Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is noisy; and whosoever indulgeth therein will never be wise.
Iwayini liyisideleli; okunathwayo okulamandla kulomsindo; njalo wonke oduha kukho 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.
Ukwesabeka kwenkosi kunjengokubhonga kwebhongo lesilwane; oyithukuthelisayo wona umphefumulo wakhe.
3 It is an honor for a man to cease from a contest; but every fool enrageth himself.
Kuludumo emuntwini ukuyekela inkani; kodwa sonke isiwula siyaziveza.
4 Because it is winter's cold, will the sluggard not plough: when he therefore seeketh in the harvest time, there will be nothing.
Ngenxa yobusika ivila kaliyikulima; ngakho lizaphanza esivunweni, kodwa kungabi lalutho.
5 Like deep water is counsel in the heart of man; but the 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 kindness; but who can find a faithful man?
Inengi labantu limemezela, lowo lalowo ukulunga kwakhe, kodwa ngubani ongathola umuntu othembekileyo?
7 The righteous walketh in his integrity: happy will be his children after him.
Olungileyo uhamba ngobuqotho bakhe; babusisiwe abantwana bakhe emva kwakhe.
8 A king that sitteth on the throne of justice scattereth away with his eyes all evil.
Inkosi ehlezi esihlalweni sesahlulelo ihlakaza bonke ububi ngamehlo ayo.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart pure, I am cleansed from my sin.
Ngubani ongathi: Ngihlanzile inhliziyo yami, ngihlambulukile esonweni sami?
10 Divers weights, and divers measures, are both of them alike an abomination of the Lord.
Amatshe ezilinganiso ezehlukeneyo, ama-efa ehlukeneyo, kuyisinengiso eNkosini, yebo kokubili.
11 Even a child maketh himself known by his doings, whether his work will be pure, and whether it will be upright.
Lomntwana uyazazisa ngezenzo zakhe, loba umsebenzi wakhe uhlanzekile kumbe loba uqotho.
12 The ear that heareth, and the eye that seeth, the Lord hath made both of them alike.
Indlebe ezwayo lelihlo elibonayo, iNkosi yakwenza, yebo kokubili.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty: open thy eyes, so wilt thou be satisfied with bread.
Ungathandi ubuthongo, hlezi ube ngumyanga; vula amehlo akho, usuthe isinkwa.
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; kodwa esehambile abesezincoma.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of pearls; but a precious vessel are the lips of knowledge.
Kulegolide, lobunengi bamatshe aligugu, kodwa indebe zolwazi zingumceciso oligugu.
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 sakhe oyisibambiso sowemzini, umbambe abe yisibambiso sabezizwe.
17 Bread of falsehood is pleasant to a man; but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel-stones.
Isinkwa samanga simnandi emuntwini, kodwa emva kwalokho umlomo wakhe uzagcwaliswa ngokhethe.
18 Plans are established by counsel; and with wise reflection conduct 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 enticeth with his lips.
Ohambahamba enyeya wembula imfihlakalo; ngakho ungahlangani lokhohlisa ngendebe zakhe.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother—his lamp shall be quenched in obscure darkness.
Othuka uyise loba unina, isibane sakhe sizacitshwa ebumnyameni obumnyama.
21 An inheritance hastily gotten at the beginning will at its end not be blessed,
Ilifa lingaphangisiswa ekuqaleni, kodwa ukucina kwalo kakuyikubusiswa.
22 Do not say, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the Lord, and he will help thee.
Ungathi: Ngizaphindisela okubi; lindela iNkosi, njalo izakusindisa.
23 Divers weights are an abomination of the Lord; and a deceitful balance is not good.
Amatshe ezilinganiso ezehlukeneyo ayisinengiso eNkosini, lesikali esikhohlisayo kasilunganga.
24 From the Lord are the steps of man [ordained]; but man— how can he understand his own way?
Izinyathelo zomuntu zivela eNkosini; pho, umuntu angaqedisisa njani indlela yakhe?
25 It is a snare to a man to sanctify things hastily, and to make inquiry only after having made vows.
Kungumjibila emuntwini ukuginya okungcwele, lokuhlolisisa emva kwezifungo.
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and turneth over them the threshing-wheel.
Inkosi ehlakaniphileyo ihlakaza ababi, ibuyisela ivili phezu kwabo.
27 A lamp of the Lord is the soul of man, searching all the inner chambers of the body.
Umphefumulo womuntu uyisibane seNkosi, sihlolisisa wonke amakamelo esisu.
28 Kindness and truth will watch over a king, and he will prop up through kindness his throne.
Umusa leqiniso kuyayigcina inkosi, isekela isihlalo sayo sobukhosi ngokulunga.
29 The ornament of young men is their strength; and the glory of old men is a hoary head.
Udumo lwejaha lungamandla alo, lobukhosi babadala yizimvu zekhanda.
30 The bruises of a wound are cleansing means for the bad, and stripes [will reach] the inner chambers of the body.
Imivimvinya yenxeba ihlanza ububi, ngokunjalo izidutshuzo zamakamelo esisu.
