Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a scorner, strong drink is raging; and whoso erreth thereby is not wise.
Iwayini lenza ukudelela lotshwala buyaxabanisa, okhohliswa yilezi izinto kahlakaniphanga.
2 The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion: he that provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
Ulaka lwenkosi lunjengokubhonga kwesilwane; lowo oyizondisayo udela impilo yakhe.
3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife; but every fool rusheth into it.
Kumupha udumo umuntu ukubalekela ukuxabana, kodwa iziphukuphuku zonke ziphangisa ukuthenga inkani.
4 The sluggard will not plough by reason of the winter; he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
Ivila kalilimi ngesikhathi esifaneleyo; kuthi ngesikhathi sokuvuna liswele amabele.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is deep water, and a man of understanding draweth it out.
Izifiso zenhliziyo yomuntu zingamanzi azikileyo, kodwa umuntu ozwisisayo uyazifinyelela.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness; but a faithful man who shall find?
Banengi abathi balothando olungapheliyo, kodwa ngubani ongamthola umuntu othembekileyo na?
7 The righteous walketh in his integrity: blessed are his children after him!
Umuntu olungileyo uphila impilo encomekayo; babusisiwe abantwabakhe abamfuzayo.
8 A king sitting on the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
Inkosi nxa ihlezi esihlalweni sayo isahlulela, iyakuhlungula konke okubi ngamehlo ayo.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
Ngubani ongathi, “Ngiyigcinile inhliziyo yami imhlophe; ngihlanzekile kangilasono?”
10 Divers weights, divers measures, even both of them are abomination to Jehovah.
Izisindo ezitshiyanayo lezilinganiso ezitshiyanayo uThixo uyakuzonda kokubili.
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
Lomntwana waziwa ngezenzo zakhe, ngokuthi isimilo sakhe sihle, siqotho.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
Indlebe ezizwayo lamehlo abonayo kokubili kwenziwa nguThixo.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
Ungathandani lobuthongo uzakuba ngumyanga, hlala uvukile uzakuba lokudla okunengi.
14 Bad! bad! saith the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
“Kubi, kubi!” kutsho umthengi; esuka lapho usezincoma ngakuthengileyo.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a precious Jewel.
Likhona igolide lamatshe aligugu amanengi, kodwa izindebe ezikhuluma ulwazi zilivelakancane.
16 Take his garment that is become surety [for] another, and hold him in pledge for strangers.
Thatha isembatho salowo owenzela owezizweni isibambiso; sigcine nxa ebambisela owesifazane ongaziphathanga.
17 Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
Ukudla okuzuzwe ngenkohliso kumnandi emuntwini, kodwa kucina sekungathi udla itshebetshebe.
18 Plans are established by counsel; and with good advice make war.
Nxa usenza amacebo dinga izeluleko; nxa usiyahlasela zuza ukuqondiswa.
19 He that goeth about talebearing revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that openeth his lips.
Onyeyayo uyehluleka ukugcina imfihlo, ngakho yehlukana lomuntu okhuluma angathuli.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in the blackest darkness.
Nxa umuntu ethuka uyise loba unina, isibane sakhe sizacinywa abesemnyameni omubi.
21 An inheritance obtained hastily at the beginning will not be blessed in the end.
Ilifa elizuzwa lula ekuqaleni alilakubusiswa ekucineni.
22 Say not, I will recompense evil: wait on Jehovah, and he shall save thee.
Ungabokuthi, “Lami ngizakulungisa ngalokhu ongenze khona!” Yekela, uThixo nguye ozakusiza.
23 Divers weights are an abomination unto Jehovah; and a false balance is not good.
UThixo uyazizonda izilinganiso eziguquguqulwayo, njalo kathokoziswa yizikali zokudlelezela.
24 The steps of a man are from Jehovah; and how can a man understand his own way?
Izinyathelo zomuntu zikhokhelwa nguThixo. Pho umuntu angayazi kanjani na indlela yakhe?
25 It is a snare to a man rashly to say, It is hallowed, and after vows to make inquiry.
Yikuzithiya ukuthembisa ngokuphangisa ukupha ulutho, phambili umuntu aphinde azisole ngalesosifungo.
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
Inkosi ehlakaniphileyo iyabahlungula ababi; iyabahadla njengelitshe lokuchola.
27 Man's spirit is the lamp of Jehovah, searching all the inner parts of the belly.
Isibane sikaThixo siyawuhlolisisa umphefumulo womuntu; sihlolisisa ekujuleni kwemibilini yakhe.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king; and he upholdeth his throne by mercy.
Uthando lokwethembeka kuyayivikela inkosi; ngothando isihlalo sayo sobukhosi sivikelekile.
29 The glory of young men is their strength; and the beauty of old men is the grey head.
Udumo lwamajaha lusemandleni awo, izimvu zekhanda ziyinkazimulo yabadala.
30 Wounding stripes purge away evil, and strokes [purge] the inner parts of the belly.
Izidutshulo lamanxeba kugezisa okubi, lezibhaxulo zihlambulula ingaphakathi.
