Proverbs 16
1 People plan what they want to do, but Yahweh is the one who decides [MTY] what really will happen.
Umuntu angawabumba amacebo ngenhliziyo yakhe, kodwa uThixo nguye omupha amazwi okuwachaza.
2 People may think that their actions are right, but Yahweh really knows why people do what they do.
Umuntu angabona sengathi zonke izindlela zakhe ziqondile, kodwa uThixo uyazihlolisisa zonke injongo zomuntu.
3 (Request/Rely on) Yahweh to direct what you plan to do; [if you do that], you will succeed in what you plan.
Nikela kuThixo konke okwenzayo, kuzaphumelelisa wonke amacebo akho.
4 Yahweh knows why he does everything that he does; he has even prepared the wicked for the time that he will punish them.
UThixo uzilungisele isiphetho sakho konke kanye lababi usuku lokubhujiswa.
5 Yahweh hates/detests everyone who is proud [IDM]; you can be certain [IDM] that they will be punished [LIT].
UThixo uyabazonda bonke abazikhukhumezayo. Ngempela kabayikuphepha ukujeziswa.
6 Be loyal to Yahweh and faithfully [obey] him; if you do that, he will forgive you for having sinned. If we revere him, nothing evil will happen to us (OR, he will prevent evil things from happening to us).
Isono siyahlawulelwa ngothando langokwethembeka; ngokwesaba uThixo umuntu uyaphepha ebubini.
7 When our behavior pleases Yahweh, he even causes our enemies to act peacefully toward us.
Nxa izindlela zomuntu zimthokozisa uThixo, uyenza lezitha zakhe zihlalisane laye ngokuthula.
8 It is better to have a small amount of money that is earned honestly than to have a lot of money that is acquired dishonestly.
Kungcono ukuzuza okulutshwana ngendlela elungileyo kulokuzuza okunengi ngobuqili.
9 People plan what they want to do, but Yahweh directs/determines what they will [really] be able to do.
Umuntu angalungisa indlela yakhe engqondweni yakhe, kodwa uThixo nguye olawula izinyathelo zakhe.
10 [If] God directs what a king says, what he decides is [always] right/fair.
Izindebe zombusi zikhuluma kungathi lidlozi ngakho umlomo wakhe kawungaphambuli umthetho.
11 Yahweh wants us to use scales that are correct; the weights in his bag are correct, [because] he made them.
Izilinganiso eziqondileyo zivela kuThixo; zonke izisindo ezisemgodleni zenziwa nguye.
12 Kings detest those who do evil, because [it is people doing what] is fair/right that causes their governments to be [MTY] strong.
Amakhosi ayakuzonda ukwenza okubi, ngoba isihlalo sobukhosi sakhelwe phezu kokulunga.
13 Kings are delighted to hear people say [MTY] what is true; they love those who say what is right/honest.
Amakhosi athokoziswa yizindebe ezithembekileyo; ayamazisa umuntu okhuluma iqiniso.
14 If a king becomes angry, he [may] command that someone be executed, [so] wise people will [try to] cause him to be calm.
Ulaka lwenkosi luyisithunywa sokufa, kodwa umuntu ohlakaniphileyo uyaluxolisa.
15 If a king has a smile [MTY] on his face, he will enable people to have a [long] life (OR, he will not order people to be executed); his being pleased [with people] is [as delightful] as rain in the springtime [when seeds are planted].
Nxa ubuso benkosi bulentokozo, kukhomba ukuphila; ukuthandwa yiyo kunjengeyezi lezulu entwasa.
16 Becoming wise is better than aquiring gold; getting good understanding/insight is better than acquiring silver.
Kungcono kangakanani ukuzuza ukuhlakanipha kulegolide, ukukhetha ukuzwisisa kulesiliva!
17 Those whose behavior [MET] is good/right turn away from doing evil; those who guard their conduct [MTY] protect their lives.
Umgwaqo womuntu oqotho uceza ububi; lowo onanzelelayo indlela yakhe unanzelela impilo yakhe.
18 Being proud will (lead to your having/cause you to have) disasters; despising others will result in your being ruined.
Ukuzigqaja kwandulela ukubhujiswa, umoya omubi ulandelwa yikuwa.
19 It is better to be humble and poor than [to associate with] proud [people] and [to become rich by] dividing with them (plunder/goods captured in a battle).
Kungcono umoya othobekileyo lokuhlala kwabancindezelweyo kulokwabelana impango labazigqajayo.
20 Those who heed good teaching/instruction will prosper; happy are those who trust in Yahweh.
Lowo olalela izeluleko uyaphumelela, njalo ubusisiwe lowo othemba uThixo.
21 People say that those who are wise learn what is right/good behavior, and those who talk pleasantly [are able to] influence others [to do what is right].
Abahlakaniphileyo enhliziyweni kuthiwa bayaqedisisa, njalo amazwi amnandi aqinisa izeluleko.
22 Being wise is [like having] a fountain that gives life [MET], but foolish people are punished as a result of their acting foolishly.
Ukuzwisisa kungumthombo wokuphila kulabo abalakho, kodwa ubuwula buletha isijeziso eziwuleni.
23 Those who are wise think carefully before they talk, and as a result they are able to influence/persuade others [to do what is right].
Inhliziyo yomuntu ohlakaniphileyo ikhokhela umlomo wakhe, kanti lezindebe zakhe zikhuthaza izeluleko.
24 Kind words are like honey [SIM]: We enjoy them both, and both cause our bodies to be healthy/strong.
Amazwi amahle alikhekheba loluju, amnandi emphefumulweni njalo ayelapha emathanjeni.
25 There are some kinds of behavior [MET] that people think are right, but (walking on those roads [MET]/continually doing those things) causes those people to die.
Kukhona indlela ebonakala ilungile emuntwini, kodwa isiphetho sayo siyikufa.
26 If a worker (has an appetite/is hungry), that urges him to work hard because he [SYN] wants to [earn money to buy things to] eat.
Isisebenzi sifuqwa liphango ukusebenza kakhulu; ukulamba yikho okusikhuthazayo.
27 Worthless people plan [ways to cause] trouble [for others], and [even] what they say [injures people] like a hot fire does [SIM].
Isixhwali siceba ububi, lenkulumo yaso injengomlilo ohaqazayo.
28 Deceitful people cause strife/quarreling among other people; those who say false things about other people cause people who are friends to become enemies.
Umuntu ongelangqondo udaza inkani, njalo lomuntu onyeyayo wehlukanisa abangane.
29 Those who act violently entice/encourage others [to also act violently] and lead them along a road that will end in disaster.
Umuntu wodlakela uhuga umakhelwane wakhe amholele endleleni engalunganga.
30 People [sometimes] show with [one of] their eyes [to signal to their friends that they are] planning to do something to harm [others]; they smirk when they are about to do something evil.
Lowo ofica ngelihlo lakhe uceba izibozi; lowo oluma indebe zakhe uqonde ububi.
31 Gray hair is [like] a glorious crown [MET] that is given to people who have always behaved righteously.
Inwele ezimhlophe zingumqhele wobukhulu, zizuzwa ngempilo elungileyo.
32 Those who do not become angry quickly are better than those who are powerful; it is better to (control your temper/keep yourself from becoming very angry) than to conquer a city.
Ungcono umuntu obekezelayo kuleqhawe, umuntu ozinqandayo ulaka lwakhe kulalowo othumba idolobho.
33 People (cast lots/throw marked stones) [to decide what should be done], but God is the one who truly decides what will happen.
Inkatho iphoselwa enkundleni, kodwa isinqumo sayo sisemandleni kaThixo.
