Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;
Ungabahawukeli abantu abaxhwalileyo, ungafisi ubungane labo;
2 for their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
ngoba ezingqondweni zabo bahlose udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma ngokuvusa umsindo.
3 Through wisdom is a house built, and by understanding it is established;
Indlu yakhiwa ngokuhlakanipha, imiswe ngokuzwisisa;
4 and by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant substance.
amakamelo ayo agcwaliswe ngolwazi, agcwaliswe ngemiceciso yakude eligugu.
5 A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla amakhulu, njalo umuntu ololwazi uyandisa amandla;
6 For with good advice shalt thou make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
ukuthi unqobe empini kufunakala izeluleko, lokunqoba kudinga abeluleki abanengi.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: he will not open his mouth in the gate.
Ukuhlakanipha kuphakeme kakhulu koyisiwula; enkundleni kalalutho angalukhuluma.
8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a master of intrigues.
Lowo oceba ububi uzakwaziwa njengomacebomabi.
9 The purpose of folly is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to men.
Amacebo obuwula ayisono, njalo abantu bayasizonda isideleli.
10 [If] thou losest courage in the day of trouble, thy strength is small.
Nxa uthikaza ngezikhathi zenhlupheko, mancinyane kanganani amandla akho!
11 Deliver them that are taken forth unto death, and withdraw not from them that stagger to slaughter.
Bahlangule labo abaholelwa ekufeni; banqande labo abadayizela besiya ekubulaweni.
12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not, will not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that preserveth thy soul, he knoweth it; and he rendereth to man according to his work.
Nxa usithi, “Angithi besingazi lutho ngalokhu,” kambe lowo ohlola inhliziyo kakuboni lokho na? Kakwazi lokho yini onguye olinda ukuphila kwakho na? Akayikuvuza ubani lobani ngakwenzileyo na?
13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good; and a honeycomb is sweet to thy taste:
Dlana uluju ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile; uluju olujuluka ekhekhebeni lumnandi luyanambitheka.
14 so consider wisdom for thy soul; if thou hast found it, there shall be a result, and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
Yazi njalo ukuthi ukuhlakanipha kumnandi emphefumulweni wakho, aluba ukuzuza ikusasa lakho lilethemba elihle, njalo ithemba lakho aliyikudaniswa.
15 Lay not wait, O wicked [man], against the dwelling of the righteous; lay not waste his resting-place.
Ungacathameli indlu yomuntu olungileyo njengesigebenga, ungawuhlaseli umuzi wakhe;
16 For the righteous falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked stumble into disaster.
ngoba loba angaze awe kasikhombisa umuntu olungileyo uyavuka futhi, kodwa ababi babhazalaliswa yizinhlupheko.
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
Ungathatshiswa yikuwa kwesitha sakho; nxa sikhubeka ungavumeli inhliziyo yakho ithokoze,
18 lest Jehovah see it, and it be evil in his sight, and he turn away his anger from him.
ngoba uThixo uzakubona lokho asole abesepholisa ulaka lwakhe kuso isitha.
19 Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, [and] be not envious of the wicked:
Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabantu ababi loba ubahawukele abaxhwalileyo,
20 for there shall be no future to the evil [man]; the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
ngoba umuntu omubi akalalo ithemba lakusasa, njalo isibane sezixhwali sizacinywa.
21 My son, fear Jehovah and the king: meddle not with them that are given to change.
Yesaba uThixo lombusi, ndodana yami, ungangenelani labahlamuki,
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
ngoba laba bobabili bazakwehlisa ulaka lubabhubhise, ngoba phela ngubani kambe okwaziyo ukubhubhisa abangakwehlisa?
23 These things also come from the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
La ngamanye amazwi ezihlakaniphi: Ukwahlulela ngobandlululo kakulunganga:
24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him;
Loba ngubani othi kolecala, “Umsulwa,” abantu bonke bazamqalekisa lezizwe zonke zizamhlamukela.
25 but to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, and a good blessing cometh upon them.
Kodwa kuzabalungela labo abamlahlayo olecala, lezibusiso ezinengi zizabehlela.
26 He kisseth the lips who giveth a right answer.
Impendulo eqotho injengokwangiwa ezindebeni.
27 Prepare thy work without, and put thy field in order, and afterwards build thy house.
Qeda umsebenzi wakho waphandle ulungise lamasimu akho; kuthi-ke usuqedile wakhe indlu yakho.
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and wouldest thou deceive with thy lips?
Ungafakazi ngokubethela umakhelwane kungelamlandu, kumbe usebenzise izindebe zakho ukhohlisa.
29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me, I will render to the man according to his work.
Ungabokuthi, “Ngizakwenza kuye njengoba enze kimi; ngizahlawulisa ngalokho angenze khona.”
30 I went by the field of a sluggard, and by the vineyard of a man void of understanding;
Ngedlula ensimini yevilavoxo, ngedlula esivinini somuntu ongelangqondo;
31 and lo, it was all grown over with thistles, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and its stone wall was broken down.
ameva ayesekhula indawo yonke, indawo yonke isithe phethu ukhula, lomduli wamatshe usudilikile.
32 Then I looked, I took it to heart; I saw, I received instruction:
Ngakunanzelela konke engangikubona ngafunda isifundo kulokho engakubonayo:
33 — A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest!
Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
34 So shall thy poverty come [as] a roving plunderer, and thy penury as an armed man.
ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
