Proverbs 9
1 [It is as though] wisdom [is a woman who] has built a [big] house for herself, and has set up seven columns [to support the roof],
Inhlakanipho enkulu yakhe indlu yayo, ibaze insika zayo eziyisikhombisa.
2 and has slaughtered an animal [and cooked the meat], and has mixed [nice spices] in the wine, and has put [the food] on the table.
Ihlabe okuhlatshwayo kwayo, ixubanise iwayini layo, futhi yalungisa itafula layo.
3 [It is as though then] she sent out her servant women to call out from the highest place in the town,
Ithume incekukazi zayo, iyamemeza engqongeni zendawo eziphakemeyo zomuzi zisithi:
4 “You people who need to understand more, come in!” And to those who are ignorant, [it is as though] she calls out,
Loba ngubani ongelalwazi? Kaphendukele lapha; oswele ingqondo, ithi kuye:
5 “Come and eat the food that I [have prepared], and drink the [good] wine that I have mixed!
Wozani, lidle okwesinkwa sami, linathe okwewayini engilixubanisileyo.
6 (Leave/Go away from) [other] foolish people, and [if you do that, you will continue to] live. Walk on the road that will enable you to (have knowledge/know what is true and what is not true).”
Yekelani abangelalwazi liphile, lihambe ngokuqonda ngendlela yokuqedisisa.
7 If you rebuke someone who will not allow others to correct him, he will insult you. If you reprove/scold an evil man, he will hurt you.
Osola isiklolodi uzizuzela ihlazo, lokhuza okhohlakeleyo uzizuzela isici.
8 Do not rebuke someone who will not allow others to (correct him/tell him what he has done is wrong), because he will hate you for doing that. [But] if you rebuke a wise person, he will respect you.
Ungasoli isiklolodi, hlezi sikuzonde; sola ohlakaniphileyo, njalo uzakuthanda.
9 If you give instruction to wise people, they will become wiser. And if you teach righteous people, they will learn more.
Nika ohlakaniphileyo, njalo uzakuba lokhu ehlakanipha; fundisa olungileyo, njalo uzakwandisa ukufunda.
10 If you want to be wise, you must start by revering Yahweh, and if you know God, the Holy One, you will understand [which teachings are wise/true].
Ukuyesaba iNkosi kuyikuqala kwenhlakanipho, lolwazi lwabangcwele luyikuqedisisa.
11 If you become wise, you will live many years [DOU].
Ngoba ngami insuku zakho zizakwandiswa, leminyaka yempilo yengezelelwe kuwe.
12 If you are wise, you are the one who will benefit from it; if you ridicule [becoming wise], you are the one who will suffer.
Uba uhlakaniphile, uzakuba uzihlakaniphele; uba ukloloda, uzakuthwala wedwa.
13 Foolish women talk loudly; they are ignorant and are never ashamed [of the wrong things that they do].
Owesifazana oyisithutha ulomsindo, kalangqondo, kazi lutho.
14 They sit at the doors of their houses [or] they sit on the top [of the hills] in the town,
Ngoba uhlala emnyango wendlu yakhe, esihlalweni, endaweni eziphakemeyo zomuzi,
15 and they call out to the men who are passing by, who are trying to be concerned with their own affairs,
ukubiza abadlulayo ngendlela, abahamba beqondile emikhondweni yabo, esithi:
16 “You people who need to understand more, come into [my house]!” And to those who are ignorant, they call out,
Loba ngubani ongelalwazi? Kaphendukele lapha; loswele ingqondo, uthi kuye:
17 “[Just as] water which you have stolen tastes very good and food that you eat by yourself tastes the best, [if you have sex secretly with someone to whom you are not married, you will enjoy it very much].”
Amanzi ebiweyo amnandi, lesinkwa sensitha siyahlabusa.
