Proverbs 6
1 My son, suppose you have pledged to guarantee your neighbor's debt, or you have shaken hands in agreement with a stranger,
Ndodana yami, nxa wenzele umakhelwane wakho isibambiso, nxa libambene izandla ukuba uzamhlawulela imilandu yakhe,
2 then you've trapped yourself by what you promised, you've been caught by what you said.
aluba usuzihilele ngalokho okutshiloyo, wazibambisa ngamazwi omlomo wakho,
3 So this is what you have to do. You need to get out of it, because you've put yourself in that person's power. Go to your neighbor in all humility and ask him to release you from the commitment.
lapho-ke yenza lokhu, ndodana yami, ukuzikhulula, njengoba usuwele ezandleni zakhe umakhelwane wakho: Hamba ufike uzehlise; mncengancenge umakhelwane wakho!
4 Don't delay, saying that you'll sleep on it. Don't rest until you've done it.
Ungabuvumeli ubuthongo emehlweni akho, ungavumeli ukuwozela enkopheni zakho.
5 Get out of it like a gazelle escaping from a trap, like a bird from a bird-catcher's net.
Zikhulule njengempala ezandleni zomzingeli, njengenyoni esifini somthiyi.
6 Go and observe the ants, you slacker! Learn from what they do and become wise.
Khangela ubunyonyo, wena vila; hlolisisa ukwenza kwabo uhlakaniphe!
7 They don't have a leader, an officer, or a ruler,
Kabulamphathi, kabula mkhangeli loba umbusi,
8 yet they work hard during the summer getting their food, gathering what they need during the harvest.
kodwa buyaqoqa umphako wabo ehlobo bubuthe ukudla kwabo nxa kuvunwa.
9 So how long are you going to lie there, you slacker? When are you going to get up from your sleep?
Uzalala khonapho kuze kube nini, vila ndini? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?
10 You may say, “Please, just a little more sleep, a little longer snooze, a little more folding of the arms to rest”—
Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
11 and poverty will attack you like a robber, destitution like an armed warrior.
ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
12 Rebellious and wicked people go around telling lies,
Isigangi lesixhwali esihamba sikhuluma amanyala,
13 winking slyly, giving sneaky foot gestures, rudely pointing with their fingers.
esiqhweba ngelihlo sitshengise ngezinyawo zaso njalo sitshengise ngeminwe yaso,
14 Their warped minds plot evil schemes; they're always causing trouble.
esiceba ububi ngenkohliso enhliziyweni yaso sithanda ukuvusa inkani kokuphela.
15 As a result, disaster falls suddenly on such people; in just a moment they're destroyed without hope of healing.
Ngakho lowo uzawelwa yingozi ngokuphazima; uzabhidlizwa ngokuphangisa kungasekho okungenziwa.
16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven things that he absolutely detests:
Ziyisithupha izinto uThixo azizondayo, eziyisikhombisa eziyisinengiso kuye:
17 arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that murder the innocent,
amehlo atshengisa ukudelela, ulimi oluqamba amanga, izandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
18 a mind that plots evil schemes, feet that hurriedly run to do wrong,
inhliziyo egaya izibozi, inyawo eziphangisa ukuya ebubini,
19 a false witness that speaks lies, those who caused arguments in families.
umfakazi wamanga, okhuluma inkohliso lomuntu oletha ukuxabana kubazalwane.
20 My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
Ndodana yami, gcina imilayo kayihlo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
21 Keep them always in mind. Tie them around your neck.
Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho nini lanini; kugqize entanyeni yakho.
22 They will lead you as you walk along; they will watch over you as you sleep; when you wake up they will talk with you.
Nxa uhamba, lezizinto zizakukhokhela; lanxa ulele zizakulinda; uthi uvuka zikukhulumise.
23 For the instruction is a lamp, and the teaching is a light. The correction that comes from discipline is the way to life.
Ngoba imilayo le iyisibane, imfundiso le iyikukhanya, leziqondiso zokuzithiba ziyindlela yokuphila,
24 It will protect you from an evil woman and the seductive words of a prostitute.
zikuvikela kowesifazane ongaziphathanga, laselimini olumnandi lomfazi ongelambeko.
25 Don't let your mind lust after her beauty, or let her hypnotize you with her fluttering eyelashes.
Ungasuki umfise ngenhliziyo yakho ngenxa yobuhle bakhe kumbe akuhuge ngamehlo akhe.
26 You can buy a prostitute for the price of a loaf of bread, but adultery with another man's wife can cost you your life.
Ngoba isifebe siyakululazisa ufane lesinkwa, kodwa umfazi womuntu uyayibhidliza impilo yakho uqobo.
27 Can you put fire in your lap and not burn your clothes?
Kambe umuntu angokhela umlilo emathangazini akhe na zingaze zatsha izigqoko zakhe?
28 Can you walk on hot coals and not scorch your feet?
Kambe umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle inyawo zakhe zingaze zatsha na?
29 It's the same for anyone who sleeps with another man's wife. No one who touches her will remain unpunished.
Kunjalo kulowo olala lomfazi wenye indoda; kakho omthintayo ongayikujeziswa.
30 People don't condemn a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he's hungry.
Abantu kabalithuki isela nxa lintshontsha ngoba lifuqwa liphango.
31 But if he's caught, he has to pay back seven times what he stole, even if it means handing over everything he has in his house.
Kodwa lingabanjwa lihlawuliswa kasikhombisa, lanxa inhlawulo ilithathela yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
32 Any man who commits adultery with a woman has no sense; he who does so destroys himself.
Kodwa indoda efebayo kayilangqondo; lowo okwenzayo lokho uyazibulala yena ngokwakhe.
33 He will be wounded and dishonored. His disgrace will never be removed.
Izidutshulo lehlazo kuyisabelo sakhe, ukuyangeka kwakhe kakusoze kwafa kwaphela.
34 For jealousy makes a husband furious, and he won't hold back when he takes revenge.
Ngoba ubukhwele bendoda yalowomfazi buyiqubula ulaka, ingabe isaba lozwelo lapho isiphindisela.
35 He refuses any compensation, and won't be paid off, however big the amount.
Kayizukuvuma inhlawulo; kayiyikwamukela isivalamlomo loba singakanani.
