Proverbs 20
1 Wine [is] a mocker, strong drink [is] raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Iwayini liyisideleli; okunathwayo okulamandla kulomsindo; njalo wonke oduha kukho kahlakaniphanga.
2 The fear of a king [is] as the roaring of a lion: [whoso] provoketh him to anger sinneth [against] his own soul.
Ukwesabeka kwenkosi kunjengokubhonga kwebhongo lesilwane; oyithukuthelisayo wona umphefumulo wakhe.
3 [It is] an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
Kuludumo emuntwini ukuyekela inkani; kodwa sonke isiwula siyaziveza.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; [therefore] shall he beg in harvest, and [have] nothing.
Ngenxa yobusika ivila kaliyikulima; ngakho lizaphanza esivunweni, kodwa kungabi lalutho.
5 Counsel in the heart of man [is like] deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
Iseluleko enhliziyweni yomuntu sinjengamanzi azikileyo, kodwa umuntu oqedisisayo uzasikha.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
Inengi labantu limemezela, lowo lalowo ukulunga kwakhe, kodwa ngubani ongathola umuntu othembekileyo?
7 The just [man] walketh in his integrity: his children [are] blessed after him.
Olungileyo uhamba ngobuqotho bakhe; babusisiwe abantwana bakhe emva kwakhe.
8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
Inkosi ehlezi esihlalweni sesahlulelo ihlakaza bonke ububi ngamehlo ayo.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
Ngubani ongathi: Ngihlanzile inhliziyo yami, ngihlambulukile esonweni sami?
10 Divers weights, [and] divers measures, both of them [are] alike abomination to the LORD.
Amatshe ezilinganiso ezehlukeneyo, ama-efa ehlukeneyo, kuyisinengiso eNkosini, yebo kokubili.
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work [be] pure, and whether [it be] right.
Lomntwana uyazazisa ngezenzo zakhe, loba umsebenzi wakhe uhlanzekile kumbe loba uqotho.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
Indlebe ezwayo lelihlo elibonayo, iNkosi yakwenza, yebo kokubili.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
Ungathandi ubuthongo, hlezi ube ngumyanga; vula amehlo akho, usuthe isinkwa.
14 [It is] naught, [it is] naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
Kubi, kubi, kutsho umthengi; kodwa esehambile abesezincoma.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge [are] a precious jewel.
Kulegolide, lobunengi bamatshe aligugu, kodwa indebe zolwazi zingumceciso oligugu.
16 Take his garment that is surety [for] a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
Thatha isembatho sakhe oyisibambiso sowemzini, umbambe abe yisibambiso sabezizwe.
17 Bread of deceit [is] sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
Isinkwa samanga simnandi emuntwini, kodwa emva kwalokho umlomo wakhe uzagcwaliswa ngokhethe.
18 [Every] purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
Imicabango uyimisa ngeseluleko; ngakho yenza impi ngamaqhinga amahle.
19 He that goeth about [as] a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
Ohambahamba enyeya wembula imfihlakalo; ngakho ungahlangani lokhohlisa ngendebe zakhe.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
Othuka uyise loba unina, isibane sakhe sizacitshwa ebumnyameni obumnyama.
21 An inheritance [may be] gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
Ilifa lingaphangisiswa ekuqaleni, kodwa ukucina kwalo kakuyikubusiswa.
22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
Ungathi: Ngizaphindisela okubi; lindela iNkosi, njalo izakusindisa.
23 Divers weights [are] an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance [is] not good.
Amatshe ezilinganiso ezehlukeneyo ayisinengiso eNkosini, lesikali esikhohlisayo kasilunganga.
24 Man’s goings [are] of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
Izinyathelo zomuntu zivela eNkosini; pho, umuntu angaqedisisa njani indlela yakhe?
25 [It is] a snare to the man [who] devoureth [that which is] holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
Kungumjibila emuntwini ukuginya okungcwele, lokuhlolisisa emva kwezifungo.
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
Inkosi ehlakaniphileyo ihlakaza ababi, ibuyisela ivili phezu kwabo.
27 The spirit of man [is] the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
Umphefumulo womuntu uyisibane seNkosi, sihlolisisa wonke amakamelo esisu.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
Umusa leqiniso kuyayigcina inkosi, isekela isihlalo sayo sobukhosi ngokulunga.
29 The glory of young men [is] their strength: and the beauty of old men [is] the gray head.
Udumo lwejaha lungamandla alo, lobukhosi babadala yizimvu zekhanda.
30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so [do] stripes the inward parts of the belly.
Imivimvinya yenxeba ihlanza ububi, ngokunjalo izidutshuzo zamakamelo esisu.
