Proverbs 23
1 When thou sittest to eate with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee,
Nxa uhlalela ukudla lesiphathamandla, qaphelisa lokuqaphelisa okuphambi kwakho.
2 And put the knife to thy throte, if thou be a man giuen to the appetite.
Ubeke ingqamu emphinjeni wakho uba uyisiminzi.
3 Be not desirous of his deintie meates: for it is a deceiuable meate.
Ungafisi izibondlo zaso, ngoba ziyikudla kwamanga.
4 Trauaile not too much to be rich: but cease from thy wisdome.
Ungatshikatshikeli ukunotha; pheza ekuqedisiseni kwakho.
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.
Uzandizisa yini amehlo akho kokungekho? Ngoba kuzazenzela lokuzenzela izimpiko njengokhozi oluphaphela emazulwini.
6 Eate thou not the bread of him that hath an euil eye, neither desire his deintie meates.
Ungadli ukudla kolelihlo elibi, ungafisi izibondlo 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 njengoba ecabangile emphefumulweni wakhe, unjalo. Uzakuthi: Dlana unathe; kodwa inhliziyo yakhe kayilawe.
8 Thou shalt vomit thy morsels that thou hast eaten, and thou shalt lose thy sweete wordes.
Ucezu oludlileyo uzaluhlanza, wone amazwi akho amnandi.
9 Speake not in the eares of a foole: for hee will despise the wisdome of thy wordes.
Ungakhulumi endlebeni zoyisithutha, ngoba uzadelela inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
10 Remooue not the ancient boundes, and enter not into the fieldes of the fatherlesse.
Ungatshedisi isikhonkwane esidala somngcele; ungangeni emasimini ezintandane;
11 For he that redeemeth them, is mightie: he will defend their cause against thee.
ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; yena uzamela udaba lwazo kuwe.
12 Apply thine heart to instruction, and thine eares to the wordes of knowledge.
Beka 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.
Ungagodleli umntwana isijeziso; nxa umtshaya ngoswazi kayikufa.
Wena uzamtshaya ngoswazi, ukhulule umphefumulo wakhe esihogweni. (Sheol h7585)
15 My sonne, if thine heart be wise, mine heart shall reioyce, and I also.
Ndodana yami, uba inhliziyo yakho ihlakanipha, inhliziyo yami izathokoza, yebo eyami;
16 And my reynes shall reioyce, when thy lips speake righteous things.
lezinso zami zizajabula ekukhulumeni kwendebe zakho izinto eziqondileyo.
17 Let not thine heart bee enuious against sinners: but let it bee in the feare of the Lord continually.
Inhliziyo yakho kayingahawukeli izoni; kodwa bana ekwesabeni iNkosi lonke usuku.
18 For surely there is an ende, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
Ngoba isibili kukhona umvuzo, lomlindelo wakho kawuyikuqunywa.
19 O thou my sonne, heare, and bee wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
Lalela wena, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, uqondise inhliziyo yakho endleleni.
20 Keepe not company with drunkards, nor with gluttons.
Ungabi phakathi kwabanathi bewayini, phakathi kwezihwaba zenyama.
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall bee poore, and the sleeper shalbe clothed with ragges.
Ngoba isidakwa lesihwaba sizakuba ngumyanga, lokuwozela kugqokisa amadabudabu.
22 Obey thy father that hath begotten thee, and despise not thy mother when she is olde.
Lalela uyihlo owakuzalayo, ungamdeleli unyoko esemdala.
23 Bye the trueth, but sell it not: likewise wisdome, and instruction, and vnderstanding.
Thenga iqiniso, ungalithengisi; inhlakanipho, lemfundiso, lokuqedisisa.
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly reioyce, and hee that begetteth a wise childe, shall haue ioy of him.
Uyise wolungileyo uzathaba lokuthaba; lozala ohlakaniphileyo uzathokoza ngaye.
25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall reioyce.
Uyihlo lonyoko kabathokoze, lokuzeleyo kathabe.
26 My sonne, giue mee thine heart, and let thine eyes delite in my wayes.
Ndodana yami, ngiphe inhliziyo yakho, lamehlo akho kawananzelele indlela zami.
27 For a whore is as a deepe ditche, and a strange woman is as a narrowe pitte.
Ngoba iwule lingumgodi otshonayo, lowesifazana owemzini ungumthombo ongumcingo.
28 Also she lyeth in wait as for a praye, and she increaseth the transgressers among men.
Laye ucathama njengomphangi, andise abangathembekanga phakathi kwabantu.
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 olo: Maye? Ngubani olo: Wo? Ngubani olenkani? Ngubani olesililo? Ngubani olamanxeba ngeze? Ngubani olamehlo abomvu?
30 Euen to them that tarie long at the wine, to them that goe, and seeke mixt wine.
Yilabo abalibala ewayinini, yilabo abazedinga iwayini elixutshanisiweyo.
31 Looke not thou vpon the wine, when it is red, and when it sheweth his colour in the cup, or goeth downe pleasantly.
Ungakhangeli iwayini, lapho lizibonakalisa libomvu, nxa linika umbala walo enkomitshini, lihamba liqondile.
32 In the ende thereof it will bite like a serpent, and hurt like a cockatrise.
Ekucineni kwalo liluma njengenyoka, lilume njengebululu.
33 Thine eyes shall looke vpon strange women, and thine heart shall speake lewde things.
Amehlo akho azabona abesifazana bemzini, lenhliziyo yakho ikhulume izinto eziphambeneyo.
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.
Yebo, uzakuba njengolala enhliziyweni yolwandle, lanjengolala esihlokweni 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.
Bangitshayile, kangizwanga buhlungu; bangidutshuzile, kangikunanzanga. Ngizavuka nini? Ngiphinde ngilidinge futhi.
