Proverbs 18
1 He who is separated seeks [his own] desire, He interferes with all wisdom.
Ozehlukanisayo udinga okuloyisekayo kwakhe; ufohlela inhlakanipho yonke.
2 A fool does not delight in understanding, But in uncovering his heart.
Isithutha kasithokozi ekuqedisiseni, kodwa ukuze inhliziyo yaso iziveze.
3 Contempt has also come with the coming of the wicked, And with shame—reproach.
Lapho okhohlakeleyo esiza, kuza lokudelela, njalo kanye lenhloni, ihlazo.
4 The words of a man’s mouth [are] deep waters, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
Amazwi omlomo womuntu angamanzi azikileyo; umthombo wenhlakanipho uyisifula esigobhozayo.
5 Favoring of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
Kakulunganga ukwemukela ubuso bokhohlakeleyo, ukuphambula olungileyo kusahlulelo.
6 The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth calls for stripes.
Indebe zesithutha zingena enkanini, lomlomo waso ubiza imivimvinya.
7 The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
Umlomo wesithutha uyintshabalalo yaso, lendebe 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 onyeyayo anjengezibondlo ezehlela kokungaphakathi kwesisu.
9 He also that is remiss in his work, He [is] a brother to a destroyer.
Lolivila emsebenzini wakhe ungumfowabo womchithi.
10 The Name of YHWH [is] a tower of strength, The righteous runs into it, and is set on high.
Ibizo leNkosi lingumphotshongo oqinileyo; olungileyo uzagijimela kuwo amiswe phezulu evikelekile.
11 The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
Inotho yesinothi ingumuzi waso oqinileyo, lanjengomthangala ophakemeyo ekucabangeni kwaso.
12 The heart of man is high before destruction, And humility [is] before honor.
Mandulo kokubhujiswa inhliziyo yomuntu iyaziphakamisa, njalo mandulo kodumo kulokuthobeka.
13 Whoever is answering a matter before he hears, It is folly to him—and shame.
Ophendula indaba engakezwa, kuyibuwula kuye, lehlazo.
14 The spirit of a man sustains his sickness, And who bears a struck spirit?
Umoya womuntu uzasekela ukugula kwakhe, kodwa umoya owephukileyo, ngubani ongawuthwala?
15 The heart of the intelligent gets knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
Inhliziyo yoqedisisayo izuza ulwazi, lendlebe yabahlakaniphileyo idinga ulwazi.
16 The gift of a man makes room for him, And it leads him before the great.
Isipho somuntu siyamvulela ngokubanzi, simkhokhelela phambi kwabakhulu.
17 The first in his own cause [seems] righteous, [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.
Ongowokuqala ecaleni lakhe ubonakala elungile, kodwa umakhelwane wakhe ufika amhlole.
18 The lot causes contentions to cease, And it separates between the mighty.
Inkatho iqeda izingxabano, yehlukanise phakathi kwabalamandla.
19 A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
Umzalwane owoniweyo wedlula umuzi oqinileyo, lengxabano zinjengomgoqo wenqaba.
20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied.
Isisu somuntu siyasuthiswa yizithelo zomlomo wakhe, uzasuthiswa yinzuzo yendebe zakhe.
21 Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
Ukufa lempilo kusesandleni solimi; labaluthandayo bazakudla isithelo salo.
22 [Whoever] has found a wife has found good, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
Othole umfazi uthole okuhle, uzuze umusa eNkosini.
23 The poor speaks [with] supplications, And the rich answers fierce things.
Umyanga uyakhuluma ngokuncenga, kodwa isinothi siphendula izinto ezilukhuni.
24 A man with friends—to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
Umuntu wabangane abanengi uzachitheka, kodwa kulomngane onamathela kuleselamani.
