Proverbs 23
1 When you sit down to eat a meal with a (government official/king), think carefully about what (OR, who) is in front of you.
Nxa uhlalela ukudla lesiphathamandla, qaphelisa lokuqaphelisa okuphambi kwakho.
2 [Even] if you (have a big appetite/want to eat a lot of food), restrain yourself.
Ubeke ingqamu emphinjeni wakho uba uyisiminzi.
3 Do not want to eat [a lot of] his fine food, because he may be trying to trick you.
Ungafisi izibondlo zaso, ngoba ziyikudla kwamanga.
4 Do not [cause yourself to become very tired by] working very hard to become rich; be wise and stop doing that,
Ungatshikatshikeli ukunotha; pheza ekuqedisiseni kwakho.
5 because as soon as you look [MTY] at [all the money that you have acquired], it will be gone; it will [disappear as if it] suddenly grew wings [SIM] and flew up into the sky like an eagle.
Uzandizisa yini amehlo akho kokungekho? Ngoba kuzazenzela lokuzenzela izimpiko njengokhozi oluphaphela emazulwini.
6 [If] someone who is stingy [invites you to a meal], do not eat [a lot of] his fine food,
Ungadli ukudla kolelihlo elibi, ungafisi izibondlo zakhe.
7 because he will be thinking about how much [the food cost that you are eating]. He [will] say to you, “Eat and drink all that you want!”, but that is not what he [will] really be thinking.
Ngoba njengoba ecabangile emphefumulweni wakhe, unjalo. Uzakuthi: Dlana unathe; kodwa inhliziyo yakhe kayilawe.
8 [When you realize what he is really thinking, it will cause you to want to] vomit what you have eaten; and your kind words [telling him that you are enjoying the meal] will be wasted.
Ucezu oludlileyo uzaluhlanza, wone amazwi akho amnandi.
9 (Do not [waste time by]/It is useless) talking to foolish people; they will [only] despise the wise things that you say.
Ungakhulumi endlebeni zoyisithutha, ngoba uzadelela inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
10 Do not [steal someone’s property by] removing a boundary marker that has been there for a long time, and do not take for yourself the land that belongs to orphans,
Ungatshedisi isikhonkwane esidala somngcele; ungangeni emasimini ezintandane;
11 because Yahweh is strong, and he is [like] a relative that has the responsibility to defend them, he will [stand up in court and] argue for them and against you.
ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; yena uzamela udaba lwazo kuwe.
12 Pay attention to what [your teachers] teach you, and try to learn from the wise things that they say.
Beka inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni, lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
13 Do not refuse to discipline your children; if you punish/spank them, it will not cause them to die,
Ungagodleli umntwana isijeziso; nxa umtshaya ngoswazi kayikufa.
Wena uzamtshaya ngoswazi, ukhulule umphefumulo wakhe esihogweni. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son/child, if you [SYN] become wise, I [SYN] will be very happy.
Ndodana yami, uba inhliziyo yakho ihlakanipha, inhliziyo yami izathokoza, yebo eyami;
16 I [SYN] will rejoice when I hear you [SYN] say what is right/wise.
lezinso zami zizajabula ekukhulumeni kwendebe zakho izinto eziqondileyo.
17 Do not envy sinful people; instead, revere Yahweh all of your life.
Inhliziyo yakho kayingahawukeli izoni; kodwa bana ekwesabeni iNkosi lonke usuku.
18 [If you do that], you will be happy in the future, and [God] will certainly [do for you what you are] confidently expecting him to do.
Ngoba isibili kukhona umvuzo, lomlindelo wakho kawuyikuqunywa.
19 My son/child, listen carefully to me and become wise, and think about (all that you do/your behavior).
Lalela wena, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, uqondise inhliziyo yakho endleleni.
20 Do not associate with those who drink a lot of (wine/strong drink) or with those who (are gluttons/eat more than they should),
Ungabi phakathi kwabanathi bewayini, phakathi kwezihwaba zenyama.
21 because drunkards and gluttons will become poor; and if all that you do is eat and sleep, you will [soon] (be wearing rags/not have any money to buy clothes).
Ngoba isidakwa lesihwaba sizakuba ngumyanga, lokuwozela kugqokisa amadabudabu.
22 Pay attention to what your father tells you, and (do not neglect/take care of) [LIT] your mother when she is old.
Lalela uyihlo owakuzalayo, ungamdeleli unyoko esemdala.
23 Try to know/learn what is wise, and get good instruction and understanding; and do not throw those things away.
Thenga iqiniso, ungalithengisi; inhlakanipho, lemfundiso, lokuqedisisa.
24 Righteous [children] will cause their parents to be very happy; those whose children are wise are proud of them.
Uyise wolungileyo uzathaba lokuthaba; lozala ohlakaniphileyo uzathokoza ngaye.
25 [Do what will] cause your father to be glad and enable your mother [also] to be happy.
Uyihlo lonyoko kabathokoze, lokuzeleyo kathabe.
26 My son, heed what I say to you, and allow what I do to be an example for you.
Ndodana yami, ngiphe inhliziyo yakho, lamehlo akho kawananzelele indlela zami.
27 Prostitutes and immoral women [DOU] are [like] [MET] a deep pit or a well [that you may fall into].
Ngoba iwule lingumgodi otshonayo, lowesifazana owemzini ungumthombo ongumcingo.
28 They wait [for you] like robbers [SIM], and they cause many men to (be unfaithful to/have sex with women who are not) their wives.
Laye ucathama njengomphangi, andise abangathembekanga phakathi kwabantu.
29 I will tell you [RHQ] what kind of people are always miserable and sad. I will tell you [RHQ] which people are always causing arguments/quarrels and who are always complaining. I will tell you [RHQ] who are injured in fights and whose eyes are always red/bloodshot.
Ngubani olo: Maye? Ngubani olo: Wo? Ngubani olenkani? Ngubani olesililo? Ngubani olamanxeba ngeze? Ngubani olamehlo abomvu?
30 [It is] those who drink a lot of wine, who try drinking other kinds of strong drinks.
Yilabo abalibala ewayinini, yilabo abazedinga iwayini elixutshanisiweyo.
31 Do not look with pleasure at red wine that looks nice, and which sparkles when it is [poured out] into cups, and which tastes good as you drink it,
Ungakhangeli iwayini, lapho lizibonakalisa libomvu, nxa linika umbala walo enkomitshini, lihamba liqondile.
32 because the next morning [you will feel like] you have been bitten by a poisonous snake [DOU].
Ekucineni kwalo liluma njengenyoka, lilume njengebululu.
33 You [SYN] will [think that you are] seeing strange/weird things, and you [SYN] will not be able to think clearly or speak clearly.
Amehlo akho azabona abesifazana bemzini, lenhliziyo yakho ikhulume izinto eziphambeneyo.
34 You will think you are in a ship that is tossing on the sea; you be like [SIM] someone who is trying to sleep when the ship is rolling from one side to the other.
Yebo, uzakuba njengolala enhliziyweni yolwandle, lanjengolala esihlokweni sensika yomkhumbi.
35 You will say, “[I think that] someone struck me, but he did not hurt me; he hit me, but I did not feel it. When will I (wake up/feel normal again) in order that I can drink some more wine?”
Bangitshayile, kangizwanga buhlungu; bangidutshuzile, kangikunanzanga. Ngizavuka nini? Ngiphinde ngilidinge futhi.
