Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is noisy; and whosoever indulgeth therein will never be wise.
Iwayini lenza ukudelela lotshwala buyaxabanisa, okhohliswa yilezi izinto kahlakaniphanga.
2 Like the roaring of a young lion is the dread of a king: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
Ulaka lwenkosi lunjengokubhonga kwesilwane; lowo oyizondisayo udela impilo yakhe.
3 It is an honor for a man to cease from a contest; but every fool enrageth himself.
Kumupha udumo umuntu ukubalekela ukuxabana, kodwa iziphukuphuku zonke ziphangisa ukuthenga inkani.
4 Because it is winter's cold, will the sluggard not plough: when he therefore seeketh in the harvest time, there will be nothing.
Ivila kalilimi ngesikhathi esifaneleyo; kuthi ngesikhathi sokuvuna liswele amabele.
5 Like deep water is counsel in the heart of man; but the man of understanding will draw it out.
Izifiso zenhliziyo yomuntu zingamanzi azikileyo, kodwa umuntu ozwisisayo uyazifinyelela.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness; but who can find a faithful man?
Banengi abathi balothando olungapheliyo, kodwa ngubani ongamthola umuntu othembekileyo na?
7 The righteous walketh in his integrity: happy will be his children after him.
Umuntu olungileyo uphila impilo encomekayo; babusisiwe abantwabakhe abamfuzayo.
8 A king that sitteth on the throne of justice scattereth away with his eyes all evil.
Inkosi nxa ihlezi esihlalweni sayo isahlulela, iyakuhlungula konke okubi ngamehlo ayo.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart pure, I am cleansed from my sin.
Ngubani ongathi, “Ngiyigcinile inhliziyo yami imhlophe; ngihlanzekile kangilasono?”
10 Divers weights, and divers measures, are both of them alike an abomination of the Lord.
Izisindo ezitshiyanayo lezilinganiso ezitshiyanayo uThixo uyakuzonda kokubili.
11 Even a child maketh himself known by his doings, whether his work will be pure, and whether it will be upright.
Lomntwana waziwa ngezenzo zakhe, ngokuthi isimilo sakhe sihle, siqotho.
12 The ear that heareth, and the eye that seeth, the Lord hath made both of them alike.
Indlebe ezizwayo lamehlo abonayo kokubili kwenziwa nguThixo.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty: open thy eyes, so wilt thou be satisfied with bread.
Ungathandani lobuthongo uzakuba ngumyanga, hlala uvukile uzakuba lokudla okunengi.
14 It is bad, it is bad, saith the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then doth he boast.
“Kubi, kubi!” kutsho umthengi; esuka lapho usezincoma ngakuthengileyo.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of pearls; but a precious vessel are the lips of knowledge.
Likhona igolide lamatshe aligugu amanengi, kodwa izindebe ezikhuluma ulwazi zilivelakancane.
16 Take away his garment, because he hath become surety for a stranger; and on account of a strange woman take a pledge from him.
Thatha isembatho salowo owenzela owezizweni isibambiso; sigcine nxa ebambisela owesifazane ongaziphathanga.
17 Bread of falsehood is pleasant to a man; but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel-stones.
Ukudla okuzuzwe ngenkohliso kumnandi emuntwini, kodwa kucina sekungathi udla itshebetshebe.
18 Plans are established by counsel; and with wise reflection conduct war.
Nxa usenza amacebo dinga izeluleko; nxa usiyahlasela zuza ukuqondiswa.
19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that enticeth with his lips.
Onyeyayo uyehluleka ukugcina imfihlo, ngakho yehlukana lomuntu okhuluma angathuli.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother—his lamp shall be quenched in obscure darkness.
Nxa umuntu ethuka uyise loba unina, isibane sakhe sizacinywa abesemnyameni omubi.
21 An inheritance hastily gotten at the beginning will at its end not be blessed,
Ilifa elizuzwa lula ekuqaleni alilakubusiswa ekucineni.
22 Do not say, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the Lord, and he will help thee.
Ungabokuthi, “Lami ngizakulungisa ngalokhu ongenze khona!” Yekela, uThixo nguye ozakusiza.
23 Divers weights are an abomination of the Lord; and a deceitful balance is not good.
UThixo uyazizonda izilinganiso eziguquguqulwayo, njalo kathokoziswa yizikali zokudlelezela.
24 From the Lord are the steps of man [ordained]; but man— how can he understand his own way?
Izinyathelo zomuntu zikhokhelwa nguThixo. Pho umuntu angayazi kanjani na indlela yakhe?
25 It is a snare to a man to sanctify things hastily, and to make inquiry only after having made vows.
Yikuzithiya ukuthembisa ngokuphangisa ukupha ulutho, phambili umuntu aphinde azisole ngalesosifungo.
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and turneth over them the threshing-wheel.
Inkosi ehlakaniphileyo iyabahlungula ababi; iyabahadla njengelitshe lokuchola.
27 A lamp of the Lord is the soul of man, searching all the inner chambers of the body.
Isibane sikaThixo siyawuhlolisisa umphefumulo womuntu; sihlolisisa ekujuleni kwemibilini yakhe.
28 Kindness and truth will watch over a king, and he will prop up through kindness his throne.
Uthando lokwethembeka kuyayivikela inkosi; ngothando isihlalo sayo sobukhosi sivikelekile.
29 The ornament of young men is their strength; and the glory of old men is a hoary head.
Udumo lwamajaha lusemandleni awo, izimvu zekhanda ziyinkazimulo yabadala.
30 The bruises of a wound are cleansing means for the bad, and stripes [will reach] the inner chambers of the body.
Izidutshulo lamanxeba kugezisa okubi, lezibhaxulo zihlambulula ingaphakathi.
