Proverbs 26
1 Just [like] [SIM] [it is not appropriate for] snow [to fall] in summer time, or rain [to fall] at harvest time, it is not appropriate to praise/honor foolish people.
Njengeliqhwa elikhithikileyo ehlobo lanjengezulu ngesikhathi sokuvuna, ngokunjalo udumo kalusifanelanga isithutha.
2 Like [SIM] birds that fly by [and do not alight/land on anything], if someone curses you, it cannot hurt you if you (do not deserve them/have not done to him what is wrong).
Njengenyoni ekuzulazuleni, njengenkonjane ekuphapheni, ngokunjalo isiqalekiso kungelasizatho kasiyikufika.
3 It is necessary to whip a horse and to put a bridle on a donkey [to force them to go where we want them to go], and similarly [SIM] [it is often necessary to strike] foolish people with a stick [to cause them to do what is right].
Isiswepu ngesebhiza, itomu ngelikababhemi, loswazi ngolomhlana wezithutha.
4 If a foolish person asks a foolish question, [do not answer him], because [if you answer his question], you are just as foolish as he is.
Ungaphenduli isithutha ngokobuthutha baso, hlezi lawe ufanane laso.
5 If you give a foolish answer to someone who asks a foolish question, he will realize that he is (not very wise/foolish).
Phendula isithutha ngokobuthutha baso, hlezi sibe ngesihlakaniphileyo emehlweni aso.
6 Anyone who asks a foolish person to take a message to someone [is himself doing something as foolish as] cutting off his own feet or drinking poison.
Othumela amazwi ngesandla sesithutha, uquma inyawo, unatha isihluku.
7 A lame man cannot use his legs, and similarly [SIM] [it is useless for] a foolish person to speak [MTY] (proverbs/wise sayings).
Imilenze yesiqhuli iyalengalenga; sinjalo isaga emlonyeni wezithutha.
8 Tying a stone in a sling [so that it cannot be thrown at a target] is [as foolish as] [SIM] honoring a foolish person.
Njengokubophela ilitshe esavutheni, unjalo onika udumo esithutheni.
9 If a drunk person waves some thorns/brambles with his hand, [he is not able to accomplish anything useful by doing that] (OR, [he does not feel it when a thorn sticks in his hand]); similarly, if foolish people speak [MTY] proverbs, [they do not help anyone who hears them].
Njengameva enyuka esandleni sesidakwa sinjalo isaga emlonyeni wezithutha.
10 A man who shoots arrows [to try] to wound everybody who is near [is foolish]; similarly, anyone who hires a foolish person [who passes by is very foolish].
Omkhulu owabumba konke uvuza isithutha, avuze abadlulayo.
11 A foolish person will foolishly do something stupid a second time; it is [like] [SIM] a dog returning to [eat] what it has vomited.
Njengenja ebuyela emahlanzweni ayongokunjalo isithutha siphinda ubuthutha baso.
12 [God] can help/bless foolish people more easily than he can help/bless people who are not wise [RHQ], but think that they are wise.
Uyabona yini umuntu ohlakaniphileyo emehlweni akhe? Kulethemba elikhulu esithutheni kulaye.
13 Lazy people [just stay inside their houses and do nothing]; [they keep] saying “[I think] there is a lion in the street!”
Olivila uthi: Kulesilwane endleleni; isilwane sisezitaladeni.
14 A door [continually] swings back and forth on its hinges [and does not go anywhere]; similarly [SIM], lazy people [just continually turn over] in their beds [and never do anything].
Isivalo siphenduka ngamabhanti aso, ngokunjalo ivila embhedeni walo.
15 Some people are extremely lazy; they put their hand in a dish [to get some food] but do not [even] lift the food up to their mouths.
Ivila lifihla isandla salo emganwini, liyavilapha ukusibuyisela emlonyeni walo.
16 Lazy people think that they are wiser than seven/several people who can answer [others’ questions] with good sense.
Ivila lihlakaniphile emehlweni alo okwedlula abayisikhombisa abangaphendula ngenhlakanipho.
17 Anyone who (meddles/involves himself) in a quarrel that does not concern him is [as foolish as] [SIM] someone who tries to grab a passing dog by its ears.
Odlulayo engenela ingxabano engeyisiyo eyakhe ungobamba indlebe zenja.
18 Crazy people who shoot burning arrows to kill people
Njengohlanya oluphosa izikhuni ezivuthayo, imitshoko, lokufa,
19 are as foolish as those who deceive someone else and [then] say, “I was only joking.”
unjalo umuntu okhohlisa umakhelwane wakhe, abesesithi: Kangisomi yini?
20 If there is no [more] firewood [to put on the fire], the fire will go out; similarly [SIM], if there are no people who (gossip/tell people things that are not true), quarreling will end.
Uba kungelankuni umlilo uyacitsha; njalo uba kungelakunyeya, ukuxabana kuyathula.
21 [Putting] charcoal on burning coals or [putting] wood on a fire [causes the fire to keep burning]; similarly, people who like to quarrel cause people to keep arguing.
Njengamalahle emalahleni avuthayo, lenkuni emlilweni, unjalo umuntu wenkani ngowokubasa ingxabano.
22 People [enjoy listening to what gossips say about others just like] [SIM] they enjoy tasty food; they [enjoy listening to what gossips tell them like] they enjoy swallowing tasty food.
Amazwi onyeyayo anjengezibondlo ezehlela kokungaphakathi kwesisu.
23 People who say nice things when they are thinking about doing evil things are like a nice glaze/covering on a [cheap] clay pot.
Indebe ezivuthayo lenhliziyo embi kungamanyele esiliva ahuqa ukhamba.
24 Those who hate someone and are saying [MTY] something very different from what they are thinking are hypocrites; they are only planning [to harm that person].
Ozondayo uyazenzisa ngezindebe zakhe, kodwa ufaka inkohliso ngaphakathi kwakhe.
25 When they say nice things, do not believe them, because in their inner beings are many things that [Yahweh] hates.
Lapho esenza ilizwi lakhe libe ngelomusa, ungamkholwa, ngoba izinengiso eziyisikhombisa zisenhliziyweni yakhe.
26 They try to deceive people to cause them to think that they do not hate [that person], but in a public meeting, the people will find out the evil things [that they have done].
Inzondo isibekelwa ngenkohliso; ububi bakhe buzakwembulwa ebandleni.
27 Those who dig a deep pit [for other people to fall into] will fall into it themselves; rocks will roll down on those who start to cause rocks to roll down [to crush someone].
Ogebhayo umgodi uzawela kuwo, logiqa ilitshe, lizabuyela kuye.
28 Those [MTY] who tell lies to others [really] hate them, and those who deceive [others] ruin them.
Ulimi lwamanga luzonda olubachobozayo, lomlomo obutshelezi usebenza incithakalo.
