Proverbs 20
1 Wine [is] a scorner—strong drink [is] noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.
Iwayini liyisideleli; okunathwayo okulamandla kulomsindo; njalo wonke oduha kukho kahlakaniphanga.
2 The fear of a king [is] a growl as of a young lion, He who is causing him to be angry is wronging his soul.
Ukwesabeka kwenkosi kunjengokubhonga kwebhongo lesilwane; oyithukuthelisayo wona umphefumulo wakhe.
3 Cessation from strife is an honor to a man, And every fool interferes.
Kuludumo emuntwini ukuyekela inkani; kodwa sonke isiwula siyaziveza.
4 The slothful does not plow because of winter, He asks in harvest, and there is nothing.
Ngenxa yobusika ivila kaliyikulima; ngakho lizaphanza esivunweni, kodwa kungabi lalutho.
5 Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draws it up.
Iseluleko enhliziyweni yomuntu sinjengamanzi azikileyo, kodwa umuntu oqedisisayo uzasikha.
6 A multitude of men each proclaim his kindness, And a man of steadfastness who finds?
Inengi labantu limemezela, lowo lalowo ukulunga kwakhe, kodwa ngubani ongathola umuntu othembekileyo?
7 The righteous is habitually walking in his integrity, O the blessedness of his sons after him!
Olungileyo uhamba ngobuqotho bakhe; babusisiwe abantwana bakhe emva kwakhe.
8 A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering all evil with his eyes,
Inkosi ehlezi esihlalweni sesahlulelo ihlakaza bonke ububi ngamehlo ayo.
9 Who says, “I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?”
Ngubani ongathi: Ngihlanzile inhliziyo yami, ngihlambulukile esonweni sami?
10 A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to YHWH.
Amatshe ezilinganiso ezehlukeneyo, ama-efa ehlukeneyo, kuyisinengiso eNkosini, yebo kokubili.
11 Even by his actions a youth makes himself known, Whether his work is pure or upright.
Lomntwana uyazazisa ngezenzo zakhe, loba umsebenzi wakhe uhlanzekile kumbe loba uqotho.
12 A hearing ear, and a seeing eye—YHWH has even made both of them.
Indlebe ezwayo lelihlo elibonayo, iNkosi yakwenza, yebo kokubili.
13 Do not love sleep, lest you become poor, Open your eyes—be satisfied [with] bread.
Ungathandi ubuthongo, hlezi ube ngumyanga; vula amehlo akho, usuthe isinkwa.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer, And then he boasts himself going his way.
Kubi, kubi, kutsho umthengi; kodwa esehambile abesezincoma.
15 Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Indeed, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
Kulegolide, lobunengi bamatshe aligugu, kodwa indebe zolwazi zingumceciso oligugu.
16 When a stranger has been guarantor, take his garment, And pledge it for strangers.
Thatha isembatho sakhe oyisibambiso sowemzini, umbambe abe yisibambiso sabezizwe.
17 The bread of falsehood [is] sweet to a man, And afterward his mouth is filled [with] gravel.
Isinkwa samanga simnandi emuntwini, kodwa emva kwalokho umlomo wakhe uzagcwaliswa ngokhethe.
18 You establish purposes by counsel, And with plans you make war.
Imicabango uyimisa ngeseluleko; ngakho yenza impi ngamaqhinga amahle.
19 The busybody is a revealer of secret counsels, And do not make yourself guarantor for a deceiver [with] his lips.
Ohambahamba enyeya wembula imfihlakalo; ngakho ungahlangani lokhohlisa ngendebe zakhe.
20 Whoever is vilifying his father and his mother, his lamp is extinguished in blackness of darkness.
Othuka uyise loba unina, isibane sakhe sizacitshwa ebumnyameni obumnyama.
21 An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
Ilifa lingaphangisiswa ekuqaleni, kodwa ukucina kwalo kakuyikubusiswa.
22 Do not say, “I repay evil,” Wait for YHWH, and He delivers you.
Ungathi: Ngizaphindisela okubi; lindela iNkosi, njalo izakusindisa.
23 A stone and a stone [are] an abomination to YHWH, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
Amatshe ezilinganiso ezehlukeneyo ayisinengiso eNkosini, lesikali esikhohlisayo kasilunganga.
24 The steps of a man [are] from YHWH, And man—how does he understand his way?
Izinyathelo zomuntu zivela eNkosini; pho, umuntu angaqedisisa njani indlela yakhe?
25 A snare to a man [that] he has swallowed a holy thing, And to make inquiry after vows.
Kungumjibila emuntwini ukuginya okungcwele, lokuhlolisisa emva kwezifungo.
26 A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turns the wheel back on them.
Inkosi ehlakaniphileyo ihlakaza ababi, ibuyisela ivili phezu kwabo.
27 The breath of man [is] a lamp of YHWH, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
Umphefumulo womuntu uyisibane seNkosi, sihlolisisa wonke amakamelo esisu.
28 Kindness and truth keep a king, And he has supported his throne by kindness.
Umusa leqiniso kuyayigcina inkosi, isekela isihlalo sayo sobukhosi ngokulunga.
29 The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honor of old men is grey hairs.
Udumo lwejaha lungamandla alo, lobukhosi babadala yizimvu zekhanda.
30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil, Also the scourges of the inner parts of the heart!
Imivimvinya yenxeba ihlanza ububi, ngokunjalo izidutshuzo zamakamelo esisu.
