Proverbs 27
1 Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day will bring forth.
Ungazincomi ngosuku lwakusasa, ngoba kawazi ukuthi usuku luzazalani.
2 Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
Owemzini kakudumise, njalo hatshi umlomo wakho; owezizwe, njalo hatshi indebe zakho.
3 A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's vexation is heavier than them both.
Ilitshe linzima, letshebetshebe liyasinda, kodwa ulaka lwesithutha lunzima kulakho kokubili.
4 Fury is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
Ulaka lulolunya, lentukuthelo iyisikhukhula; kodwa ngubani ongema phambi komona?
5 Open rebuke is better than hidden love.
Kungcono ukukhuzwa ngokusobala kulothando lwensitha.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
Amanxeba omngane athembekile, kodwa ukwanga kwesitha kuyakhohlisa.
7 The full soul trampleth on a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
Umphefumulo osuthiyo unyathelela phansi uhlanga loluju, kodwa kumphefumulo olambileyo konke okubabayo kumnandi.
8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
Njengenyoni eduha isuka esidlekeni sayo unjalo umuntu oduha esuka endaweni yakhe.
9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart; and the sweetness of one's friend is [the fruit] of hearty counsel.
Amafutha lempepha kuthokozisa inhliziyo; kunjalo ubumnandi bomngane womuntu ngenxa yeseluleko somphefumulo.
10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; and go not into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
Ungadeli umngane wakho lomngane kayihlo; njalo ungangeni endlini yomfowenu ngosuku lwencithakalo yakho; kungcono umakhelwane oseduze kulomfowenu okhatshana.
11 Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, that I may have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me.
Hlakanipha, ndodana yami, uthokozise inhliziyo yami, ukuze ngibe lempendulo kongisolayo.
12 A prudent [man] seeth the evil, [and] hideth himself; the simple pass on, [and] are punished.
Okhaliphileyo uyabona ububi acatshe, kodwa abangelalwazi bayaqhubeka bajeziswe.
13 Take his garment that is become surety [for] another, and hold him in pledge for a strange woman.
Thatha isigqoko soyisibambiso ngenxa yowemzini, umthathele isibambiso ngenxa yowesifazana wezizwe.
14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be reckoned a curse to him.
Obusisa umngane wakhe ngelizwi elikhulu evuka ekuseni kakhulu, kuzathiwa yisiqalekiso kuye.
15 A continual dropping on a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike:
Ukuchophelela ngosuku lwezulu eliqhubekayo lowesifazana oxabanayo kuyafanana.
16 whosoever will restrain her restraineth the wind, and his right hand encountereth oil.
Omfihlayo ufihla umoya, lamagcobo ahlangana lesandla sakhe sokunene.
17 Iron is sharpened by iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Insimbi ilolwa ngensimbi; ngokunjalo umuntu ulola ubuso bomngane wakhe.
18 Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof; and he that guardeth his master shall be honoured.
Olondoloza isihlahla somkhiwa uzakudla isithelo saso; lolinda inkosi yakhe uzadunyiswa.
19 As [in] water face [answereth] to face, so the heart of man to man.
Njengemanzini ubuso busebusweni, ngokunjalo inhliziyo yomuntu isemuntwini.
Isihogo lencithakalo kakusuthi, ngokunjalo amehlo omuntu kawasuthi. (Sheol h7585)
21 The fining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; so let a man be to the mouth that praiseth him.
Imbiza yokucenga ngeyesiliva, lesithando ngesegolide; kunjalo umuntu ngokokudunyiswa kwakhe.
22 If thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his folly depart from him.
Lanxa ugiga isithutha ngomgigo engigeni phakathi kwengqoloyi, ubuthutha baso kabuyikusuka kuso.
23 Be well acquainted with the appearance of thy flocks; look well to thy herds:
Yazi lokwazi isimo sezimvu zakho, beka inhliziyo yakho kumihlambi yakho,
24 for wealth is not for ever; and doth the crown [endure] from generation to generation?
ngoba inotho kayisiyaphakade; kumbe umqhele ube sesizukulwaneni lesizukulwana yini?
25 The hay is removed, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered in.
Utshani buyasuswa, lohlaza lubonakale, kubuthwe lemibhida yezintaba.
26 The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of a field;
Amawundlu angawezigqoko zakho, lezimpongo ziyintengo yesiqinti.
27 and there is goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and sustenance for thy maidens.
Kuzakuba lochago lwezimbuzi olwanele ukudla kwakho lokudla kwendlu yakho lempilo yencekukazi zakho.
