< Proverbs 6 >

1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,
Ndodana yami, uba uyisibambiso somakhelwane wakho, watshayela owezizwe isandla sakho,
2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
uthiywe ngamazwi omlomo wakho, ubanjwe ngamazwi omlomo wakho.
3 Do this now, my son, deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.
Yenza lokhu khathesi, ndodana yami, uzophule, lokhu usesandleni sikamakhelwane wakho; hamba, uzithobe, umncengisise umakhelwane wakho.
4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
Unganiki amehlo akho ubuthongo, lokuwozela enkopheni zakho.
5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Uzophule njengomziki esandleni somzingeli, lanjengenyoni esandleni somthiyi wenyoni.
6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
Yana ebunyonyweni, vila, ubone indlela zabo, uhlakaniphe.
7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
Obuthi, bungelamkhokheli, induna, lombusi,
8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
bulungisa isinkwa sabo ehlobo, bubuthe ukudla kwabo esivunweni.
9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
Koze kube nini, vila, ulele? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?
10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
Ubuthongo obuncinyane, ukuwozela okuncinyane, ukusonga izandla okuncinyane ukuthi ulale,
11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
besebusiza ubuyanga bakho njengesihambi, lenswelo yakho njengomuntu olesihlangu.
12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.
Umuntu kaBheliyali, umuntu okhohlakeleyo, ohamba lomlomo ophambeneyo,
13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;
afice amehlo akhe, akhulume ngenyawo zakhe, afundise ngeminwe yakhe,
14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
ukuphambuka kusenhliziyweni yakhe, uceba okubi ngesikhathi sonke, ephosela ingxabano.
15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
Ngenxa yalokhu ingozi yakhe izafika masinyane, ahle ephuke, kuze kungabi leselapho.
16 These six things doth YHWH hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
Lezizinto eziyisithupha iNkosi iyazizonda; yebo, eziyisikhombisa ziyizinengiso emphefumulweni wakhe:
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
Amehlo aphakemeyo, ulimi oluqamba amanga, lezandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
inhliziyo eceba amacebo amabi, inyawo eziphangisa ukugijimela ububi,
19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
umfakazi wamanga ophafuza izinkohliso, lophosela ingxabano phakathi kwabazalwane.
20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Ndodana yami, gcina umlayo kayihlo, ungakudeli ukufundisa kukanyoko.
21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.
Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho njalo, kubophele entanyeni yakho.
22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
Ekuhambeni kwakho kuzakukhokhela, ekulaleni kwakho kukulondoloze, lekuvukeni kwakho khona kukhulume lawe.
23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
Ngoba umlayo uyisibane, lokufundisa kuyikukhanya, lokukhuza kokulaya kuyindlela yempilo,
24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
ukuze kukugcine emfazini omubi, emazwini ayengayo olimi lowesifazana wemzini.
25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
Ungaloyisi ubuhle bakhe enhliziyweni yakho; angakuthathi ngenkophe zakhe.
26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.
Ngoba ngenxa yomfazi oyisiphingi ungafika ecezwini lwesinkwa, lomfazi womuntu uzingela umphefumulo oligugu.
27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
Kambe, umuntu angaphatha umlilo esifubeni sakhe, lezigqoko zakhe zingatshi?
28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
Umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle avuthayo, lenyawo zakhe zingatshi yini?
29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
Unjalo ongena kumkamakhelwane wakhe; wonke omthintayo kayikuba msulwa.
30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;
Kabalideleli isela, nxa liseba ukuthi ligcwalise umphefumulo walo, ngoba lilambile.
31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
Uba litholwa, lihlawula kuphindwe kasikhombisa, linika yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
Ofeba lowesifazana uswela ingqondo; owenza lokhu nguye ochitha umphefumulo wakhe.
33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
Uzathola ukutshaywa lesigcono, lehlazo lakhe kaliyikwesulwa.
34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
Ngoba ubukhwele bululaka lomuntu; ngakho kayikuba lasihawu ngosuku lwempindiselo.
35 He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.
Kayikunanza loba yiyiphi inhlawulo, kayikuvuma lanxa usandisa isipho.

< Proverbs 6 >