Proverbs 23
1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
Nxa uhlalela ukudla lesiphathamandla, qaphelisa lokuqaphelisa okuphambi kwakho.
2 For thou puttest a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man of a craving desire.
Ubeke ingqamu emphinjeni wakho uba uyisiminzi.
3 Do not long for his savory meats; they are deceitful food.
Ungafisi izibondlo zaso, ngoba ziyikudla kwamanga.
4 Fatigue thyself not to become rich; because thou hast understanding, forbear.
Ungatshikatshikeli ukunotha; pheza ekuqedisiseni kwakho.
5 When thou lettest merely thy eyes fly over it, it is no more: for it will ever make itself wings: like an eagle will it fly toward heaven.
Uzandizisa yini amehlo akho kokungekho? Ngoba kuzazenzela lokuzenzela izimpiko njengokhozi oluphaphela emazulwini.
6 Eat not the bread of a man with an evil eye, and do not long for his savory meats;
Ungadli ukudla kolelihlo elibi, ungafisi izibondlo zakhe.
7 For as though there were a division in his soul, so doth he act: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
Ngoba njengoba ecabangile emphefumulweni wakhe, unjalo. Uzakuthi: Dlana unathe; kodwa inhliziyo yakhe kayilawe.
8 Thy morsel which thou hast eaten must thou spit out, and thou hast wasted thy pleasant words.
Ucezu oludlileyo uzaluhlanza, wone amazwi akho amnandi.
9 Speak not before the ears of a fool; for he will despise the intelligence of thy words.
Ungakhulumi endlebeni zoyisithutha, ngoba uzadelela inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
10 Remove not the ancient landmark, and into the fields of the fatherless must thou not enter;
Ungatshedisi isikhonkwane esidala somngcele; ungangeni emasimini ezintandane;
11 For their redeemer is strong; he will indeed plead their cause with thee.
ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; yena uzamela udaba lwazo kuwe.
12 Apply thy heart unto instruction, and thy ears to the sayings of knowledge.
Beka inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni, lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
13 Withhold not from a lad correction; for if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Ungagodleli umntwana isijeziso; nxa umtshaya ngoswazi kayikufa.
14 Thou wilt indeed beat him with the rod; but thou wilt deliver his soul from perdition. (Sheol h7585)
Wena uzamtshaya ngoswazi, ukhulule umphefumulo wakhe esihogweni. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, If thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
Ndodana yami, uba inhliziyo yakho ihlakanipha, inhliziyo yami izathokoza, yebo eyami;
16 And my reins shall exult when thy lips speak what is equitable.
lezinso zami zizajabula ekukhulumeni kwendebe zakho izinto eziqondileyo.
17 Let not thy heart be envious against sinners; but [remain] in the fear of the lord all the time.
Inhliziyo yakho kayingahawukeli izoni; kodwa bana ekwesabeni iNkosi lonke usuku.
18 For surely there is a future, and thy hope will not be cut off.
Ngoba isibili kukhona umvuzo, lomlindelo wakho kawuyikuqunywa.
19 Hear thou, my son, and become wise, and guide thy heart on the right way.
Lalela wena, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, uqondise inhliziyo yakho endleleni.
20 Be not among those that drink wine immoderately, among those that over-indulge in eating flesh:
Ungabi phakathi kwabanathi bewayini, phakathi kwezihwaba zenyama.
21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty; and drowsiness clotheth a man in rags.
Ngoba isidakwa lesihwaba sizakuba ngumyanga, lokuwozela kugqokisa amadabudabu.
22 Hearken unto thy father that hath begotten thee, and despise not thy mother although she be old.
Lalela uyihlo owakuzalayo, ungamdeleli unyoko esemdala.
23 Buy the truth and sell it not; [also] wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Thenga iqiniso, ungalithengisi; inhlakanipho, lemfundiso, lokuqedisisa.
24 The father of the righteous will be greatly glad, and he that begetteth a wise child will have joy through him.
Uyise wolungileyo uzathaba lokuthaba; lozala ohlakaniphileyo uzathokoza ngaye.
25 Let [then] thy father and thy mother rejoice, and let her that hath born thee be glad.
Uyihlo lonyoko kabathokoze, lokuzeleyo kathabe.
26 Give, my son, thy heart unto me, and let thy eyes watch my ways.
Ndodana yami, ngiphe inhliziyo yakho, lamehlo akho kawananzelele indlela zami.
27 For a harlot is a deep ditch, and a strange woman is a narrow well.
Ngoba iwule lingumgodi otshonayo, lowesifazana owemzini ungumthombo ongumcingo.
28 She also lieth in wait like a robber, and she increaseth the treacherous among men.
Laye ucathama njengomphangi, andise abangathembekanga phakathi kwabantu.
29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath quarrels? who hath complaints? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Ngubani olo: Maye? Ngubani olo: Wo? Ngubani olenkani? Ngubani olesililo? Ngubani olamanxeba ngeze? Ngubani olamehlo abomvu?
30 They that tarry late over the wine: they that come to seek for mixed drink.
Yilabo abalibala ewayinini, yilabo abazedinga iwayini elixutshanisiweyo.
31 Do not look on the wine when it looketh red, when it giveth its color in the cup, when it glideth down so readily.
Ungakhangeli iwayini, lapho lizibonakalisa libomvu, nxa linika umbala walo enkomitshini, lihamba liqondile.
32 At the last it will bite like a serpent, and like a basilisk will it sting.
Ekucineni kwalo liluma njengenyoka, lilume njengebululu.
33 Thy eyes will see strange forms, and thy heart will speak perverse things.
Amehlo akho azabona abesifazana bemzini, lenhliziyo yakho ikhulume izinto eziphambeneyo.
34 And thou wilt be like one that lieth down in the heart of the sea, or as he that lieth on the top of a mast.
Yebo, uzakuba njengolala enhliziyweni yolwandle, lanjengolala esihlokweni sensika yomkhumbi.
35 “They smote me, [but] I suffered no pain; they struck me hard, [but] I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will continue to seek it again.”
Bangitshayile, kangizwanga buhlungu; bangidutshuzile, kangikunanzanga. Ngizavuka nini? Ngiphinde ngilidinge futhi.
