Proverbs 23
1 When thou sittest to eate with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee,
Nxa uhlala phansi usidla lombusi, nanzelela ukuthi kuyini okuphambi kwakho,
2 And put the knife to thy throte, if thou be a man giuen to the appetite.
ungazifaki ingqamu entanyeni nxa uhugwa yibuhwaba.
3 Be not desirous of his deintie meates: for it is a deceiuable meate.
Ungahawukeli izibiliboco zakhe ngoba lokho kudla kuyakhohlisa.
4 Trauaile not too much to be rich: but cease from thy wisdome.
Ungazihlukuluzi uzigugise ngomsebenzi uzama inotho; hlakanipha wazi ukuzikhuza.
5 Wilt thou cast thine eyes vpon it, which is nothing? for riches taketh her to her wings, as an eagle, and flyeth into the heauen.
Ungayibona manje inotho, masinyane isinyamalele, ngoba ngempela izamila impiko iphaphele emkhathini njengengqungqulu.
6 Eate thou not the bread of him that hath an euil eye, neither desire his deintie meates.
Ungakudli ukudla komuntu oncitshanayo, ungazihawukeli izibiliboco zakhe;
7 For as though he thought it in his heart, so will hee say vnto thee, Eate and drinke: but his heart is not with thee.
ngoba yena uhlezi ebalisa ngendleko. Angathi kuwe, “Dlana unathe,” kodwa kungasuki enhliziyweni yakhe.
8 Thou shalt vomit thy morsels that thou hast eaten, and thou shalt lose thy sweete wordes.
Uzakuhlanza okuncane lokho okudlileyo ube udlalise amazwi akho okubonga.
9 Speake not in the eares of a foole: for hee will despise the wisdome of thy wordes.
Ungakhulumi lesithutha ngoba sizakweyisa inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
10 Remooue not the ancient boundes, and enter not into the fieldes of the fatherlesse.
Ungasusi ilitshe lakudala elomngcele loba uzithathele amasimu ezintandane,
11 For he that redeemeth them, is mightie: he will defend their cause against thee.
ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; uzakuba ngumeli wazo aphikisane lawe.
12 Apply thine heart to instruction, and thine eares to the wordes of knowledge.
Nikela inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
13 Withhold not correction from the childe: if thou smite him with the rodde, he shall not die.
Ungayekeli ukumlaya umntwana; ukumtshaya ngoswazi akuyikumbulala.
Mjezise ngoswazi ukuze uphephise umphefumulo wakhe ekufeni. (Sheol h7585)
15 My sonne, if thine heart be wise, mine heart shall reioyce, and I also.
Ndodana yami, aluba inhliziyo yakho ihlakaniphile, inhliziyo yami layo izathokoza;
16 And my reynes shall reioyce, when thy lips speake righteous things.
ingaphakathi yami izajabula lapho izindebe zakho zikhuluma okulungileyo.
17 Let not thine heart bee enuious against sinners: but let it bee in the feare of the Lord continually.
Inhliziyo yakho mayingahawukeli izoni, kodwa hlala utshisekela ukwesaba uThixo.
18 For surely there is an ende, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
Ngeqiniso lihle ikusasa lakho, lethemba lakho kaliyikucitshwa.
19 O thou my sonne, heare, and bee wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
Lalela, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, ubeke inhliziyo yakho endleleni elungileyo.
20 Keepe not company with drunkards, nor with gluttons.
Ungahlangani leziminzi zewayini labazitika ngenyama,
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall bee poore, and the sleeper shalbe clothed with ragges.
ngoba izidakwa lezihwaba ziba ngabayanga, ukuwozela kwazo kuzembese amadabudabu.
22 Obey thy father that hath begotten thee, and despise not thy mother when she is olde.
Lalela uyihlo owakuletha emhlabeni, njalo ungeyisi unyoko nxa eseluphele.
23 Bye the trueth, but sell it not: likewise wisdome, and instruction, and vnderstanding.
Thenga iqiniso ungalithengisi; zuza ukuhlakanipha lokuzikhuza lokuzwisisa.
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly reioyce, and hee that begetteth a wise childe, shall haue ioy of him.
Uyise womuntu olungileyo uyathokoza kakhulu; lowo olendodana ehlakaniphileyo uyathokoza ngayo.
25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall reioyce.
Sengathi uyihlo lonyoko bangathokoza; sengathi lowo owakuzalayo angajabula!
26 My sonne, giue mee thine heart, and let thine eyes delite in my wayes.
Ndodana yami, ngipha inhliziyo yakho, amehlo akho ahlale ezindleleni zami,
27 For a whore is as a deepe ditche, and a strange woman is as a narrowe pitte.
ngoba isifebe singumgodi otshonayo lomfazi olibele lendlela ungumthombo oyingozi.
28 Also she lyeth in wait as for a praye, and she increaseth the transgressers among men.
Uyacathamela njengesigebenga, andise amadoda angathembekanga.
29 To whome is woe? to whome is sorowe? to whom is strife? to whom is murmuring? to whom are woundes without cause? and to whome is the rednesse of the eyes?
Ngubani ohlaba umkhosi? Ngubani olosizi na? Ngubani otshingayo? Ngubani olensolo na? Ngubani omahluzuhluzu ngeze? Ngubani omehlo abomvu gebhu na?
30 Euen to them that tarie long at the wine, to them that goe, and seeke mixt wine.
Yilabo abalibala ngewayini, abahamba bedinga inzwisa yewayini elidibanisiweyo.
31 Looke not thou vpon the wine, when it is red, and when it sheweth his colour in the cup, or goeth downe pleasantly.
Ungahugwa liwayini ulibona libomvu, nxa likhazimula enkomitshini, lapho lisehla kamnandi!
32 In the ende thereof it will bite like a serpent, and hurt like a cockatrise.
Ekucineni liluma njengenyoka libe lobuhlungu obubulalayo njengenhlangwana.
33 Thine eyes shall looke vpon strange women, and thine heart shall speake lewde things.
Amehlo akho azabona izinto ezingaqedakaliyo lengqondo yakho icabange izinto ezididayo.
34 And thou shalt bee as one that sleepeth in the middes of the sea, and as hee that sleepeth in the toppe of the maste.
Uzakuba njengomuntu ondendayo phakathi kolwandle, olele esiqongweni sensika yomkhumbi.
35 They haue stricken mee, shalt thou say, but I was not sicke: they haue beaten mee, but I knew not, when I awoke: therefore will I seeke it yet still.
Uzakuthi, “Bangitshayile kodwa kangilimalanga! Bangibethile kodwa kakubuhlungu! Ngizavuka nini bo ngiyodinga obunye utshwala?”
