Proverbs 22
1 A [good] name is rather to be chosen than great riches; loving favour rather than silver and gold.
Ibizo elihle liyathandeka kulenotho enengi; ukuhlonitshwa kungcono kulesiliva kumbe igolide.
2 The rich and poor meet together; Jehovah is the maker of them all.
Abanothileyo labayanga bayafanana ngalokhu: UThixo unguMenzi wabo bonke.
3 A prudent [man] seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
Umuntu olengqondo uthi ebona ingozi acatshe, kodwa isithutha siyaphikelela singena enkathazweni.
4 The reward of humility [and] the fear of Jehovah is riches, and honour, and life.
Ukuzithoba lokwesaba uThixo kuletha inotho lodumo lokuphila.
5 Thorns [and] snares are in the way of the perverse: he that keepeth his soul holdeth himself far from them.
Endleleni yababi kugcwele ameva lemjibila, kodwa onanzelela umphefumulo wakhe unqenqela khatshana.
6 Train up the child according to the tenor of his way, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Fundisa umntwana indlela amele ahambe ngayo, kuzakuthi esemdala kayikuphambuka kuyo.
7 The rich ruleth over the poor; and the borrower is servant to the lender.
Abanothileyo babusa abayanga, lalowo owebolekayo uyisichaka salowo omebolekayo.
8 He that soweth unrighteousness shall reap iniquity, and the rod of his wrath shall have an end.
Lowo ohlanyele ububi uvuna ukuhlupheka, njalo uswazi lolaka lwakhe luzakwephulwa.
9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
Umuntu ophanayo uzabusiswa, ngoba wabela abayanga ukudla kwakhe.
10 Cast out the scorner, and contention will depart, and strife and ignominy shall cease.
Xotsha isideleli, lenkani ihle iphume; ukuxabana lokuthukana kuyaphela.
11 He that loveth pureness of heart, upon whose lips is grace, the king is his friend.
Othanda inhliziyo ehlanzekileyo, onkulumo yakhe ipholile uzakuba ngumngane wombusi.
12 The eyes of Jehovah preserve knowledge; but he overthroweth the words of the unfaithful.
Amehlo kaThixo ayaluvikela ulwazi kodwa uyawadiliza amazwi abangathembekanga.
13 The sluggard saith, There is a lion without, I shall be killed in the streets!
Ivilavoxo lithi, “Kulesilwane phandle! Ngizabulawa ezindleleni!”
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep ditch: he with whom Jehovah is displeased shall fall therein.
Umlomo wesifebekazi unjengomgodi otshonayo; lowo othukwe nguThixo uzawobokela kuwo.
15 Folly is bound in the heart of a child; the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Ubuwula bugxilile enhliziyweni yomntwana, kodwa uswazi lokuqondisa luzabuxotshela khatshana.
16 He that oppresseth the poor, it is to enrich him; he that giveth to the rich, [bringeth] only to want.
Lowo oncindezela abayanga ukuze anothe ngabo, lalowo oncenga abanothileyo ngezipho, bonke bacina sebengabayanga.
17 Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart unto my knowledge.
Lalela uzwe amazwi ezihlakaniphi; nikela inhliziyo yakho ezifundweni zami,
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee: they shall be together fitted on thy lips.
ngoba kuyathokozisa nxa uzigcina enhliziyweni yakho, uzitsho kalula ngezindebe zakho.
19 That thy confidence may be in Jehovah, I have made [them] known to thee this day, even to thee.
Ukuze ithemba lakho lihlale kuThixo, yikho ngikufundisa lamuhla wena ngokwakho.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things, in counsels and knowledge,
Kangikulobelanga yini izitsho ezingamatshumi amathathu, izitsho zokweluleka lolwazi,
21 that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest carry back words of truth to them that send thee?
ezikufundisa amazwi eqiniso athembekileyo, ukuze ukwazi ukupha impendulo ezilesisindo kulowo okuthumileyo na?
22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted in the gate;
Ungagegeleli abayanga ngoba bengabayanga njalo ungaphoseli abaswelayo entolongweni,
23 for Jehovah will plead their cause, and despoil the soul of those that despoil them.
ngoba uThixo uzakuba ngumeli wabo abahlukuluze labo ababahlukuluzayo.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man, and go not with a furious man;
Ungabi ngumngane womuntu ololaka, ungahambi lomuntu ozonda masinyane,
25 lest thou learn his paths, and get a snare to thy soul.
funa ufunde izindlela zakhe uzingenise emjibileni.
26 Be not of them that strike hands, of them that are sureties for debts:
Ungabi ngumuntu ophanga ukwenza izithembiso kumbe onika isibambiso ngezikwelede;
27 if thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
ungayiswela inhlawulo uzakwemukwa noma ngumbheda wakho olala kuwo.
28 Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set.
Ungasusi ilitshe lakudala elomngcele elabekwa ngokhokho bakho.
29 Hast thou seen a man diligent in his work? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before the mean.
Uyambona umuntu oyingcitshi emsebenzini wakhe na? Uzasebenzela amakhosi; akayikusebenzela abantukazana.
