Proverbs 22
1 More choice, is a name, than great riches, beyond silver and gold, is pleasant grace.
Ibizo elihle liyathandeka kulenotho enengi; ukuhlonitshwa kungcono kulesiliva kumbe igolide.
2 The rich and the poor, meet together, the maker of them all, is Yahweh.
Abanothileyo labayanga bayafanana ngalokhu: UThixo unguMenzi wabo bonke.
3 A prudent man, seeth calamity, and hideth himself, but, the simple, pass on, and suffer.
Umuntu olengqondo uthi ebona ingozi acatshe, kodwa isithutha siyaphikelela singena enkathazweni.
4 The reward of humility, is the reverence of Yahweh, riches, and honour, and life.
Ukuzithoba lokwesaba uThixo kuletha inotho lodumo lokuphila.
5 Thorns and snares, are in the way of the perverse, —he that guardeth his soul, shall be far from them.
Endleleni yababi kugcwele ameva lemjibila, kodwa onanzelela umphefumulo wakhe unqenqela khatshana.
6 Train up a youth, in the direction of his duty, even when he becometh old, he will not depart from it.
Fundisa umntwana indlela amele ahambe ngayo, kuzakuthi esemdala kayikuphambuka kuyo.
7 The rich, over the poor, beareth rule, —and, slave, is the borrower to the lender.
Abanothileyo babusa abayanga, lalowo owebolekayo uyisichaka salowo omebolekayo.
8 He that soweth perversity, shall reap trouble, and, the rod of his wrath, shall be ready.
Lowo ohlanyele ububi uvuna ukuhlupheka, njalo uswazi lolaka lwakhe luzakwephulwa.
9 A benevolent eye, the same, shall be blessed, —because he hath given of his bread to the poor.
Umuntu ophanayo uzabusiswa, ngoba wabela abayanga ukudla kwakhe.
10 Drive away the scoffer, that strife may depart, and quarrel, and contempt may cease.
Xotsha isideleli, lenkani ihle iphume; ukuxabana lokuthukana kuyaphela.
11 Yahweh loveth the pure in heart, gracious are his lips, his friend is the king!
Othanda inhliziyo ehlanzekileyo, onkulumo yakhe ipholile uzakuba ngumngane wombusi.
12 The eyes of Yahweh, watch over knowledge, therefore hath he overturned the words of the treacherous.
Amehlo kaThixo ayaluvikela ulwazi kodwa uyawadiliza amazwi abangathembekanga.
13 Saith the sluggard, A lion outside! Amidst the broadways, shall I be slain.
Ivilavoxo lithi, “Kulesilwane phandle! Ngizabulawa ezindleleni!”
14 A deep chasm, is the mouth of strange women, he with whom Yahweh is indignant, falleth there.
Umlomo wesifebekazi unjengomgodi otshonayo; lowo othukwe nguThixo uzawobokela kuwo.
15 Foolishness, is bound up in the heart of a youth, the rod of correction, shall drive it far from him.
Ubuwula bugxilile enhliziyweni yomntwana, kodwa uswazi lokuqondisa luzabuxotshela khatshana.
16 He that oppresseth the poor, to make increase for himself, giving to the rich, shall surely come to want.
Lowo oncindezela abayanga ukuze anothe ngabo, lalowo oncenga abanothileyo ngezipho, bonke bacina sebengabayanga.
17 Incline thine ear and hear the words of wise men, then, thy heart, wilt thou apply to my teaching;
Lalela uzwe amazwi ezihlakaniphi; nikela inhliziyo yakho ezifundweni zami,
18 For sweet shall they be, when thou shalt keep them in thine inmost mind, they shall fit well together, upon thy lips.
ngoba kuyathokozisa nxa uzigcina enhliziyweni yakho, uzitsho kalula ngezindebe zakho.
19 That in Yahweh may be thy trust, I have made them known to thee to-day, even to thee.
Ukuze ithemba lakho lihlale kuThixo, yikho ngikufundisa lamuhla wena ngokwakho.
20 Have I not written for thee noble things, with counsels and knowledge:
Kangikulobelanga yini izitsho ezingamatshumi amathathu, izitsho zokweluleka lolwazi,
21 To cause thee to know the meaning of faithful sayings, that thou mayest give back faithful sayings to them who ask thee.
ezikufundisa amazwi eqiniso athembekileyo, ukuze ukwazi ukupha impendulo ezilesisindo kulowo okuthumileyo na?
22 Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, neither crush thou the oppressed in the gate;
Ungagegeleli abayanga ngoba bengabayanga njalo ungaphoseli abaswelayo entolongweni,
23 For, Yahweh, will plead their cause, and will despoil their despoilers of life.
ngoba uThixo uzakuba ngumeli wabo abahlukuluze labo ababahlukuluzayo.
24 Do not have friendship with one given to anger, and, with a wrathful man, shall thou not enter in:
Ungabi ngumngane womuntu ololaka, ungahambi lomuntu ozonda masinyane,
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and take a snare to thy soul.
funa ufunde izindlela zakhe uzingenise emjibileni.
26 Be not of them who strike hands, of them who are sureties for debts:
Ungabi ngumuntu ophanga ukwenza izithembiso kumbe onika isibambiso ngezikwelede;
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should one take away thy bed from under thee?
ungayiswela inhlawulo uzakwemukwa noma ngumbheda wakho olala kuwo.
28 Do not move back the ancient boundary, which thy father’s made.
Ungasusi ilitshe lakudala elomngcele elabekwa ngokhokho bakho.
29 Seest thou a man prompt in his business? before kings, shall he stand, he shall not stand before men who are obscure.
Uyambona umuntu oyingcitshi emsebenzini wakhe na? Uzasebenzela amakhosi; akayikusebenzela abantukazana.
