Proverbs 18
1 He who is separated seeks [his own] desire, He interferes with all wisdom.
Umuntu ongelamusa uzifunela okwakhe; uyazilahla zonke iziqondiso ezinhle.
2 A fool does not delight in understanding, But in uncovering his heart.
Isiwula kasikuthakazeleli ukuzwisisa kodwa sithokoza ngokutsho eyaso imibono.
3 Contempt has also come with the coming of the wicked, And with shame—reproach.
Nxa kufika ububi kufika lokweyisa, njalo ihlazo liza lokudumazeka.
4 The words of a man’s mouth [are] deep waters, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
Amazwi omlomo womuntu ayinziki yamanzi, kodwa umthombo wokuhlakanipha ngumfudlana ontuntuzayo.
5 Favoring of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
Kakukuhle ukulungisela ababi loba ukungehluleli kuhle abangelacala.
6 The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth calls for stripes.
Izindebe zesiwula zisilethela ingxabano, lomlomo waso unxusa ukutshaywa.
7 The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
Umlomo wesiwula yiwo osidilizayo, lezindebe zaso zingumjibila womphefumulo waso.
8 The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
Amazwi omuntu onyeyayo anjengezibiliboco; angena ekujuleni kwenhliziyo yomuntu.
9 He also that is remiss in his work, He [is] a brother to a destroyer.
Lowo ovilaphayo emsebenzini wakhe ungumfowabo walowo odilizayo.
10 The Name of YHWH [is] a tower of strength, The righteous runs into it, and is set on high.
Ibizo likaThixo liyinqaba eqinileyo; abalungileyo babalekela kulo baphephe.
11 The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
Inotho yezikhulu ingumuzi wazo ovikelweyo; zicabanga ukuthi imiduli yawo ayikhweleki.
12 The heart of man is high before destruction, And humility [is] before honor.
Umuntu uyazikhukhumeza ngenhliziyo yakhe, mandulo kokuba awe, ikanti ukuzithoba kwandulela udumo.
13 Whoever is answering a matter before he hears, It is folly to him—and shame.
Lowo ophendulayo engaqali alalele lobo yibuwula bakhe lehlazo lakhe.
14 The spirit of a man sustains his sickness, And who bears a struck spirit?
Umphefumulo womuntu uyamqinisa nxa egula, kodwa ngubani ongaphila elomoya owephukileyo na?
15 The heart of the intelligent gets knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
Inhliziyo yabaqedisisayo izuza ulwazi; indlebe zabahlakaniphileyo ziyakudinga.
16 The gift of a man makes room for him, And it leads him before the great.
Isipho siyamvulela indlela ophayo azuze ithuba lokubonana labakhulu.
17 The first in his own cause [seems] righteous, [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.
Ecaleni okhuluma kuqala ubonakala enguye olungileyo, kuze kuqhamuke omunye ambuzisise.
18 The lot causes contentions to cease, And it separates between the mighty.
Ukwenza inkatho kuyakuqeda ukulwisana, kubehlukanise abaxabanayo.
19 A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
Umzalwane owonelweyo uba lukhuni kulomuzi ohonqolozelweyo, lezingxabano zinjengamasango enqaba avaliweyo.
20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied.
Isisu somuntu sigcwaliswa yizithelo zomlomo wakhe; usuthiswa yisivuno sezindebe zakhe.
21 Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
Ulimi lulamandla okuphila lokufa, njalo labo abaluthandayo bazakudla izithelo zalo.
22 [Whoever] has found a wife has found good, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
Lowo ozuza umfazi ufumana okuhle, athole umusa kuThixo.
23 The poor speaks [with] supplications, And the rich answers fierce things.
Umyanga uyancenga ukuthi axolelwe, kodwa isinothi siphendula ngolaka.
24 A man with friends—to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
Umuntu olabangane abanengi ucina kubi, kodwa kuba khona umngane othembeka okudlula umfowenu.
