Proverbs 6
1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, thou hast engaged fast thy hand to a stranger.
Ndodana yami, nxa wenzele umakhelwane wakho isibambiso, nxa libambene izandla ukuba uzamhlawulela imilandu yakhe,
2 Thou art ensnared with the words of thy mouth, and caught with thy own words.
aluba usuzihilele ngalokho okutshiloyo, wazibambisa ngamazwi omlomo wakho,
3 Do therefore, my son, what I say, and deliver thyself: because thou art fallen into the hand of thy neighbour. Run about, make haste, stir up thy friend:
lapho-ke yenza lokhu, ndodana yami, ukuzikhulula, njengoba usuwele ezandleni zakhe umakhelwane wakho: Hamba ufike uzehlise; mncengancenge umakhelwane wakho!
4 Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber.
Ungabuvumeli ubuthongo emehlweni akho, ungavumeli ukuwozela enkopheni zakho.
5 Deliver thyself as a doe from the hand, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Zikhulule njengempala ezandleni zomzingeli, njengenyoni esifini somthiyi.
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom:
Khangela ubunyonyo, wena vila; hlolisisa ukwenza kwabo uhlakaniphe!
7 Which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain,
Kabulamphathi, kabula mkhangeli loba umbusi,
8 Provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
kodwa buyaqoqa umphako wabo ehlobo bubuthe ukudla kwabo nxa kuvunwa.
9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou rise out of thy sleep?
Uzalala khonapho kuze kube nini, vila ndini? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?
10 Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep:
Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
11 And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee.
ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
12 A man that is an apostate, an unprofitable man, walketh with a perverse mouth,
Isigangi lesixhwali esihamba sikhuluma amanyala,
13 He winketh with the eyes, presseth with the foot, speaketh with the finger.
esiqhweba ngelihlo sitshengise ngezinyawo zaso njalo sitshengise ngeminwe yaso,
14 With a wicked heart he deviseth evil, and at all times he soweth discord.
esiceba ububi ngenkohliso enhliziyweni yaso sithanda ukuvusa inkani kokuphela.
15 To such a one his destruction shall presently come, and he shall suddenly be destroyed, and shall no longer have any remedy.
Ngakho lowo uzawelwa yingozi ngokuphazima; uzabhidlizwa ngokuphangisa kungasekho okungenziwa.
16 Six things there are, which the Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul detesteth:
Ziyisithupha izinto uThixo azizondayo, eziyisikhombisa eziyisinengiso kuye:
17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
amehlo atshengisa ukudelela, ulimi oluqamba amanga, izandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
18 A heart that deviseth wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief,
inhliziyo egaya izibozi, inyawo eziphangisa ukuya ebubini,
19 A deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren.
umfakazi wamanga, okhuluma inkohliso lomuntu oletha ukuxabana kubazalwane.
20 My son, beep the commandments of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.
Ndodana yami, gcina imilayo kayihlo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
21 Bind them in thy heart continually, and put them about thy neck.
Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho nini lanini; kugqize entanyeni yakho.
22 When thou walkest, let them go with thee: when thou sleepest, let them keep thee; and when thou awakest, talk with them.
Nxa uhamba, lezizinto zizakukhokhela; lanxa ulele zizakulinda; uthi uvuka zikukhulumise.
23 Because the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
Ngoba imilayo le iyisibane, imfundiso le iyikukhanya, leziqondiso zokuzithiba ziyindlela yokuphila,
24 That they may keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the stranger.
zikuvikela kowesifazane ongaziphathanga, laselimini olumnandi lomfazi ongelambeko.
25 Let not thy heart covet her beauty, be not caught with her winks:
Ungasuki umfise ngenhliziyo yakho ngenxa yobuhle bakhe kumbe akuhuge ngamehlo akhe.
26 For the price of a harlot is scarce one loaf: but the woman catcheth the precious soul of a man.
Ngoba isifebe siyakululazisa ufane lesinkwa, kodwa umfazi womuntu uyayibhidliza impilo yakho uqobo.
27 Can a man hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not burn?
Kambe umuntu angokhela umlilo emathangazini akhe na zingaze zatsha izigqoko zakhe?
28 Or can he walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt?
Kambe umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle inyawo zakhe zingaze zatsha na?
29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife, shall not be clean when he shall touch her.
Kunjalo kulowo olala lomfazi wenye indoda; kakho omthintayo ongayikujeziswa.
30 The fault is not so great when a man hath stolen: for he stealeth to fill his hungry soul:
Abantu kabalithuki isela nxa lintshontsha ngoba lifuqwa liphango.
31 And if he be taken he shall restore sevenfold, and shall give up all the substance of his house.
Kodwa lingabanjwa lihlawuliswa kasikhombisa, lanxa inhlawulo ilithathela yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
32 But he that is an adulterer, for the folly of his heart shall destroy his own soul:
Kodwa indoda efebayo kayilangqondo; lowo okwenzayo lokho uyazibulala yena ngokwakhe.
33 He gathereth to himself shame and dishonour, and his reproach shall not be blotted out:
Izidutshulo lehlazo kuyisabelo sakhe, ukuyangeka kwakhe kakusoze kwafa kwaphela.
34 Because the jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge,
Ngoba ubukhwele bendoda yalowomfazi buyiqubula ulaka, ingabe isaba lozwelo lapho isiphindisela.
35 Nor will he yield to any man’s prayers, nor will he accept for satisfaction ever so many gifts.
Kayizukuvuma inhlawulo; kayiyikwamukela isivalamlomo loba singakanani.
