Proverbs 25
1 These are also proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed:
Lalezi yizaga zikaSolomoni abantu bakaHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda abazikopayo.
2 The glory of God [is] to hide a thing, And the glory of kings [is] to search out a matter.
Kuludumo lukaNkulunkulu ukufihla udaba, kodwa kuludumo lwamakhosi ukuhlolisisa udaba.
3 The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings—[are] unsearchable.
Amazulu ngokuphakama, lomhlaba ngokujula, lenhliziyo yamakhosi kakulakuhlolisiswa.
4 Take away dross from silver, And a vessel goes forth for the refiner,
Susa amanyele esiliveni, besekuphuma isitsha somncibilikisi.
5 Take away the wicked before a king, And his throne is established in righteousness.
Susa okhohlakeleyo phambi kwenkosi, besekuqiniswa isihlalo sayo sobukhosi ngokulunga.
6 Do not honor yourself before a king, And do not stand in the place of the great.
Ungaziqhenyi phambi kwenkosi, njalo ungemi endaweni yezikhulu;
7 For better [that] he has said to you, “Come up here,” Than [that] he humbles you before a noble, Whom your eyes have seen.
ngoba kungcono kuthiwe kuwe: Yenyukela ngapha, kulokuthi wehliswe phambi kwesiphathamandla, amehlo akho asibonileyo.
8 Do not go forth to strive, hurry, turn, What do you do in its latter end, When your neighbor causes you to blush?
Ungaphangisi ukuphuma ukuyaphikisana, hlezi wenze ulutho ekucineni kwakho, lapho umakhelwane wakho esekuyangisile.
9 Plead your cause with your neighbor, And do not reveal the secret counsel of another,
Mela udaba lwakho lomakhelwane wakho, kodwa ungavezi imfihlo yomunye;
10 Lest the hearer put you to shame, And your evil report not turn back.
hlezi okuzwayo akuyangise, lesigcono sakho singaphambuki.
11 Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
Ilizwi elikhulunywe ngokufaneleyo linjengama-apula egolide ezitsheni zesiliva ezibaziweyo.
12 A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear.
Isongo legolide lesiceciso segolide elihle kungumkhuzi ohlakaniphileyo endlebeni ezwayo.
13 As a vessel of snow in a day of harvest, [So is] a faithful ambassador to those sending him, And he refreshes the soul of his masters.
Isithunywa esithembekileyo kwabasithumileyo sinjengomqando weliqhwa elikhithikileyo ngosuku lokuvuna, ngoba sivuselela umphefumulo wamakhosi aso.
14 Clouds and wind without rain, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
Umuntu oziqhenya ngesipho samanga unjengamayezi lomoya okungelazulu.
15 A ruler is persuaded by long-suffering, And a soft tongue breaks a bone.
Ngokubekezela umbusi angavunyiswa, lolimi oluthambileyo lwephula ithambo.
16 You have found honey—eat your sufficiency, Lest you are satiated [with] it, and have vomited it.
Utholile yini uluju? Dlana okwenele wena, hlezi uludle kakhulu, uluhlanze.
17 Withdraw your foot from your neighbor’s house, Lest he is satiated [with] you, and has hated you.
Unyawo lwakho kalungavami endlini kamakhelwane wakho, hlezi akusuthe akuzonde.
18 A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying a false testimony against his neighbor.
Umuntu ofakaza ubufakazi bamanga ngomakhelwane wakhe uyisagila lenkemba lomtshoko obukhali.
19 A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
Ukuthemba ongathembekanga ngosuku lokuhlupheka kunjengezinyo elephukileyo, lonyawo olwenyeleyo.
20 Whoever is taking away a garment in a cold day, [Is as] vinegar on natron, And a singer of songs on a sad heart.
Ohlabelela izingoma enhliziyweni edabukileyo unjengokhupha isembatho ngosuku lwamakhaza, njengeviniga phakathi kwesoda.
21 If he who is hating you hungers, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirsts, cause him to drink water.
Uba okuzondayo elambile, umnike isinkwa adle, njalo uba omile, umnike amanzi anathe;
22 For you are putting coals on his head, And YHWH gives repayment to you.
ngoba uzabekelela amalahle omlilo ekhanda lakhe, leNkosi izakuvuza.
23 A north wind brings forth rain, And a secret tongue—indignant faces.
Umoya wenyakatho uletha izulu, lolimi lwemfihlo ubuso obulolaka.
24 Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.
Kungcono ukuhlala engonsini yophahla kulalowesifazana wezinkani lendlini yokuhlanganyela.
25 [As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
Umbiko omuhle ovela elizweni elikhatshana unjengamanzi aqandayo emphefumulweni owomileyo.
26 A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
Olungileyo ozanyazanyiswayo phambi kokhohlakeleyo ungumthombo odungekileyo lesiphethu esonakeleyo.
27 The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one’s own honor—honor.
Ukudla uluju olunengi kakulunganga; lokuthi badinge udumo lwabo kakusidumo.
28 A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
Umuntu ongathinti umoya wakhe unjengomuzi ofohlelweyo ongelamthangala.
