Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a scorner, strong drink is raging; and whoso erreth thereby is not wise.
Iwayini liyisideleli; okunathwayo okulamandla kulomsindo; njalo wonke oduha kukho 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.
Ukwesabeka kwenkosi kunjengokubhonga kwebhongo lesilwane; oyithukuthelisayo wona umphefumulo wakhe.
3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife; but every fool rusheth into it.
Kuludumo emuntwini ukuyekela inkani; kodwa sonke isiwula siyaziveza.
4 The sluggard will not plough by reason of the winter; he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
Ngenxa yobusika ivila kaliyikulima; ngakho lizaphanza esivunweni, kodwa kungabi lalutho.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is deep water, and a man of understanding draweth it out.
Iseluleko enhliziyweni yomuntu sinjengamanzi azikileyo, kodwa umuntu oqedisisayo uzasikha.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness; but a faithful man who shall find?
Inengi labantu limemezela, lowo lalowo ukulunga kwakhe, kodwa ngubani ongathola umuntu othembekileyo?
7 The righteous walketh in his integrity: blessed are his children after him!
Olungileyo uhamba ngobuqotho bakhe; babusisiwe abantwana bakhe emva kwakhe.
8 A king sitting on the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
Inkosi ehlezi esihlalweni sesahlulelo ihlakaza bonke ububi ngamehlo ayo.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
Ngubani ongathi: Ngihlanzile inhliziyo yami, ngihlambulukile esonweni sami?
10 Divers weights, divers measures, even both of them are abomination to Jehovah.
Amatshe ezilinganiso ezehlukeneyo, ama-efa ehlukeneyo, kuyisinengiso eNkosini, yebo kokubili.
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
Lomntwana uyazazisa ngezenzo zakhe, loba umsebenzi wakhe uhlanzekile kumbe loba uqotho.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
Indlebe ezwayo lelihlo elibonayo, iNkosi yakwenza, yebo kokubili.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
Ungathandi ubuthongo, hlezi ube ngumyanga; vula amehlo akho, usuthe isinkwa.
14 Bad! bad! saith the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
Kubi, kubi, kutsho umthengi; kodwa esehambile abesezincoma.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a precious Jewel.
Kulegolide, lobunengi bamatshe aligugu, kodwa indebe zolwazi zingumceciso oligugu.
16 Take his garment that is become surety [for] another, and hold him in pledge for strangers.
Thatha isembatho sakhe oyisibambiso sowemzini, umbambe abe yisibambiso sabezizwe.
17 Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
Isinkwa samanga simnandi emuntwini, kodwa emva kwalokho umlomo wakhe uzagcwaliswa ngokhethe.
18 Plans are established by counsel; and with good advice make war.
Imicabango uyimisa ngeseluleko; ngakho yenza impi ngamaqhinga amahle.
19 He that goeth about talebearing revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that openeth his lips.
Ohambahamba enyeya wembula imfihlakalo; ngakho ungahlangani lokhohlisa ngendebe zakhe.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in the blackest darkness.
Othuka uyise loba unina, isibane sakhe sizacitshwa ebumnyameni obumnyama.
21 An inheritance obtained hastily at the beginning will not be blessed in the end.
Ilifa lingaphangisiswa ekuqaleni, kodwa ukucina kwalo kakuyikubusiswa.
22 Say not, I will recompense evil: wait on Jehovah, and he shall save thee.
Ungathi: Ngizaphindisela okubi; lindela iNkosi, njalo izakusindisa.
23 Divers weights are an abomination unto Jehovah; and a false balance is not good.
Amatshe ezilinganiso ezehlukeneyo ayisinengiso eNkosini, lesikali esikhohlisayo kasilunganga.
24 The steps of a man are from Jehovah; and how can a man understand his own way?
Izinyathelo zomuntu zivela eNkosini; pho, umuntu angaqedisisa njani indlela yakhe?
25 It is a snare to a man rashly to say, It is hallowed, and after vows to make inquiry.
Kungumjibila emuntwini ukuginya okungcwele, lokuhlolisisa emva kwezifungo.
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
Inkosi ehlakaniphileyo ihlakaza ababi, ibuyisela ivili phezu kwabo.
27 Man's spirit is the lamp of Jehovah, searching all the inner parts of the belly.
Umphefumulo womuntu uyisibane seNkosi, sihlolisisa wonke amakamelo esisu.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king; and he upholdeth his throne by mercy.
Umusa leqiniso kuyayigcina inkosi, isekela isihlalo sayo sobukhosi ngokulunga.
29 The glory of young men is their strength; and the beauty of old men is the grey head.
Udumo lwejaha lungamandla alo, lobukhosi babadala yizimvu zekhanda.
30 Wounding stripes purge away evil, and strokes [purge] the inner parts of the belly.
Imivimvinya yenxeba ihlanza ububi, ngokunjalo izidutshuzo zamakamelo esisu.
