Proverbs 22
1 More choice, is a name, than great riches, beyond silver and gold, is pleasant grace.
Ibizo elihle likhethekile kulenotho enengi; isisa esihle kulesiliva njalo kulegolide.
2 The rich and the poor, meet together, the maker of them all, is Yahweh.
Onothileyo lomyanga bayahlangana; iNkosi yabenza bonke.
3 A prudent man, seeth calamity, and hideth himself, but, the simple, pass on, and suffer.
Ohlakaniphileyo ubona ububi acatshe, kodwa abangelalwazi bayaqhubeka babesebejeziswa.
4 The reward of humility, is the reverence of Yahweh, riches, and honour, and life.
Umvuzo wokuthobeka lokwesaba iNkosi kuyinotho lodumo lempilo.
5 Thorns and snares, are in the way of the perverse, —he that guardeth his soul, shall be far from them.
Ameva lemijibila kusendleleni yabaphambeneyo; ogcina umphefumulo wakhe uzakuba khatshana labo.
6 Train up a youth, in the direction of his duty, even when he becometh old, he will not depart from it.
Fundisa umntwana endleleni angahamba ngayo; ngitsho esemdala kayikuphambuka kuyo.
7 The rich, over the poor, beareth rule, —and, slave, is the borrower to the lender.
Onothileyo ubusa abayanga, lomeboleki uyisigqili somebolekisi.
8 He that soweth perversity, shall reap trouble, and, the rod of his wrath, shall be ready.
Ohlanyela ukonakala uzavuna ukuhlupheka, lentonga yolaka lwakhe izaphela.
9 A benevolent eye, the same, shall be blessed, —because he hath given of his bread to the poor.
Olelihlo elilokuhle yena uzabusiswa, ngoba unikile okwesinkwa sakhe kumyanga.
10 Drive away the scoffer, that strife may depart, and quarrel, and contempt may cease.
Xotsha isideleli, kuzaphuma lenkani, yebo, ingxabano lehlazo kuzaphela.
11 Yahweh loveth the pure in heart, gracious are his lips, his friend is the king!
Othanda ukuhlanzeka kwenhliziyo, ngenxa yesisa sendebe zakhe, inkosi ingumgane wakhe.
12 The eyes of Yahweh, watch over knowledge, therefore hath he overturned the words of the treacherous.
Amehlo eNkosi alondoloza ulwazi, kodwa izachitha amazwi abangathembekanga.
13 Saith the sluggard, A lion outside! Amidst the broadways, shall I be slain.
Ivila lithi: Kulesilwane ngaphandle; ngizabulawa phakathi kwezitalada.
14 A deep chasm, is the mouth of strange women, he with whom Yahweh is indignant, falleth there.
Umlomo wabesifazana bemzini ungumgodi otshonayo; lowo iNkosi emthukutheleleyo uzawela khona.
15 Foolishness, is bound up in the heart of a youth, the rod of correction, shall drive it far from him.
Ubuthutha bubotshelwe enhliziyweni yomntwana; uswazi lokuqondisa luzabususela khatshana laye.
16 He that oppresseth the poor, to make increase for himself, giving to the rich, shall surely come to want.
Ocindezela umyanga ukwandisa alakho, opha onothileyo, isibili uzakuba ngoswelayo.
17 Incline thine ear and hear the words of wise men, then, thy heart, wilt thou apply to my teaching;
Beka indlebe yakho, uzwe amazwi abahlakaniphileyo, umise inhliziyo yakho elwazini lami.
18 For sweet shall they be, when thou shalt keep them in thine inmost mind, they shall fit well together, upon thy lips.
Ngoba kumnandi uba uwalondoloza emibilini yakho; azahlala elungile kanyekanye endebeni zakho.
19 That in Yahweh may be thy trust, I have made them known to thee to-day, even to thee.
Ukuze ithemba lakho libe seNkosini, ngikwazisile wona lamuhla, ngitsho wena.
20 Have I not written for thee noble things, with counsels and knowledge:
Kangikubhalelanga yini izinto ezinhle kakhulu kuzeluleko lelwazini?
21 To cause thee to know the meaning of faithful sayings, that thou mayest give back faithful sayings to them who ask thee.
Ukukwazisa ukuqiniseka kwamazwi eqiniso, ukuze ubuyisele amazwi eqiniso kulabo abakuthumileyo.
22 Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, neither crush thou the oppressed in the gate;
Ungamphangi umyanga ngoba engumyanga, njalo ungamchobozi oswelayo esangweni.
23 For, Yahweh, will plead their cause, and will despoil their despoilers of life.
Ngoba iNkosi izamela udaba lwabo, iphange umphefumulo wababaphangayo.
24 Do not have friendship with one given to anger, and, with a wrathful man, shall thou not enter in:
Ungahlanganyeli lomuntu ololaka, ungahambisani lomuntu othukuthelayo,
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and take a snare to thy soul.
hlezi ufunde indlela zakhe, wemukele umjibila emphefumulweni wakho.
26 Be not of them who strike hands, of them who are sureties for debts:
Ungabi phakathi kwababambana izandla, phakathi kwabayizibambiso ngezikwelede.
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should one take away thy bed from under thee?
Uba ungelakho okokuhlawula, kungani ezathatha umbheda wakho ngaphansi kwakho?
28 Do not move back the ancient boundary, which thy father’s made.
Ungatshedisi isikhonkwane esidala somngcele, oyihlo abasenzayo.
29 Seest thou a man prompt in his business? before kings, shall he stand, he shall not stand before men who are obscure.
Uyambona yini umuntu oyingcitshi emsebenzini wakhe? Uzazimisa phambi kwamakhosi; kayikuzimisa phambi kwabantukazana.
