Proverbs 22
1 A [good] name is rather to be chosen than great riches; loving favour rather than silver and gold.
Ibizo elihle likhethekile kulenotho enengi; isisa esihle kulesiliva njalo kulegolide.
2 The rich and poor meet together; Jehovah is the maker of them all.
Onothileyo lomyanga bayahlangana; iNkosi yabenza bonke.
3 A prudent [man] seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
Ohlakaniphileyo ubona ububi acatshe, kodwa abangelalwazi bayaqhubeka babesebejeziswa.
4 The reward of humility [and] the fear of Jehovah is riches, and honour, and life.
Umvuzo wokuthobeka lokwesaba iNkosi kuyinotho lodumo lempilo.
5 Thorns [and] snares are in the way of the perverse: he that keepeth his soul holdeth himself far from them.
Ameva lemijibila kusendleleni yabaphambeneyo; ogcina umphefumulo wakhe uzakuba khatshana labo.
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 endleleni angahamba ngayo; ngitsho esemdala kayikuphambuka kuyo.
7 The rich ruleth over the poor; and the borrower is servant to the lender.
Onothileyo ubusa abayanga, lomeboleki uyisigqili somebolekisi.
8 He that soweth unrighteousness shall reap iniquity, and the rod of his wrath shall have an end.
Ohlanyela ukonakala uzavuna ukuhlupheka, lentonga yolaka lwakhe izaphela.
9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
Olelihlo elilokuhle yena uzabusiswa, ngoba unikile okwesinkwa sakhe kumyanga.
10 Cast out the scorner, and contention will depart, and strife and ignominy shall cease.
Xotsha isideleli, kuzaphuma lenkani, yebo, ingxabano lehlazo kuzaphela.
11 He that loveth pureness of heart, upon whose lips is grace, the king is his friend.
Othanda ukuhlanzeka kwenhliziyo, ngenxa yesisa sendebe zakhe, inkosi ingumgane wakhe.
12 The eyes of Jehovah preserve knowledge; but he overthroweth the words of the unfaithful.
Amehlo eNkosi alondoloza ulwazi, kodwa izachitha amazwi abangathembekanga.
13 The sluggard saith, There is a lion without, I shall be killed in the streets!
Ivila lithi: Kulesilwane ngaphandle; ngizabulawa phakathi kwezitalada.
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep ditch: he with whom Jehovah is displeased shall fall therein.
Umlomo wabesifazana bemzini ungumgodi otshonayo; lowo iNkosi emthukutheleleyo uzawela khona.
15 Folly is bound in the heart of a child; the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Ubuthutha bubotshelwe enhliziyweni yomntwana; uswazi lokuqondisa luzabususela khatshana laye.
16 He that oppresseth the poor, it is to enrich him; he that giveth to the rich, [bringeth] only to want.
Ocindezela umyanga ukwandisa alakho, opha onothileyo, isibili uzakuba ngoswelayo.
17 Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart unto my knowledge.
Beka indlebe yakho, uzwe amazwi abahlakaniphileyo, umise inhliziyo yakho elwazini lami.
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee: they shall be together fitted on thy lips.
Ngoba kumnandi uba uwalondoloza emibilini yakho; azahlala elungile kanyekanye endebeni zakho.
19 That thy confidence may be in Jehovah, I have made [them] known to thee this day, even to thee.
Ukuze ithemba lakho libe seNkosini, ngikwazisile wona lamuhla, ngitsho wena.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things, in counsels and knowledge,
Kangikubhalelanga yini izinto ezinhle kakhulu kuzeluleko lelwazini?
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?
Ukukwazisa ukuqiniseka kwamazwi eqiniso, ukuze ubuyisele amazwi eqiniso kulabo abakuthumileyo.
22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted in the gate;
Ungamphangi umyanga ngoba engumyanga, njalo ungamchobozi oswelayo esangweni.
23 for Jehovah will plead their cause, and despoil the soul of those that despoil them.
Ngoba iNkosi izamela udaba lwabo, iphange umphefumulo wababaphangayo.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man, and go not with a furious man;
Ungahlanganyeli lomuntu ololaka, ungahambisani lomuntu othukuthelayo,
25 lest thou learn his paths, and get a snare to thy soul.
hlezi ufunde indlela zakhe, wemukele umjibila emphefumulweni wakho.
26 Be not of them that strike hands, of them that are sureties for debts:
Ungabi phakathi kwababambana izandla, phakathi kwabayizibambiso ngezikwelede.
27 if thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
Uba ungelakho okokuhlawula, kungani ezathatha umbheda wakho ngaphansi kwakho?
28 Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set.
Ungatshedisi isikhonkwane esidala somngcele, oyihlo abasenzayo.
29 Hast thou seen a man diligent in his work? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before the mean.
Uyambona yini umuntu oyingcitshi emsebenzini wakhe? Uzazimisa phambi kwamakhosi; kayikuzimisa phambi kwabantukazana.
