Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious of wicked men, neither crave to be with them;
Ungabahawukeli abantu abaxhwalileyo, ungafisi ubungane labo;
2 For, violence, their heart muttereth, and, mischief, their lips do speak.
ngoba ezingqondweni zabo bahlose udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma ngokuvusa umsindo.
3 In wisdom, is a house builded, and, in understanding, is it established;
Indlu yakhiwa ngokuhlakanipha, imiswe ngokuzwisisa;
4 And, in knowledge, chambers are filled, with all acquisitions, costly and fair.
amakamelo ayo agcwaliswe ngolwazi, agcwaliswe ngemiceciso yakude eligugu.
5 A wise man, is mighty, and, a man of knowledge, becometh alert in vigour.
Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla amakhulu, njalo umuntu ololwazi uyandisa amandla;
6 Surely, with concerted measures, shalt thou make for thyself war, and, success, lieth in the greatness of the counsellor.
ukuthi unqobe empini kufunakala izeluleko, lokunqoba kudinga abeluleki abanengi.
7 Unattainable to a foolish man, are the dictates of wisdom, in the gate, he openeth not his mouth.
Ukuhlakanipha kuphakeme kakhulu koyisiwula; enkundleni kalalutho angalukhuluma.
8 He that deviseth to do mischief, him, shall men call, a master of plots.
Lowo oceba ububi uzakwaziwa njengomacebomabi.
9 The purpose of folly, is sin, and, an abomination to mankind, is a buffoon.
Amacebo obuwula ayisono, njalo abantu bayasizonda isideleli.
10 Thou hast been slothful in the day of straitness, Strait, is thy strength.
Nxa uthikaza ngezikhathi zenhlupheko, mancinyane kanganani amandla akho!
11 Deliver thou such as are being led forth to death, and, them who are tottering to slaughter, oh that thou wouldst hold back!
Bahlangule labo abaholelwa ekufeni; banqande labo abadayizela besiya ekubulaweni.
12 Though thou say, Lo! we knew not this, Shall not, he that proveth hearts, himself, discern? And, he that formeth thy soul, himself, know? and bring back to a son of earth according to his deed?
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 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good, —and droppings from the comb [because they are] sweet to thy palate:
Dlana uluju ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile; uluju olujuluka ekhekhebeni lumnandi luyanambitheka.
14 Thus, take knowledge of wisdom, for thine own soul; If thou find it, then there is a future, and, thine expectation, shall not be cut off.
Yazi njalo ukuthi ukuhlakanipha kumnandi emphefumulweni wakho, aluba ukuzuza ikusasa lakho lilethemba elihle, njalo ithemba lakho aliyikudaniswa.
15 Do not lie in wait, thou lawless man, against the home of the righteous, —neither destroy thou his place of rest;
Ungacathameli indlu yomuntu olungileyo njengesigebenga, ungawuhlaseli umuzi wakhe;
16 For, seven times, may the righteous fall and yet arise, but, lawless men, shall stumble into calamity.
ngoba loba angaze awe kasikhombisa umuntu olungileyo uyavuka futhi, kodwa ababi babhazalaliswa yizinhlupheko.
17 When thine enemy falleth, do not thou rejoice, and, when he stumbleth, let not thy heart exult:
Ungathatshiswa yikuwa kwesitha sakho; nxa sikhubeka ungavumeli inhliziyo yakho ithokoze,
18 Lest Yahweh see it, and it be wicked in his eyes, and he turn away from him his anger.
ngoba uThixo uzakubona lokho asole abesepholisa ulaka lwakhe kuso isitha.
19 Burn not with vexation against evil doers, be not envious of lawless men;
Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabantu ababi loba ubahawukele abaxhwalileyo,
20 For there shall be no future for the wicked, The lamp of the lawless, shall go out.
ngoba umuntu omubi akalalo ithemba lakusasa, njalo isibane sezixhwali sizacinywa.
21 Revere thou Yahweh, my son, and the king, and, with the fickle, have thou no fellowship;
Yesaba uThixo lombusi, ndodana yami, ungangenelani labahlamuki,
22 For, suddenly, shall arise their calamity; and, the misfortune of their years, who knoweth?
ngoba laba bobabili bazakwehlisa ulaka lubabhubhise, ngoba phela ngubani kambe okwaziyo ukubhubhisa abangakwehlisa?
23 These things also, concern the wise, To take note of faces in judgment, is not good.
La ngamanye amazwi ezihlakaniphi: Ukwahlulela ngobandlululo kakulunganga:
24 He that saith to the lawless man, Righteous, thou art, peoples shall denounce him, populations shall curse him;
Loba ngubani othi kolecala, “Umsulwa,” abantu bonke bazamqalekisa lezizwe zonke zizamhlamukela.
25 But, to reprovers, one should be pleasant, and, upon them, should come an excellent blessing:
Kodwa kuzabalungela labo abamlahlayo olecala, lezibusiso ezinengi zizabehlela.
26 Lips, should one kiss with one who answereth in right words.
Impendulo eqotho injengokwangiwa ezindebeni.
27 Prepare, in the open, thy work, and make ready, in the field, for thyself, Afterwards, shalt thou build thy house.
Qeda umsebenzi wakho waphandle ulungise lamasimu akho; kuthi-ke usuqedile wakhe indlu yakho.
28 Do not become a needless witness against thy neighbour, so mightest thou open too wide thy lips:
Ungafakazi ngokubethela umakhelwane kungelamlandu, kumbe usebenzise izindebe zakho ukhohlisa.
29 Do not say—According to what he hath done to me, so, will I do to him, I will repay every one according to his work.
Ungabokuthi, “Ngizakwenza kuye njengoba enze kimi; ngizahlawulisa ngalokho angenze khona.”
30 By the field of the sluggard, I passed, and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense;
Ngedlula ensimini yevilavoxo, ngedlula esivinini somuntu ongelangqondo;
31 And lo! there had come up all over it—thorns, there had covered the face thereof—thistles, and, the stone fence thereof, had been thrown down.
ameva ayesekhula indawo yonke, indawo yonke isithe phethu ukhula, lomduli wamatshe usudilikile.
32 So I observed it, for myself, I applied my heart, I looked—I accepted correction:
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 come in, as a highwayman, thy poverty, and, thy want, as one armed with a shield.
ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
