Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them.
Ungabahawukeli abantu abaxhwalileyo, ungafisi ubungane labo;
2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
ngoba ezingqondweni zabo bahlose udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma ngokuvusa umsindo.
3 Through wisdom is a house builded; and by understanding it is established;
Indlu yakhiwa ngokuhlakanipha, imiswe ngokuzwisisa;
4 And by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
amakamelo ayo agcwaliswe ngolwazi, agcwaliswe ngemiceciso yakude eligugu.
5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla amakhulu, njalo umuntu ololwazi uyandisa amandla;
6 For with wise advice thou shalt make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
ukuthi unqobe empini kufunakala izeluleko, lokunqoba kudinga abeluleki abanengi.
7 Wisdom is as unattainable to a fool as corals; he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
Ukuhlakanipha kuphakeme kakhulu koyisiwula; enkundleni kalalutho angalukhuluma.
8 He that deviseth to do evil, men shall call him a mischievous person.
Lowo oceba ububi uzakwaziwa njengomacebomabi.
9 The thought of foolishness is sin; and the scorner is an abomination to men.
Amacebo obuwula ayisono, njalo abantu bayasizonda isideleli.
10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small indeed.
Nxa uthikaza ngezikhathi zenhlupheko, mancinyane kanganani amandla akho!
11 Deliver them that are drawn unto death; and those that are ready to be slain wilt thou forbear to rescue?
Bahlangule labo abaholelwa ekufeni; banqande labo abadayizela besiya ekubulaweni.
12 If thou sayest: 'Behold, we knew not this', doth not He that weigheth the hearts consider it? And He that keepeth thy soul, doth not He know it? And shall not He render to every man according to his works?
Nxa usithi, “Angithi besingazi lutho ngalokhu,” kambe lowo ohlola inhliziyo kakuboni lokho na? Kakwazi lokho yini onguye olinda ukuphila kwakho na? Akayikuvuza ubani lobani ngakwenzileyo na?
13 My son, eat thou honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to thy taste;
Dlana uluju ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile; uluju olujuluka ekhekhebeni lumnandi luyanambitheka.
14 So know thou wisdom to be unto thy soul; if thou hast found it, then shall there be a future, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
Yazi njalo ukuthi ukuhlakanipha kumnandi emphefumulweni wakho, aluba ukuzuza ikusasa lakho lilethemba elihle, njalo ithemba lakho aliyikudaniswa.
15 Lie not in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous, spoil not his resting-place;
Ungacathameli indlu yomuntu olungileyo njengesigebenga, ungawuhlaseli umuzi wakhe;
16 For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again, but the wicked stumble under adversity.
ngoba loba angaze awe kasikhombisa umuntu olungileyo uyavuka futhi, kodwa ababi babhazalaliswa yizinhlupheko.
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
Ungathatshiswa yikuwa kwesitha sakho; nxa sikhubeka ungavumeli inhliziyo yakho ithokoze,
18 Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.
ngoba uThixo uzakubona lokho asole abesepholisa ulaka lwakhe kuso isitha.
19 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabantu ababi loba ubahawukele abaxhwalileyo,
20 For there will be no future to the evil man, the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
ngoba umuntu omubi akalalo ithemba lakusasa, njalo isibane sezixhwali sizacinywa.
21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king, and meddle not with them that are given to change;
Yesaba uThixo lombusi, ndodana yami, ungangenelani labahlamuki,
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin from them both?
ngoba laba bobabili bazakwehlisa ulaka lubabhubhise, ngoba phela ngubani kambe okwaziyo ukubhubhisa abangakwehlisa?
23 These also are sayings of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
La ngamanye amazwi ezihlakaniphi: Ukwahlulela ngobandlululo kakulunganga:
24 He that saith unto the wicked: 'Thou art righteous', peoples shall curse him, nations shall execrate him;
Loba ngubani othi kolecala, “Umsulwa,” abantu bonke bazamqalekisa lezizwe zonke zizamhlamukela.
25 But to them that decide justly shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
Kodwa kuzabalungela labo abamlahlayo olecala, lezibusiso ezinengi zizabehlela.
26 He kisseth the lips that giveth a right answer.
Impendulo eqotho injengokwangiwa ezindebeni.
27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thy house.
Qeda umsebenzi wakho waphandle ulungise lamasimu akho; kuthi-ke usuqedile wakhe indlu yakho.
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
Ungafakazi ngokubethela umakhelwane kungelamlandu, kumbe usebenzise izindebe zakho ukhohlisa.
29 Say not: 'I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.'
Ungabokuthi, “Ngizakwenza kuye njengoba enze kimi; ngizahlawulisa ngalokho angenze khona.”
30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
Ngedlula ensimini yevilavoxo, ngedlula esivinini somuntu ongelangqondo;
31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thistles, the face thereof was covered with nettles, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
ameva ayesekhula indawo yonke, indawo yonke isithe phethu ukhula, lomduli wamatshe usudilikile.
32 Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction.
Ngakunanzelela konke engangikubona ngafunda isifundo kulokho engakubonayo:
33 'Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep' —
Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
34 So shall thy poverty come as a runner, and thy want as an armed man.
ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
