Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them.
Ungabi lamhawu ngabantu ababi, ungaloyisi ukuba labo.
2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
Ngoba inhliziyo yabo iceba udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma uhlupho.
3 Through wisdom is a house builded; and by understanding it is established;
Ngenhlakanipho indlu iyakhiwa, langokuqedisisa iqiniswe.
4 And by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
Langolwazi amakamelo agcwaliswa ngempahla zonke eziligugu lezimnandi.
5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla, lomuntu ololwazi uqinisa amandla.
6 For with wise advice thou shalt make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
Ngoba ngezeluleko ezihlakaniphileyo ungalawula impi yakho, lokukhululwa kusebunengini babeluleki.
7 Wisdom is as unattainable to a fool as corals; he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
Inhlakanipho enkulu iphakeme esiwuleni; esangweni kasivuli umlomo waso.
8 He that deviseth to do evil, men shall call him a mischievous person.
Oceba ukwenza okubi, bazambiza ngokuthi ngumnikazi wamacebo amabi.
9 The thought of foolishness is sin; and the scorner is an abomination to men.
Umcabango wobuwula yisono, lesideleli siyisinengiso emuntwini.
10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small indeed.
Uba uzitshengisa uxega ngosuku lokuhlupheka, amandla akho mancinyane.
11 Deliver them that are drawn unto death; and those that are ready to be slain wilt thou forbear to rescue?
Bophule abasiwa ekufeni, labatatalikela ekubulaweni, kungathi ungabanqanda.
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?
Uba usithi: Khangela besingakwazi lokhu; ohlola izinhliziyo yena kayikukunanzelela yini? Olondoloza umphefumulo wakho yena kakwazi yini? ngitsho ubuyisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe?
13 My son, eat thou honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to thy taste;
Dlana uluju, ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile, lohlanga loluju lumnandi elwangeni lwakho.
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.
Lunjalo ulwazi lwenhlakanipho emphefumulweni wakho; uba uluthola, kuzakuba lomvuzo, lethemba lakho kaliyikuqunywa.
15 Lie not in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous, spoil not his resting-place;
Wena okhohlakeleyo, ungacathameli umuzi wolungileyo; ungachithi indawo yakhe yokuphumula.
16 For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again, but the wicked stumble under adversity.
Ngoba olungileyo uzakuwa kasikhombisa, avuke futhi; kodwa abakhohlakeleyo bazakhubeka ebubini.
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
Ungathokozi ngokuwa kwesitha sakho, lekukhubekeni kwaso inhliziyo yakho kayingajabuli;
18 Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.
hlezi iNkosi ikubone, kube kubi emehlweni ayo, iphendule ulaka lwayo ilususe kuso.
19 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabenzi bobubi, ungabi lamhawu ngabakhohlakeleyo;
20 For there will be no future to the evil man, the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
ngoba omubi kayikuba lomvuzo; isibane sabakhohlakeleyo sizacitshwa.
21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king, and meddle not with them that are given to change;
Ndodana yami, yesaba uJehova lenkosi; ungahlanganyeli labaguquguqukayo;
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin from them both?
ngoba incithakalo yabo izavuka masinyane; njalo ngubani owazi ukuchitheka kwabo bobabili?
23 These also are sayings of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
Lala ngawabahlakaniphileyo. Ukunaka ubuso kusahlulelo kakulunganga.
24 He that saith unto the wicked: 'Thou art righteous', peoples shall curse him, nations shall execrate him;
Othi kokhohlakeleyo: Wena ulungile; abantu bazamqalekisa, izizwe zizamthukuthelela.
25 But to them that decide justly shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
Kodwa kulabo abamkhuzayo kuzakuba lentokozo, lesibusiso esihle sizabehlela.
26 He kisseth the lips that giveth a right answer.
Ophendula ngamazwi aqondileyo uzakwanga indebe.
27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thy house.
Lungisa umsebenzi wakho ngaphandle, uzilungiselele wona ensimini, emva kwalokho wakhe indlu yakho.
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
Ungabi ngumfakazi umelene lomakhelwane wakho kungelasizatho, kumbe ukhohlise ngendebe zakho.
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.'
Ungathi: Njengokwenza kwakhe kimi ngizakwenza njalo kuye; ngizaphindisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe.
30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
Ngedlula ensimini yevila, lesivinini somuntu oswele ingqondo;
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.
khangela-ke, konke kwakumile ameva, imbabazane yayisibekele ubuso bakho, lomthangala wakho wamatshe udilikile.
32 Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction.
Mina-ke ngakukhangela, ngakubeka enhliziyweni yami; ngakubona, ngemukela imfundiso.
33 'Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep' —
Ubuthongo obuncinyane, ukuwozela okuncinyane, ukusonga izandla okuncinyane ukuthi kulalwe,
34 So shall thy poverty come as a runner, and thy want as an armed man.
besebusiza ubuyanga bakho njengesihambi, lenswelo zakho njengomuntu ohlomileyo.
