Proverbs 30
1 These are sayings/messages that God gave to Agur, the son of Jakeh. [Agur wrote them] for Ithiel and Ucal.
Amazwi ka-Aguri indodana kaJakhe, amazwi ahlakaniphileyo: Umuntu lo wathi ku-Ithiyeli: “Ngikhathele, Oh Nkulunkulu, kodwa ngizophumelela.
2 It seems that I am very stupid; I do not deserve to be considered to be a human; I do not have the good sense that humans should have.
Angilalwazi okudlula bonke abantu; angilakho ukuzwisisa komuntu.
3 I have not learned [how to become] wise and I do not know [much] about God.
Angikufundanga ukuhlakanipha njalo kangilalwazi ngaye oNgcwele.
4 [But let me say this]: No one [RHQ] has ascended to heaven [to find out what God is like] and returned [to tell us]. No one [RHQ] has gathered/held the wind in his hand. No one [RHQ] has wrapped the water [in the ocean] in [a piece of] cloth, and no one [RHQ] has established the boundaries of the earth. [If you know who has done those things, tell me] [RHQ] his name, and the names of his children [SAR]! [But you do not know who has done those things, so you cannot speak with authority about what God is like].
Ngubani oseke waya ezulwini waphinda wehla na? Ngubani oseke wafumbatha umoya ngesandla sakhe na? Ngubani oseke wagoqela amanzi ngesigqoko sakhe na? Ngubani omise yonke imikhawulo yomhlaba na? Lingubani ibizo lakhe, lebizo lendodana yakhe? Ngitshela nxa usazi!
5 Everything that God has said is true; he is [like] a shield [MET] for all those who request him to protect them.
Wonke amazwi kaNkulunkulu akalamposiso; uyisihlangu kulabo abacatsha kuye.
6 Do not add to (OR, change) what God has said; if you do that, he will rebuke you and show that you are lying.
Ungengezeleli emazwini akhe, funa akukhuze akwenze umqambimanga.
7 [God], I ask you to do two things for me; [please] do them before I die:
Zimbili izinto engizicela kuwe, Oh Thixo; ungangincitshi zona ngingakafi:
8 Help me never to lie or deceive [people] and do not cause me to become poor or to become rich. [Just] give me the food that I need;
Susa kimi inkohliso lamanga; ungangiphi ubuyanga loba inotho, kodwa ungiphe kuphela ukudla kwami kwansukuzonke.
9 because if I become rich, I might say that I do not [RHQ] know you and that I do not need you; and if I become poor, I might dishonor you by stealing things.
Phela ngingaba lokunengi kakhulu ngikuphike wena ngithi, ‘Ungubani uThixo?’ loba ngibengumyanga ngintshontshe; ngalokho ngiliyangise ibizo likaNkulunkulu wami.
10 Do not (slander/say bad things about) a worker to his boss; if you do that, the worker will curse you, and cause you to have trouble.
Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, ngoba izakuqalekisa ungene enkathazweni.
11 [I will list four kinds of evil things that people do]: Some people curse their fathers and do not [ask God to] bless their mothers.
Bakhona abathuka oyise, abangababusisiyo onina;
12 Some people think that they are perfect, but [really] they have never been cleansed from their guilt for committing disgusting sins.
labo abazibona belungile ikanti kabahlambululwanga emanyaleni abo;
13 Some people are very proud; they think that they are very good and they despise others.
labo abamehlo abo ahlezi egcwele ulaka, abakhangela ngokudelela;
14 Some people [act very cruelly toward others]; [it is as though] [MET] they have teeth that are [like] sharp knives; they severely oppress poor [people] and try to cause them to disappear from the land.
labo omazinyo abo zinkemba, omihlathi yabo inanyathiselwe izingqamu ukuze baginye abayanga baphele emhlabeni, labaswelayo abaphakathi kwabantu.
