,
2 and put a knife to your throat, if, in such a way, you could hold your soul in your own power.
ungazifaki ingqamu entanyeni nxa uhugwa yibuhwaba.
3 Do not desire his foods, in which is the bread of deceit.
Ungahawukeli izibiliboco zakhe ngoba lokho kudla kuyakhohlisa.
4 Do not be willing to labor so that you may be enriched. But set limits by your prudence.
Ungazihlukuluzi uzigugise ngomsebenzi uzama inotho; hlakanipha wazi ukuzikhuza.
5 Do not raise your eyes toward wealth that you are not able to have. For they will make themselves wings, like those of an eagle, and they will fly in the sky.
Ungayibona manje inotho, masinyane isinyamalele, ngoba ngempela izamila impiko iphaphele emkhathini njengengqungqulu.
6 Do not eat with an envious man, and do not desire his foods.
Ungakudli ukudla komuntu oncitshanayo, ungazihawukeli izibiliboco zakhe;
7 For, like a seer and an interpreter of dreams, he presumes what he does not know. “Eat and drink,” he will say to you; and his mind is not with you.
ngoba yena uhlezi ebalisa ngendleko. Angathi kuwe, “Dlana unathe,” kodwa kungasuki enhliziyweni yakhe.
8 The foods that you had eaten, you will vomit up. And you will lose the beauty in your words.
Uzakuhlanza okuncane lokho okudlileyo ube udlalise amazwi akho okubonga.
9 Do not speak into the ears of the unwise. They will despise the doctrine of your eloquence.
Ungakhulumi lesithutha ngoba sizakweyisa inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
10 Do not touch the boundaries of little ones, and do not enter into the field of the fatherless.
Ungasusi ilitshe lakudala elomngcele loba uzithathele amasimu ezintandane,
11 For their close relative is strong, and he will judge their case against you.
ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; uzakuba ngumeli wazo aphikisane lawe.
12 Let your heart enter into doctrine, and let your ears enter into words of knowledge.
Nikela inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
13 Do not be willing to take away discipline from a child. For if you strike him with the rod, he will not die.
Ungayekeli ukumlaya umntwana; ukumtshaya ngoswazi akuyikumbulala.
Mjezise ngoswazi ukuze uphephise umphefumulo wakhe ekufeni. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if your soul will become wise, my heart will be glad with you.
Ndodana yami, aluba inhliziyo yakho ihlakaniphile, inhliziyo yami layo izathokoza;
16 And my temperament will exult, when your lips will have spoken what is upright.
ingaphakathi yami izajabula lapho izindebe zakho zikhuluma okulungileyo.
17 Let not your heart compete with sinners. But be in the fear of the Lord all day long.
Inhliziyo yakho mayingahawukeli izoni, kodwa hlala utshisekela ukwesaba uThixo.
18 For you will have hope in the end, and your expectation will not be taken away.
Ngeqiniso lihle ikusasa lakho, lethemba lakho kaliyikucitshwa.
19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and direct your soul along the way.
Lalela, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, ubeke inhliziyo yakho endleleni elungileyo.
20 Do not be willing to be in the feasts of great drinkers, nor in the carousings of those who gather to feed on flesh.
Ungahlangani leziminzi zewayini labazitika ngenyama,
21 For those who waste time drinking, and who surrender themselves to symbols, will be consumed. And those who sleep will be clothed in rags.
ngoba izidakwa lezihwaba ziba ngabayanga, ukuwozela kwazo kuzembese amadabudabu.
22 Listen to your father, who conceived you. And do not despise your mother, when she is old.
Lalela uyihlo owakuletha emhlabeni, njalo ungeyisi unyoko nxa eseluphele.
23 Purchase truth, and do not sell wisdom, or doctrine, or understanding.
Thenga iqiniso ungalithengisi; zuza ukuhlakanipha lokuzikhuza lokuzwisisa.
24 The father of the just exults in gladness; he who has conceived the wise will rejoice in him.
Uyise womuntu olungileyo uyathokoza kakhulu; lowo olendodana ehlakaniphileyo uyathokoza ngayo.
25 Let your father and your mother be joyful, and may she who conceived you exult.
Sengathi uyihlo lonyoko bangathokoza; sengathi lowo owakuzalayo angajabula!
26 My son, offer me your heart, and let your eyes keep to my ways.
Ndodana yami, ngipha inhliziyo yakho, amehlo akho ahlale ezindleleni zami,
27 For a loose woman is a deep pit, and a foreign woman is a constricted well.
ngoba isifebe singumgodi otshonayo lomfazi olibele lendlela ungumthombo oyingozi.
28 She lies in wait along the way like a robber. And the incautious one whom she sees, she will put to death.
Uyacathamela njengesigebenga, andise amadoda angathembekanga.
29 Who has woe? Whose father has woe? Who has quarrels? Who falls into pits? Who has wounds without cause? Who has watery eyes?
Ngubani ohlaba umkhosi? Ngubani olosizi na? Ngubani otshingayo? Ngubani olensolo na? Ngubani omahluzuhluzu ngeze? Ngubani omehlo abomvu gebhu na?
30 Is it not those who linger over wine, and who strive to be drinking from their cups?
Yilabo abalibala ngewayini, abahamba bedinga inzwisa yewayini elidibanisiweyo.
31 Do not gaze into the wine when it turns gold, when its color shines in the glass. It enters pleasantly,
Ungahugwa liwayini ulibona libomvu, nxa likhazimula enkomitshini, lapho lisehla kamnandi!
32 but in the end, it will bite like a snake, and it will spread poison like a king of snakes.
Ekucineni liluma njengenyoka libe lobuhlungu obubulalayo njengenhlangwana.
33 Your eyes will see women who are outsiders, and your heart will utter perversities.
Amehlo akho azabona izinto ezingaqedakaliyo lengqondo yakho icabange izinto ezididayo.
34 And you will be like someone sleeping in the middle of the sea, and like a pilot, fast asleep, who has lost his hold on the helm.
Uzakuba njengomuntu ondendayo phakathi kolwandle, olele esiqongweni sensika yomkhumbi.
35 And you will say: “They have beaten me, but I did not feel pain. They have dragged me, and I did not realize it. When will I awaken and find more wine?”
Uzakuthi, “Bangitshayile kodwa kangilimalanga! Bangibethile kodwa kakubuhlungu! Ngizavuka nini bo ngiyodinga obunye utshwala?”
