Proverbs 6
1 [My] son, if you become surety for your friend, you shall deliver your hand to an enemy.
Ndodana yami, uba uyisibambiso somakhelwane wakho, watshayela owezizwe isandla sakho,
2 For a man's own lips become a strong snare to him, and he is caught with the lips of his own mouth.
uthiywe ngamazwi omlomo wakho, ubanjwe 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.
Yenza lokhu khathesi, ndodana yami, uzophule, lokhu usesandleni sikamakhelwane wakho; hamba, uzithobe, umncengisise umakhelwane wakho.
4 Give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber with your eyelids;
Unganiki amehlo akho ubuthongo, lokuwozela enkopheni zakho.
5 that you may deliver yourself as a doe out of the toils, and as a bird out of a snare.
Uzophule njengomziki esandleni somzingeli, lanjengenyoni esandleni somthiyi wenyoni.
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard; and see, and emulate his ways, and become wiser than he.
Yana ebunyonyweni, vila, ubone indlela zabo, uhlakaniphe.
7 For whereas he has no husbandry, nor any one to compel him, and is under no master,
Obuthi, bungelamkhokheli, induna, lombusi,
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.
bulungisa isinkwa sabo ehlobo, bubuthe ukudla kwabo esivunweni.
9 How long will you lie, O sluggard? and when will you awake out of sleep?
Koze kube nini, vila, ulele? 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.
Ubuthongo obuncinyane, ukuwozela okuncinyane, ukusonga izandla okuncinyane ukuthi ulale,
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.
besebusiza ubuyanga bakho njengesihambi, lenswelo yakho njengomuntu olesihlangu.
12 A foolish man and a transgressor goes in ways that are not good.
Umuntu kaBheliyali, umuntu okhohlakeleyo, ohamba lomlomo ophambeneyo,
13 And the same winks with the eye, and makes a sign with his foot, and teaches with the beckonings of his fingers.
afice amehlo akhe, akhulume ngenyawo zakhe, afundise ngeminwe yakhe,
14 [His] perverse heart devises evils: at all times such a one causes troubles to a city.
ukuphambuka kusenhliziyweni yakhe, uceba okubi ngesikhathi sonke, ephosela ingxabano.
15 Therefore his destruction shall come suddenly; overthrow and irretrievable ruin.
Ngenxa yalokhu ingozi yakhe izafika masinyane, ahle ephuke, kuze kungabi leselapho.
16 For he rejoices in all things which God hates, and he is ruined by reason of impurity of soul.
Lezizinto eziyisithupha iNkosi iyazizonda; yebo, eziyisikhombisa ziyizinengiso emphefumulweni wakhe:
17 The eye of the haughty, a tongue unjust, hands shedding the blood of the just;
Amehlo aphakemeyo, ulimi oluqamba amanga, lezandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
18 and a heart devising evil thoughts, and feet hastening to do evil, —[are hateful to God].
inhliziyo eceba amacebo amabi, inyawo eziphangisa ukugijimela ububi,
19 An unjust witness kindles falsehoods, and brings on quarrels between brethren.
umfakazi wamanga ophafuza izinkohliso, lophosela ingxabano phakathi kwabazalwane.
20 [My] son, keep the laws of your father, and reject not the ordinances of your mother:
Ndodana yami, gcina umlayo kayihlo, ungakudeli ukufundisa kukanyoko.
21 but bind them upon your soul continually, and hang them as a chain about your neck.
Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho njalo, kubophele entanyeni yakho.
22 Whenever you walk, lead this along and let it be with you; that it may talk with you when you wake.
Ekuhambeni kwakho kuzakukhokhela, ekulaleni kwakho kukulondoloze, lekuvukeni kwakho khona kukhulume lawe.
23 For the commandment of the law is a lamp and a light; a way of life; reproof also and correction:
Ngoba umlayo uyisibane, lokufundisa kuyikukhanya, lokukhuza kokulaya kuyindlela yempilo,
24 to keep you continually from a married woman, and from the calumny of a strange tongue.
ukuze kukugcine emfazini omubi, emazwini ayengayo olimi lowesifazana wemzini.
25 Let not the desire of beauty overcome you, neither be you caught by your eyes, neither be captivated with her eyelids.
Ungaloyisi ubuhle bakhe enhliziyweni yakho; angakuthathi ngenkophe zakhe.
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 ngenxa yomfazi oyisiphingi ungafika ecezwini lwesinkwa, lomfazi womuntu uzingela umphefumulo oligugu.
27 Shall any one bind fire in his bosom, and not burn his garments?
Kambe, umuntu angaphatha umlilo esifubeni sakhe, lezigqoko zakhe zingatshi?
28 or will any one walk on coals of fire, and not burn his feet?
Umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle avuthayo, lenyawo zakhe zingatshi yini?
29 So is he that goes in to a married woman; he shall not be held guiltless, neither any one that touches her.
Unjalo ongena kumkamakhelwane wakhe; wonke omthintayo kayikuba msulwa.
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:
Kabalideleli isela, nxa liseba ukuthi ligcwalise umphefumulo walo, ngoba lilambile.
31 but if he should be taken, he shall repay sevenfold, and shall deliver himself by giving all his goods.
Uba litholwa, lihlawula kuphindwe kasikhombisa, linika yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
32 But the adulterer through lack of sense procures destruction to his soul.
Ofeba lowesifazana uswela ingqondo; owenza lokhu nguye ochitha umphefumulo wakhe.
33 He endures both pain and disgrace, and his reproach shall never be wiped off.
Uzathola ukutshaywa lesigcono, lehlazo lakhe kaliyikwesulwa.
34 For the soul of her husband is full of jealousy: he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
Ngoba ubukhwele bululaka lomuntu; ngakho kayikuba lasihawu ngosuku lwempindiselo.
35 He will not forego [his] enmity for any ransom: neither will he be reconciled for many gifts.
Kayikunanza loba yiyiphi inhlawulo, kayikuvuma lanxa usandisa isipho.
