Proverbs 17
1 Better [is] a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.
Ucezu olomileyo lokuthula kanye lalo lungcono kulendlu egcwele imihlatshelo lengxabano.
2 A wise servant rules over a son causing shame, And he apportions an inheritance in the midst of brothers.
Inceku ehlakaniphileyo izabusa phezu kwendodana eyangisayo, yehlukanise ilifa phakathi kwezelamani.
3 A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts [is] YHWH.
Imbiza yokuncibilikisa ngeyesiliva, lesithando ngesegolide, kodwa iNkosi ihlola izinhliziyo.
4 An evildoer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.
Umenzi wobubi ulalela indebe ekhohlakeleyo; umqambimanga ubeka indlebe olimini oluchithayo.
5 Whoever is mocking at the poor Has reproached his Maker, Whoever is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.
Oklolodela umyanga uthuka uMenzi wakhe; othokoza encithakalweni kayikuba msulwa.
6 Sons’ sons [are] the crown of old men, And the glory of sons [are] their fathers.
Abantwana babantwana bangumqhele wabadala, lodumo lwabantwana ngoyise.
7 A lip of excellence is not fitting for a fool, much less a lip of falsehood for a noble.
Indebe elobungcwethi kayisifanelanga isithutha; kakhulu kangakanani indebe yamanga isiphathamandla.
8 A stone of grace [is] the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Wherever it turns, it prospers.
Isipho siyilitshe eliligugu emehlweni abaniniso; loba ngaphi esiphendukela khona sizaphumelela.
9 Whoever is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoever is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.
Osibekela isiphambeko udinga uthando, kodwa ophindaphinda udaba wehlukanisa umngane oseduze.
10 Rebuke comes down on the intelligent More than one hundred stripes on a fool.
Ukukhuza kuyajula koqedisisayo kulokutshaya isithutha ngokulikhulu.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.
Omubi udinga ububi kuphela, kodwa isithunywa esilesihluku sizathunyelwa kuye.
12 The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And—not a fool in his folly.
Kakuthi ibhere elifelwe yimidlwane lihlangane lomuntu, kodwa hatshi isithutha ebuthutheni baso.
13 Whoever is returning evil for good, Evil does not move from his house.
Ophindisela okubi esikhundleni sokuhle, ububi kabuyikusuka endlini yakhe.
14 The beginning of contention [is] a letting out of waters, And leave the strife before it is meddled with.
Ukuqala kwenkani kunjengokuvulela amanzi; ngakho yekela ingxabano ingakazivezi.
15 Whoever is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these [are] an abomination to YHWH.
Olungisisa omubi lolahla olungileyo bayisinengiso eNkosini, ngitsho bobabili.
16 Why [is] this—a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart—there is none?
Kungani kulemali yokuthenga inhlakanipho esandleni sesithutha, lokhu singelangqondo?
17 The friend is loving at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
Umngane uyathanda ngaso sonke isikhathi, lomzalwane uzalelwa inhlupheko.
18 A man lacking heart is striking hands, He becomes a guarantor before his friend.
Umuntu oswela ingqondo uyabambana ngezandla ukuba yisibambiso phambi kukamakhelwane wakhe.
19 Whoever is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoever is making his entrance high is seeking destruction.
Othanda isiphambeko uthanda inkani; ophakamisa umnyango wakhe udinga ukubhujiswa.
20 The perverse of heart does not find good, And the [one] turned in his tongue falls into evil.
Olenhliziyo ephambeneyo katholi okuhle, lophambene ngolimi uwela ebubini.
21 Whoever is begetting a fool has affliction for it, Indeed, the father of a fool does not rejoice.
Ozala isithutha, sizakuba lusizi kuye; loyise wesithutha kathokozi.
22 A rejoicing heart does good to the body, And a struck spirit dries the bone.
Inhliziyo ethokozayo yenza kuhle njengomuthi, kodwa umoya owephukileyo womisa amathambo.
23 The wicked takes a bribe from the bosom, To turn aside the paths of judgment.
Omubi uthatha isipho esifubeni ukuphambula izindlela zesahlulelo.
24 The face of the intelligent [is] to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool—at the end of the earth.
Inhlakanipho iphambi koqedisisayo, kodwa amehlo esithutha asekucineni komhlaba.
25 A foolish son [is] a provocation to his father, And bitterness to her bearing him.
Indodana eyisiwula ilusizi kuyise, iyikubaba kowayizalayo.
26 Also, [it] is not good to fine the righteous, To strike nobles for uprightness.
Ukuhlawulisa olungileyo lakho kakulunganga, lokutshaya iziphathamandla ngenxa yobuqotho.
27 One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper [is] a man of understanding.
Owazi ulwazi ugodla amazwi akhe; umuntu oqedisisayo ulomoya opholileyo.
28 Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips [seems] intelligent!
Isithutha esithuleyo laso sithiwa sihlakaniphile; ovala indebe zakhe uthiwa uyaqedisisa.
