Proverbs 6
1 [My] son, if you become surety for your friend, you shall deliver your hand to an enemy.
Ndodana yami, nxa wenzele umakhelwane wakho isibambiso, nxa libambene izandla ukuba uzamhlawulela imilandu yakhe,
2 For a man's own lips become a strong snare to him, and he is caught with the lips of his own mouth.
aluba usuzihilele ngalokho okutshiloyo, wazibambisa ngamazwi omlomo wakho,
3 [My] son, do what I command you, and deliver yourself; for on your friend's account you are come into the power of evil [men]: faint not, but stir up even your friend for whom you are become surety.
lapho-ke yenza lokhu, ndodana yami, ukuzikhulula, njengoba usuwele ezandleni zakhe umakhelwane wakho: Hamba ufike uzehlise; mncengancenge umakhelwane wakho!
4 Give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber with your eyelids;
Ungabuvumeli ubuthongo emehlweni akho, ungavumeli ukuwozela enkopheni zakho.
5 that you may deliver yourself as a doe out of the toils, and as a bird out of a snare.
Zikhulule njengempala ezandleni zomzingeli, njengenyoni esifini somthiyi.
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard; and see, and emulate his ways, and become wiser than he.
Khangela ubunyonyo, wena vila; hlolisisa ukwenza kwabo uhlakaniphe!
7 For whereas he has no husbandry, nor any one to compel him, and is under no master,
Kabulamphathi, kabula mkhangeli loba umbusi,
8 he prepares food for himself in the summer, and lays by abundant store in harvest. Or go to the bee, and learn how diligent she is, and how earnestly she is engaged in her work; whose labors kings and private men use for health, and she is desired and respected by all: though weak in body, she is advanced by honouring wisdom.
kodwa buyaqoqa umphako wabo ehlobo bubuthe ukudla kwabo nxa kuvunwa.
9 How long will you lie, O sluggard? and when will you awake out of sleep?
Uzalala khonapho kuze kube nini, vila ndini? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?
10 You sleep a little, and you rest a little, and you slumber a short [time], and you fold your arms over your breast a little.
Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
11 Then poverty comes upon you as an evil traveller, and lack as a swift courier: but if you be diligent, your harvest shall arrive as a fountain, and poverty shall flee away as a bad courier.
ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
12 A foolish man and a transgressor goes in ways that are not good.
Isigangi lesixhwali esihamba sikhuluma amanyala,
13 And the same winks with the eye, and makes a sign with his foot, and teaches with the beckonings of his fingers.
esiqhweba ngelihlo sitshengise ngezinyawo zaso njalo sitshengise ngeminwe yaso,
14 [His] perverse heart devises evils: at all times such a one causes troubles to a city.
esiceba ububi ngenkohliso enhliziyweni yaso sithanda ukuvusa inkani kokuphela.
15 Therefore his destruction shall come suddenly; overthrow and irretrievable ruin.
Ngakho lowo uzawelwa yingozi ngokuphazima; uzabhidlizwa ngokuphangisa kungasekho okungenziwa.
16 For he rejoices in all things which God hates, and he is ruined by reason of impurity of soul.
Ziyisithupha izinto uThixo azizondayo, eziyisikhombisa eziyisinengiso kuye:
17 The eye of the haughty, a tongue unjust, hands shedding the blood of the just;
amehlo atshengisa ukudelela, ulimi oluqamba amanga, izandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
18 and a heart devising evil thoughts, and feet hastening to do evil, —[are hateful to God].
inhliziyo egaya izibozi, inyawo eziphangisa ukuya ebubini,
19 An unjust witness kindles falsehoods, and brings on quarrels between brethren.
umfakazi wamanga, okhuluma inkohliso lomuntu oletha ukuxabana kubazalwane.
20 [My] son, keep the laws of your father, and reject not the ordinances of your mother:
Ndodana yami, gcina imilayo kayihlo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
21 but bind them upon your soul continually, and hang them as a chain about your neck.
Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho nini lanini; kugqize entanyeni yakho.
22 Whenever you walk, lead this along and let it be with you; that it may talk with you when you wake.
Nxa uhamba, lezizinto zizakukhokhela; lanxa ulele zizakulinda; uthi uvuka zikukhulumise.
23 For the commandment of the law is a lamp and a light; a way of life; reproof also and correction:
Ngoba imilayo le iyisibane, imfundiso le iyikukhanya, leziqondiso zokuzithiba ziyindlela yokuphila,
24 to keep you continually from a married woman, and from the calumny of a strange tongue.
zikuvikela kowesifazane ongaziphathanga, laselimini olumnandi lomfazi ongelambeko.
25 Let not the desire of beauty overcome you, neither be you caught by your eyes, neither be captivated with her eyelids.
Ungasuki umfise ngenhliziyo yakho ngenxa yobuhle bakhe kumbe akuhuge ngamehlo akhe.
26 For the value of a harlot is as much as of one loaf; and a woman hunts for the precious souls of men.
Ngoba isifebe siyakululazisa ufane lesinkwa, kodwa umfazi womuntu uyayibhidliza impilo yakho uqobo.
27 Shall any one bind fire in his bosom, and not burn his garments?
Kambe umuntu angokhela umlilo emathangazini akhe na zingaze zatsha izigqoko zakhe?
28 or will any one walk on coals of fire, and not burn his feet?
Kambe umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle inyawo zakhe zingaze zatsha na?
29 So is he that goes in to a married woman; he shall not be held guiltless, neither any one that touches her.
Kunjalo kulowo olala lomfazi wenye indoda; kakho omthintayo ongayikujeziswa.
30 It is not to be wondered at if one should be taken stealing, for he steals that when hungry he may satisfy his soul:
Abantu kabalithuki isela nxa lintshontsha ngoba lifuqwa liphango.
31 but if he should be taken, he shall repay sevenfold, and shall deliver himself by giving all his goods.
Kodwa lingabanjwa lihlawuliswa kasikhombisa, lanxa inhlawulo ilithathela yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
32 But the adulterer through lack of sense procures destruction to his soul.
Kodwa indoda efebayo kayilangqondo; lowo okwenzayo lokho uyazibulala yena ngokwakhe.
33 He endures both pain and disgrace, and his reproach shall never be wiped off.
Izidutshulo lehlazo kuyisabelo sakhe, ukuyangeka kwakhe kakusoze kwafa kwaphela.
34 For the soul of her husband is full of jealousy: he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
Ngoba ubukhwele bendoda yalowomfazi buyiqubula ulaka, ingabe isaba lozwelo lapho isiphindisela.
35 He will not forego [his] enmity for any ransom: neither will he be reconciled for many gifts.
Kayizukuvuma inhlawulo; kayiyikwamukela isivalamlomo loba singakanani.