15 Leeches [are always wanting more blood to suck]; [similarly, greedy people are always] saying “Give [me some]!” or “Give [me more]!” [MET] There are four things that are never (satisfied/content with what they have); they always want more [LIT]:
Umkhaza ulamadodakazi amabili; ayamemeza athi, ‘Siphe! Siphe!’ Zintathu izinto ezingasuthiyo, zine ezingakaze zithi, ‘Sekwanele!’:
16 The place where the dead people are; women who do not have any children; ground that needs water/rain; and a fire that always needs more wood. (Sheol h7585)
lingcwaba yisisu senyumba, lomhlabathi ongasuthiyo amanzi, lomlilo ongezukufa wathi, ‘Sekwanele!’ (Sheol h7585)
17 Those who [SYN] make fun of their fathers or refuse to obey their mothers (OR, despise their aged mothers) should [die and] have their eyes pecked out by crows, and the [rest of their corpses should be] fed to the vultures.
Ilihlo elihleka uyise, elidelela ukulalela unina, lizakotsholwa ngamawabayi asesigodini, lizadliwa ngamanqe.
18 There are four things that are wonderful to me, [but] I do not understand any of them:
Kukhona izinto ezintathu ezingimangalisayo kakhulu, ezine engingazizwisisiyo:
19 How eagles fly in the sky, how snakes [are able to] move/crawl across a big rock, how ships sail on the seas, and how a man falls in love with a woman.
indlela yengqungqulu emkhathini, umzila wenyoka edwaleni, indlela yomkhumbi olwandle, lendlela yejaha lentombi.
20 This is what a woman who (is not faithful to/does not have sex only with) her husband does: She commits adultery [EUP], and [then] bathes and says, “I have not done anything that is wrong!”
Le yindlela yesiphingikazi: siyadla sesule umlomo waso besesisithi, ‘Angenzanga lutho olubi.’
21 There are four things that no [one in] the world can tolerate:
Zintathu izinto ezizamazamisa umhlaba, zine ongeke uzithwale:
22 [What] a slave [does who] becomes a king, a foolish person eating [too much] food,
yinceku ebayinkosi, yisiwula esisuthiyo,
23 [what] a woman who is hated [does when she] gets married, and [what] a female servant [does when she] becomes the boss instead of her mistress.
ngumfazi owendileyo ongathandwayo, lencekukazi ethathela inkosikazi indoda.
24 [There are] four animals on the earth that are small, but they are very wise:
Kukhona emhlabeni izinto ezine ezincinyane, ikanti-ke zihlakaniphile kakhulu:
25 Ants are not strong, but they store up food during the summer [in order to have it during the winter].
Ubunyonyo kabulamandla anganani, kodwa buyabuthelela ukudla kwabo ehlobo;
26 Rock badgers [also] are not strong, but they make their homes among the rocks [where they will be safe].
lezimbila ziyizidalwa ezilamandla angatsho lutho, kodwa zenza izikhundla zazo ezingoxweni zamadwala;
27 Locusts do not have a king, but they march like [the soldiers in] an army.
izintethe kazilankosi, kodwa zihamba ziludibi olwesabekayo;
28 Lizards/Geckos [are very small and] you can hold them in your hand, but they are [cleverly able to get] inside kings’ palaces.
umbankwa ungabanjwa ngesandla, kodwa ungena lasezigodlweni zamakhosi.
29 [There are] four animals that strut around and look very impressive while they walk [DOU]:
Kulezinto ezintathu ezihamba zinqekuza kamnandi, zine ezihamba zibeka kamnandi:
30 Lions, which are stronger than all other animals and are not afraid of any of them;
yisilwane, esilamandla esabekayo phakathi kwezilo, esingabalekeli lutho;
31 male goats, strutting roosters, and kings who (parade/walk proudly back and forth) in front of the people whom they rule.
liqhude eliditshazelayo, yimpongo, njalo lenkosi nxa ihanqwe libutho layo.
32 If you have acted foolishly, exalting yourself, or if you been planning [to do something] evil, stop it immediately [IDM]!
Nxa ube yisithutha waziphakamisa, kumbe nxa wakhe amacebo okwenza okubi, vala umlomo wakho ngesandla sakho.
33 If you churn milk, it produces butter/curds, and if you hit [someone hard on his] nose, [his nose] bleeds; similarly, if you do something to cause [people to become] angry, strife [usually] results.
Ngoba njengokuphehla uchago kudala iphehla, lanjengoba ukugubha amakhala kubanga umungula, kunjalo ukuvusa ulaka kudala ingxabano.”
