Proverbs 30

1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the burden. The man saith unto Ithiel, unto Ithiel and Ucal:

Amazwi ka-Aguri indodana kaJakhe, amazwi ahlakaniphileyo: Umuntu lo wathi ku-Ithiyeli: “Ngikhathele, Oh Nkulunkulu, kodwa ngizophumelela.

2 Surely I am brutish, unlike a man, and have not the understanding of a man;

Angilalwazi okudlula bonke abantu; angilakho ukuzwisisa komuntu.

3 And I have not learned wisdom, that I should have the knowledge of the Holy One.

Angikufundanga ukuhlakanipha njalo kangilalwazi ngaye oNgcwele.

4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in his garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?

Ngubani oseke waya ezulwini waphinda wehla na? Ngubani oseke wafumbatha umoya ngesandla sakhe na? Ngubani oseke wagoqela amanzi ngesigqoko sakhe na? Ngubani omise yonke imikhawulo yomhlaba na? Lingubani ibizo lakhe, lebizo lendodana yakhe? Ngitshela nxa usazi!

5 Every word of God is tried; He is a shield unto them that take refuge in Him.

Wonke amazwi kaNkulunkulu akalamposiso; uyisihlangu kulabo abacatsha kuye.

6 Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

Ungengezeleli emazwini akhe, funa akukhuze akwenze umqambimanga.

7 Two things have I asked of Thee; deny me them not before I die:

Zimbili izinto engizicela kuwe, Oh Thixo; ungangincitshi zona ngingakafi:

8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with mine allotted bread;

Susa kimi inkohliso lamanga; ungangiphi ubuyanga loba inotho, kodwa ungiphe kuphela ukudla kwami kwansukuzonke.

9 Lest I be full, and deny, and say: 'Who is the LORD?' Or lest I be poor, and steal, and profane the name of my God.

Phela ngingaba lokunengi kakhulu ngikuphike wena ngithi, ‘Ungubani uThixo?’ loba ngibengumyanga ngintshontshe; ngalokho ngiliyangise ibizo likaNkulunkulu wami.

10 Slander not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.

Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, ngoba izakuqalekisa ungene enkathazweni.

11 There is a generation that curse their father, and do not bless their mother.

Bakhona abathuka oyise, abangababusisiyo onina;

12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.

labo abazibona belungile ikanti kabahlambululwanga emanyaleni abo;

13 There is a generation, Oh how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.

labo abamehlo abo ahlezi egcwele ulaka, abakhangela ngokudelela;

14 There is a generation whose teeth are as swords, and their great teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

labo omazinyo abo zinkemba, omihlathi yabo inanyathiselwe izingqamu ukuze baginye abayanga baphele emhlabeni, labaswelayo abaphakathi kwabantu.

15 The horseleech hath two daughters: 'Give, give.' There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four that say not: 'Enough':

Umkhaza ulamadodakazi amabili; ayamemeza athi, ‘Siphe! Siphe!’ Zintathu izinto ezingasuthiyo, zine ezingakaze zithi, ‘Sekwanele!’:

16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that saith not: 'Enough.' (Sheol h7585)

lingcwaba yisisu senyumba, lomhlabathi ongasuthiyo amanzi, lomlilo ongezukufa wathi, ‘Sekwanele!’ (Sheol h7585)

17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young vultures shall eat it.

Ilihlo elihleka uyise, elidelela ukulalela unina, lizakotsholwa ngamawabayi asesigodini, lizadliwa ngamanqe.

18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:

Kukhona izinto ezintathu ezingimangalisayo kakhulu, ezine engingazizwisisiyo:

19 The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a young woman.

indlela yengqungqulu emkhathini, umzila wenyoka edwaleni, indlela yomkhumbi olwandle, lendlela yejaha lentombi.

20 So is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith: 'I have done no wickedness.'

Le yindlela yesiphingikazi: siyadla sesule umlomo waso besesisithi, ‘Angenzanga lutho olubi.’

21 For three things the earth doth quake, and for four it cannot endure:

Zintathu izinto ezizamazamisa umhlaba, zine ongeke uzithwale:

22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a churl when he is filled with food;

yinceku ebayinkosi, yisiwula esisuthiyo,

23 For an odious woman when she is married; and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

ngumfazi owendileyo ongathandwayo, lencekukazi ethathela inkosikazi indoda.

24 There are four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:

Kukhona emhlabeni izinto ezine ezincinyane, ikanti-ke zihlakaniphile kakhulu:

25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;

Ubunyonyo kabulamandla anganani, kodwa buyabuthelela ukudla kwabo ehlobo;

26 The rock-badgers are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the crags;

lezimbila ziyizidalwa ezilamandla angatsho lutho, kodwa zenza izikhundla zazo ezingoxweni zamadwala;

27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;

izintethe kazilankosi, kodwa zihamba ziludibi olwesabekayo;

28 The spider thou canst take with the hands, yet is she in kings' palaces.

umbankwa ungabanjwa ngesandla, kodwa ungena lasezigodlweni zamakhosi.

29 There are three things which are stately in their march, yea, four which are stately in going:

Kulezinto ezintathu ezihamba zinqekuza kamnandi, zine ezihamba zibeka kamnandi:

30 The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

yisilwane, esilamandla esabekayo phakathi kwezilo, esingabalekeli lutho;

31 The greyhound; the he-goat also; and the king, against whom there is no rising up.

liqhude eliditshazelayo, yimpongo, njalo lenkosi nxa ihanqwe libutho layo.

32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast planned devices, lay thy hand upon thy mouth.

Nxa ube yisithutha waziphakamisa, kumbe nxa wakhe amacebo okwenza okubi, vala umlomo wakho ngesandla sakho.

33 For the churning of milk bringeth forth curd, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood; so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

Ngoba njengokuphehla uchago kudala iphehla, lanjengoba ukugubha amakhala kubanga umungula, kunjalo ukuvusa ulaka kudala ingxabano.”