Proverbs 17
1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.
Ucezu olomileyo lokuthula kanye lalo lungcono kulendlu egcwele imihlatshelo lengxabano.
2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causes shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brothers.
Inceku ehlakaniphileyo izabusa phezu kwendodana eyangisayo, yehlukanise ilifa phakathi kwezelamani.
3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD tries the hearts.
Imbiza yokuncibilikisa ngeyesiliva, lesithando ngesegolide, kodwa iNkosi ihlola izinhliziyo.
4 A wicked doer gives heed to false lips; and a liar gives ear to a naughty tongue.
Umenzi wobubi ulalela indebe ekhohlakeleyo; umqambimanga ubeka indlebe olimini oluchithayo.
5 Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
Oklolodela umyanga uthuka uMenzi wakhe; othokoza encithakalweni kayikuba msulwa.
6 Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
Abantwana babantwana bangumqhele wabadala, lodumo lwabantwana ngoyise.
7 Excellent speech becomes not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
Indebe elobungcwethi kayisifanelanga isithutha; kakhulu kangakanani indebe yamanga isiphathamandla.
8 A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that has it: wherever it turns, it prospers.
Isipho siyilitshe eliligugu emehlweni abaniniso; loba ngaphi esiphendukela khona sizaphumelela.
9 He that covers a transgression seeks love; but he that repeats a matter separates very friends.
Osibekela isiphambeko udinga uthando, kodwa ophindaphinda udaba wehlukanisa umngane oseduze.
10 A reproof enters more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
Ukukhuza kuyajula koqedisisayo kulokutshaya isithutha ngokulikhulu.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
Omubi udinga ububi kuphela, kodwa isithunywa esilesihluku sizathunyelwa kuye.
12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
Kakuthi ibhere elifelwe yimidlwane lihlangane lomuntu, kodwa hatshi isithutha ebuthutheni baso.
13 Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
Ophindisela okubi esikhundleni sokuhle, ububi kabuyikusuka endlini yakhe.
14 The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
Ukuqala kwenkani kunjengokuvulela amanzi; ngakho yekela ingxabano ingakazivezi.
15 He that justifies the wicked, and he that condemns the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.
Olungisisa omubi lolahla olungileyo bayisinengiso eNkosini, ngitsho bobabili.
16 Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he has no heart to it?
Kungani kulemali yokuthenga inhlakanipho esandleni sesithutha, lokhu singelangqondo?
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Umngane uyathanda ngaso sonke isikhathi, lomzalwane uzalelwa inhlupheko.
18 A man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes surety in the presence of his friend.
Umuntu oswela ingqondo uyabambana ngezandla ukuba yisibambiso phambi kukamakhelwane wakhe.
19 He loves transgression that loves strife: and he that exalts his gate seeks destruction.
Othanda isiphambeko uthanda inkani; ophakamisa umnyango wakhe udinga ukubhujiswa.
20 He that has a fraudulent heart finds no good: and he that has a perverse tongue falls into mischief.
Olenhliziyo ephambeneyo katholi okuhle, lophambene ngolimi uwela ebubini.
21 He that begets a fool does it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool has no joy.
Ozala isithutha, sizakuba lusizi kuye; loyise wesithutha kathokozi.
22 A merry heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones.
Inhliziyo ethokozayo yenza kuhle njengomuthi, kodwa umoya owephukileyo womisa amathambo.
23 A wicked man takes a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
Omubi uthatha isipho esifubeni ukuphambula izindlela zesahlulelo.
24 Wisdom is before him that has understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
Inhlakanipho iphambi koqedisisayo, kodwa amehlo esithutha asekucineni komhlaba.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bore him.
Indodana eyisiwula ilusizi kuyise, iyikubaba kowayizalayo.
26 Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.
Ukuhlawulisa olungileyo lakho kakulunganga, lokutshaya iziphathamandla ngenxa yobuqotho.
27 He that has knowledge spares his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
Owazi ulwazi ugodla amazwi akhe; umuntu oqedisisayo ulomoya opholileyo.
28 Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise: and he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
Isithutha esithuleyo laso sithiwa sihlakaniphile; ovala indebe zakhe uthiwa uyaqedisisa.
