Proverbs 21
1 Yahweh controls what kings do [MTY] [like] he controls how streams flow; he causes kings to do just what he wants them to do.
Inhliziyo yenkosi isezandleni zikaThixo, uyiholela lapho athanda khona njengomsele wamanzi.
2 People always think that what they do is right, but Yahweh judges our (motives/reasons [for doing things)] [MTY].
Umuntu ubona kungathi zonke izindlela zakhe zilungile, kodwa uThixo uhlola inhliziyo.
3 Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to Yahweh than [bringing] sacrifices [to him].
Ukwenza okulungileyo lokufaneleyo kuyathandeka kuThixo kulomhlatshelo.
4 Being proud and arrogant [DOU] is [like] a lamp [MTY] [that guides] wicked people; being proud and arrogant characterizes (wicked people’s whole behavior/everything that wicked people do).
Amehlo okuzikhukhumeza lenhliziyo ezigqajayo, okuyikho okukhokhela ababi, konke yizono!
5 People who plan carefully will surely have plenty [of what they need]; those who act too quickly [to become rich] will become poor.
Amalungiselelo abakhutheleyo anika umvuzo njengoba nje amawala eletha ubuyanga.
6 Money that people acquire [by cheating others] by lying [MTY] to them will soon disappear [like] a mist, and doing that will [soon] lead to their death.
Inotho ezuzwe ngendlela yamanga iyinkungu ememethekayo lomjibila wokufa.
7 Wicked [people] refuse to do what is right/just, but they will be ruined because of the violent things [PRS] that they do.
Ukuhlukuluza kwababi kuzabakhukhula, ngoba bayala ukwenza okulungileyo.
8 Guilty [people continually do what is evil; it is as though] [MET] they are walking on a crooked road; but righteous/innocent people [always] do what is right.
Indlela yomuntu olecala iyathubezela, kodwa ukwenza kongelalo kuqondile.
9 It is better to live in the corner of an attic/housetop [by yourself] than to live inside the house with a wife who is always nagging.
Kungcono ukuhlala ekhulusini lophahla lwendlu kulokuhlala ndlu yinye lomfazi olomlomo.
10 Wicked [people] [SYN] are always wanting [to do what is] evil; they never act mercifully toward anyone.
Umuntu omubi utshisekela ububi; kalasihawu ngomakhelwane wakhe.
11 When those who ridicule [others] are punished, [even] those who do not have good sense [see that, and] they become wise, and when those who are wise are taught, they become wiser.
Nxa kujeziswa isideleli isithutha sizuza ukuhlakanipha; nxa ohlakaniphileyo eqondiswa uzuza ulwazi.
12 [God], the one [who is completely] righteous, knows [what happens inside] the houses of wicked [people], and [he will cause] those people to be completely ruined/destroyed.
Olungileyo uyayinanzelela indlu yesigangi kuthi lesosigangi asibhubhise.
13 There are people who refuse to listen when poor people cry out [for help]; [but some day] they themselves will cry out [for help], and no one will hear them.
Nxa umuntu egcika indlebe zakhe ukuze angezwa ukukhala kwabayanga, laye uzakuthi esekhala angalalelwa muntu.
14 When someone is angry [with you], if you secretly give him a gift, he will stop being angry.
Isipho esiphiwa ensitha siyaludedisa ulaka, lesivalamlomo esifihlwe emajazini siyakudedisa ukuthukuthela.
15 Good/Righteous [people] are happy when they [see others do] what is just/fair, but those who do what is evil are terrified [when they think about what may happen to them].
Ukwahlulela kuhle kuthokozisa olungileyo kodwa izigangi kuzitshayisa uvalo.
16 Those who stop behaving like those who have good sense behave will [soon] discover that they have gone to the place where dead people are.
Umuntu ophambuka endleleni yokuzwisisa ucina esendawonye labafileyo.
17 Those who spend their money to buy (things that give them pleasure/things that cause them to feel happy) will become poor; those who love [to spend money to buy] wine and nice/fancy food [MTY] will never become rich.
Lowo othanda ukuzithokozisa uzakuba ngumyanga; laloba ngubani othanda iwayini lezibondlo ngeke anothe.
18 Wicked [people] bring on themselves the sufferings that they were trying to cause righteous [people] to experience [DOU].
Ababi baba ngumhlawulelo wabalungileyo, labangathembekanga bangumhlawulelo wabaqotho.
19 It is better to live [alone] in a desert than [to live] with a wife who is [always] nagging and complaining.
Kungcono ukuhlala enkangala kulokuhlala lomfazi olenkani lothethayo.
20 Wise people have many valuable things in their houses, but foolish people [quickly] spend/waste [all their money].
Indlu yohlakaniphileyo igcwele amaqubaquba ezibiliboco lamafutha, kodwa umuntu oyisithutha udla aqede du konke alakho.
21 Those who [always] try to act in a fair and kind way [toward others] will live [a long time] and be honored/respected.
Lowo odinga ukulunga lothando uzuza ukuphila, ukuphumelela lodumo.
22 A wise army commander [helps his troops] climb over a wall [to attack] a city that is defended by a strong army, with the result that they are able to (get over/destroy) the high walls that their enemies trusted [would protect them].
Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo uhlasela umuzi wabalamandla adilizele phansi inqaba abayithembileyo.
23 Those who are very careful about what they say [MTY] are [able to] avoid trouble.
Lowo oqaphela umlomo wakhe lolimi lwakhe uyaziphephisa ezingozini.
24 Those who make fun of [everything that is good] are proud and conceited [DOU]; they [always] act in an inconsiderate way [toward others].
Umuntu ozigqajayo loyisiqholo ibizo lakhe ngu “Sideleli,” wenza izinto ngokuziqakisa okukhulu.
25 Lazy people, who refuse to work, [will] die [of hunger] because they [SYN] do not earn [money to buy food].
Izinkanuko zevila yizo ezililimazayo, ngoba izandla zalo ziyala ukusebenza.
26 All during the day [wicked people] desire to obtain things, but righteous [people] have plenty, [with the result that] they [are able to] give things generously to others.
Ilanga lonke litshona lifisa okungapheliyo, kodwa abalungileyo bayapha bengagodli.
27 [Yahweh] detests the sacrifices that wicked [people] offer [to him]; [but he] detests it even more when they [think that they will escape being punished for] their evil deeds because of the sacrifices that they bring.
Umhlatshelo wababi uyisinengiso kambe mubi kangakanani nxa ulethwa ngenhliziyo embi.
28 Those who tell lies in court will be punished; no one stops/silences witnesses who say what is truthful/reliable.
Umfakazi wamanga uzabhubha, kuthi lowo omlalelayo uzabhujiswa lanini.
29 Wicked people pretend [that they know everything], but righteous people think carefully about [what will happen because of] what they do.
Umuntu omubi utshengisa isibindi samanga, kodwa umuntu oqotho uyananzelela izenzo zakhe.
30 [Thinking that we are] wise, and that we understand many things, and that we have good insight, does not help us if Yahweh is (acting against/not pleased with) us.
Akulakuhlakanipha, akulambono, akulacebo okunganqoba uThixo.
31 We [can] get horses ready to fight in a battle, but Yahweh is the one who enables us to (win victories/defeat our enemies).
Ibhiza liyalungiselelwa usuku lwempi, kodwa ukunqoba kulawulwa nguThixo.
