< Proverbs 24 >
1 Be thou not envious of bad men, and do not long to be with them.
Ungabahawukeli abantu abaxhwalileyo, ungafisi ubungane labo;
2 For their heart meditateth destruction, and of mischief do their lips speak.
ngoba ezingqondweni zabo bahlose udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma ngokuvusa umsindo.
3 Through wisdom is a house built; and through understanding is it firmly established;
Indlu yakhiwa ngokuhlakanipha, imiswe ngokuzwisisa;
4 And through knowledge are chambers filled with all manner of precious and pleasant wealth.
amakamelo ayo agcwaliswe ngolwazi, agcwaliswe ngemiceciso yakude eligugu.
5 A wise man is [always] in power; and a man of knowledge fortifieth [his] strength.
Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla amakhulu, njalo umuntu ololwazi uyandisa amandla;
6 For by wise counsel canst thou conduct thy war; and there is help in a multitude of counsellors.
ukuthi unqobe empini kufunakala izeluleko, lokunqoba kudinga abeluleki abanengi.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: in the gate can he not open his mouth.
Ukuhlakanipha kuphakeme kakhulu koyisiwula; enkundleni kalalutho angalukhuluma.
8 Him that deviseth to do evil, men call a master of wicked devices.
Lowo oceba ububi uzakwaziwa njengomacebomabi.
9 The counsel of folly is sin; and an abomination to men is the scorner.
Amacebo obuwula ayisono, njalo abantu bayasizonda isideleli.
10 If thou despond on the day of distress, thy strength is small.
Nxa uthikaza ngezikhathi zenhlupheko, mancinyane kanganani amandla akho!
11 Deliver those that are taken unto death, and those that are moved away to the slaughter hold back.
Bahlangule labo abaholelwa ekufeni; banqande labo abadayizela besiya ekubulaweni.
12 If thou shouldst say, Behold, we know not this man: lo, he that weigheth hearts will truly regard it, and he that keepeth thy soul will surely know it; and he will give a recompense to man according to his doing.
Nxa usithi, “Angithi besingazi lutho ngalokhu,” kambe lowo ohlola inhliziyo kakuboni lokho na? Kakwazi lokho yini onguye olinda ukuphila kwakho na? Akayikuvuza ubani lobani ngakwenzileyo na?
13 Eat honey, my son, because it is good; and the fine honey, which is sweet to thy palate:
Dlana uluju ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile; uluju olujuluka ekhekhebeni lumnandi luyanambitheka.
14 So obtain the knowledge of wisdom for thy soul: when thou hast found her, then shall there be a [happy] future, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
Yazi njalo ukuthi ukuhlakanipha kumnandi emphefumulweni wakho, aluba ukuzuza ikusasa lakho lilethemba elihle, njalo ithemba lakho aliyikudaniswa.
15 Lie not in wait, O wicked man! against the dwelling of the righteous; waste not his resting-place;
Ungacathameli indlu yomuntu olungileyo njengesigebenga, ungawuhlaseli umuzi wakhe;
16 For though the righteous were to fall seven times, he will rise up again; but the wicked shall stumble into misfortune.
ngoba loba angaze awe kasikhombisa umuntu olungileyo uyavuka futhi, kodwa ababi babhazalaliswa yizinhlupheko.
17 At the fall of thy enemy do not rejoice; and at his stumbling let not thy heart be glad:
Ungathatshiswa yikuwa kwesitha sakho; nxa sikhubeka ungavumeli inhliziyo yakho ithokoze,
18 Lest the Lord see it and it be displeasing in his eyes, and he turn away from him his wrath.
ngoba uThixo uzakubona lokho asole abesepholisa ulaka lwakhe kuso isitha.
19 Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious of the wicked;
Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabantu ababi loba ubahawukele abaxhwalileyo,
20 For there will be no [happy] future for the bad man: the lamp of the wicked will be quenched.
ngoba umuntu omubi akalalo ithemba lakusasa, njalo isibane sezixhwali sizacinywa.
21 My son, fear the Lord and the king: with those that are desirous to change do not mingle thyself;
Yesaba uThixo lombusi, ndodana yami, ungangenelani labahlamuki,
22 For suddenly will their calamity arise; and who knoweth the ruin of both of them!
ngoba laba bobabili bazakwehlisa ulaka lubabhubhise, ngoba phela ngubani kambe okwaziyo ukubhubhisa abangakwehlisa?
23 These things also are for the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
La ngamanye amazwi ezihlakaniphi: Ukwahlulela ngobandlululo kakulunganga:
24 Him that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, will the people denounce, him will nations hold accursed;
Loba ngubani othi kolecala, “Umsulwa,” abantu bonke bazamqalekisa lezizwe zonke zizamhlamukela.
25 But to those that punish delight shall be given, and upon them shall come the blessing of the good.
Kodwa kuzabalungela labo abamlahlayo olecala, lezibusiso ezinengi zizabehlela.
26 Men will kiss the lips of him that giveth a proper answer.
Impendulo eqotho injengokwangiwa ezindebeni.
27 Prepare without thy work, and make it fit in the field for thyself: and afterward build thy house.
Qeda umsebenzi wakho waphandle ulungise lamasimu akho; kuthi-ke usuqedile wakhe indlu yakho.
28 Be not without cause a witness against thy neighbor; for wouldst thou beguile with thy lips?
Ungafakazi ngokubethela umakhelwane kungelamlandu, kumbe usebenzise izindebe zakho ukhohlisa.
29 Say not, As he hath done to me so will I do to him: I will recompense every man according to his doing.
Ungabokuthi, “Ngizakwenza kuye njengoba enze kimi; ngizahlawulisa ngalokho angenze khona.”
30 By the field of a slothful man I once passed along, and by the vineyard of a man void of sense:
Ngedlula ensimini yevilavoxo, ngedlula esivinini somuntu ongelangqondo;
31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, nettles had covered its surface, and its stone-wall was broken down.
ameva ayesekhula indawo yonke, indawo yonke isithe phethu ukhula, lomduli wamatshe usudilikile.
32 And when I had indeed beheld [this] I took it to my heart: I saw it, and received a warning.
Ngakunanzelela konke engangikubona ngafunda isifundo kulokho engakubonayo:
33 “A little [more] sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands in lying down;”
Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
34 But then will thy poverty come like a rover; and thy wants as a man armed with a shield.
ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.