Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious of wicked men, And desire not to be with them!
Ungabahawukeli abantu abaxhwalileyo, ungafisi ubungane labo;
2 For their heart studieth destruction, And their lips speak mischief.
ngoba ezingqondweni zabo bahlose udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma ngokuvusa umsindo.
3 Through wisdom is a house builded, And by understanding is it established;
Indlu yakhiwa ngokuhlakanipha, imiswe ngokuzwisisa;
4 Yea, by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and goodly substance.
amakamelo ayo agcwaliswe ngolwazi, agcwaliswe ngemiceciso yakude eligugu.
5 The wise man is strong; Yea, the man of understanding establisheth his strength.
Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla amakhulu, njalo umuntu ololwazi uyandisa amandla;
6 For by wise counsel shalt thou make war, And by the multitude of counsellors cometh success.
ukuthi unqobe empini kufunakala izeluleko, lokunqoba kudinga abeluleki abanengi.
7 Wisdom is too high for the fool; He openeth not his mouth at the gate.
Ukuhlakanipha kuphakeme kakhulu koyisiwula; enkundleni kalalutho angalukhuluma.
8 He that deviseth to do evil Shall be called mischief-master.
Lowo oceba ububi uzakwaziwa njengomacebomabi.
9 The purpose of folly is sin; And a scoffer is an abomination to men.
Amacebo obuwula ayisono, njalo abantu bayasizonda isideleli.
10 If thy spirit faint in the day of adversity, Faint will be thy strength.
Nxa uthikaza ngezikhathi zenhlupheko, mancinyane kanganani amandla akho!
11 Deliver thou those who are dragged to death, And those who totter to the slaughter, —O keep them back!
Bahlangule labo abaholelwa ekufeni; banqande labo abadayizela besiya ekubulaweni.
12 If thou sayst, “Behold, we knew it not!” Doth not he that weigheth the heart observe it? Yea, he that keepeth thy soul knoweth it. And he will render to every man according to his works.
Nxa usithi, “Angithi besingazi lutho ngalokhu,” kambe lowo ohlola inhliziyo kakuboni lokho na? Kakwazi lokho yini onguye olinda ukuphila kwakho na? Akayikuvuza ubani lobani ngakwenzileyo na?
13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good, And the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste;
Dlana uluju ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile; uluju olujuluka ekhekhebeni lumnandi luyanambitheka.
14 So learn thou wisdom for thy soul! When thou hast found it, there shall be a reward, And thy expectation shall not be cut off.
Yazi njalo ukuthi ukuhlakanipha kumnandi emphefumulweni wakho, aluba ukuzuza ikusasa lakho lilethemba elihle, njalo ithemba lakho aliyikudaniswa.
15 Plot not, O wicked man! against the habitation of the righteous; Spoil not his resting-place!
Ungacathameli indlu yomuntu olungileyo njengesigebenga, ungawuhlaseli umuzi wakhe;
16 For though the righteous fall seven times, yet shall he rise up again; But the wicked shall fall into mischief.
ngoba loba angaze awe kasikhombisa umuntu olungileyo uyavuka futhi, kodwa ababi babhazalaliswa yizinhlupheko.
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
Ungathatshiswa yikuwa kwesitha sakho; nxa sikhubeka ungavumeli inhliziyo yakho ithokoze,
18 Lest the LORD see, and it displease him, And he turn away his anger from him.
ngoba uThixo uzakubona lokho asole abesepholisa ulaka lwakhe kuso isitha.
19 Fret not thyself on account of evil men, Neither be thou envious of the wicked;
Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabantu ababi loba ubahawukele abaxhwalileyo,
20 For there shall be no posterity to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
ngoba umuntu omubi akalalo ithemba lakusasa, njalo isibane sezixhwali sizacinywa.
21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king; And mingle not with them that are given to change!
Yesaba uThixo lombusi, ndodana yami, ungangenelani labahlamuki,
22 For their calamity shall rise up suddenly, And their ruin, coming from them both, in a moment.
ngoba laba bobabili bazakwehlisa ulaka lubabhubhise, ngoba phela ngubani kambe okwaziyo ukubhubhisa abangakwehlisa?
23 These also are words of the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
La ngamanye amazwi ezihlakaniphi: Ukwahlulela ngobandlululo kakulunganga:
24 He that saith to the wicked, “Thou art righteous,” Him shall the people curse; Nations shall abhor him.
Loba ngubani othi kolecala, “Umsulwa,” abantu bonke bazamqalekisa lezizwe zonke zizamhlamukela.
25 But it shall be well with them that punish him, And the blessing of prosperity shall come upon them.
Kodwa kuzabalungela labo abamlahlayo olecala, lezibusiso ezinengi zizabehlela.
26 He that giveth a right answer Kisseth the lips.
Impendulo eqotho injengokwangiwa ezindebeni.
27 Arrange thy work without, And prepare it in thy field: Afterwards thou mayst build thy house.
Qeda umsebenzi wakho waphandle ulungise lamasimu akho; kuthi-ke usuqedile wakhe indlu yakho.
28 Be not a witness without cause against thy neighbor, And deceive not with thy lips.
Ungafakazi ngokubethela umakhelwane kungelamlandu, kumbe usebenzise izindebe zakho ukhohlisa.
29 Say not, “As he hath done to me, So will I do to him; I will render to the man according to his doings.”
Ungabokuthi, “Ngizakwenza kuye njengoba enze kimi; ngizahlawulisa ngalokho angenze khona.”
30 I passed by the field of the slothful, And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding,
Ngedlula ensimini yevilavoxo, ngedlula esivinini somuntu ongelangqondo;
31 And, lo! it was all overgrown with thorns, And the face thereof was covered with nettles, And the stone wall thereof was broken down.
ameva ayesekhula indawo yonke, indawo yonke isithe phethu ukhula, lomduli wamatshe usudilikile.
32 Then I saw, and considered it well; I looked upon it. and received instruction.
Ngakunanzelela konke engangikubona ngafunda isifundo kulokho engakubonayo:
33 “A little sleep, a little slumber! A little folding of the hands to rest!”
Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
34 So shall poverty come upon thee like a highwayman; Yea, want like an armed man.
ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
