Proverbs 30
1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh—the utterance: This man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
Amazwi ka-Aguri indodana kaJakhe, amazwi ahlakaniphileyo: Umuntu lo wathi ku-Ithiyeli: “Ngikhathele, Oh Nkulunkulu, kodwa ngizophumelela.
2 Surely I am more like an animal than any human and I do not have the understanding of a human being.
Angilalwazi okudlula bonke abantu; angilakho ukuzwisisa komuntu.
3 I have not learned wisdom, nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One.
Angikufundanga ukuhlakanipha njalo kangilalwazi ngaye oNgcwele.
4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has gathered up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!
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 Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Wonke amazwi kaNkulunkulu akalamposiso; uyisihlangu kulabo abacatsha kuye.
6 Do not add to his words, or he will discipline you, and you will be proved to be a liar.
Ungengezeleli emazwini akhe, funa akukhuze akwenze umqambimanga.
7 Two things I ask of you, do not withhold them from me before I die:
Zimbili izinto engizicela kuwe, Oh Thixo; ungangincitshi zona ngingakafi:
8 Put vanity and lies far away from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches, just give me the food I need.
Susa kimi inkohliso lamanga; ungangiphi ubuyanga loba inotho, kodwa ungiphe kuphela ukudla kwami kwansukuzonke.
9 For if I have too much, I might deny you and say, “Who is Yahweh?” Or if I become poor, I might steal and profane the name of my God.
Phela ngingaba lokunengi kakhulu ngikuphike wena ngithi, ‘Ungubani uThixo?’ loba ngibengumyanga ngintshontshe; ngalokho ngiliyangise ibizo likaNkulunkulu wami.
10 Do not slander a slave before his master, or he will curse you and you will be held guilty.
Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, ngoba izakuqalekisa ungene enkathazweni.
11 There is a generation that curses their father and does not bless their mother.
Bakhona abathuka oyise, abangababusisiyo onina;
12 There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, and yet they are not washed of their filth.
labo abazibona belungile ikanti kabahlambululwanga emanyaleni abo;
13 There is a generation whose eyes are raised up, and how high are their eyelids lifted up!
labo abamehlo abo ahlezi egcwele ulaka, abakhangela ngokudelela;
14 There is a generation whose teeth are swords, and their jawbones are like knives, so they may devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity.
labo omazinyo abo zinkemba, omihlathi yabo inanyathiselwe izingqamu ukuze baginye abayanga baphele emhlabeni, labaswelayo abaphakathi kwabantu.
15 The leech has two daughters: “Give and give” they cry. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “Enough”:
Umkhaza ulamadodakazi amabili; ayamemeza athi, ‘Siphe! Siphe!’ Zintathu izinto ezingasuthiyo, zine ezingakaze zithi, ‘Sekwanele!’:
16 Sheol; the barren womb; land that is never satisfied with water; and the fire that never says, “Enough!” (Sheol h7585)
lingcwaba yisisu senyumba, lomhlabathi ongasuthiyo amanzi, lomlilo ongezukufa wathi, ‘Sekwanele!’ (Sheol h7585)
17 The eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, his eyes will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, and he will be eaten by the vultures.
Ilihlo elihleka uyise, elidelela ukulalela unina, lizakotsholwa ngamawabayi asesigodini, lizadliwa ngamanqe.
18 There are three things that are too wonderful for me, four that I do not understand:
Kukhona izinto ezintathu ezingimangalisayo kakhulu, ezine engingazizwisisiyo:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky; the way of a snake on a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a young woman.
indlela yengqungqulu emkhathini, umzila wenyoka edwaleni, indlela yomkhumbi olwandle, lendlela yejaha lentombi.
20 This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and she wipes her mouth and says, “I have done nothing wrong.”
Le yindlela yesiphingikazi: siyadla sesule umlomo waso besesisithi, ‘Angenzanga lutho olubi.’
21 Under three things the earth trembles, and under four it cannot bear up:
Zintathu izinto ezizamazamisa umhlaba, zine ongeke uzithwale:
22 a slave when he becomes king; a fool when he is filled with food;
yinceku ebayinkosi, yisiwula esisuthiyo,
23 a hated woman when she marries; and a maid when she takes the place of her mistress.
ngumfazi owendileyo ongathandwayo, lencekukazi ethathela inkosikazi indoda.
24 Four things on earth are small and yet they are very wise:
Kukhona emhlabeni izinto ezine ezincinyane, ikanti-ke zihlakaniphile kakhulu:
25 the ants are creatures that are not strong, but they prepare their food in the summer;
Ubunyonyo kabulamandla anganani, kodwa buyabuthelela ukudla kwabo ehlobo;
26 the rock badgers are not mighty creatures, but they make their homes in the rocks.
lezimbila ziyizidalwa ezilamandla angatsho lutho, kodwa zenza izikhundla zazo ezingoxweni zamadwala;
27 Locusts have no king, but all of them march in rank.
izintethe kazilankosi, kodwa zihamba ziludibi olwesabekayo;
28 As for the lizard, you can hold it in your two hands, yet they are found in kings' palaces.
umbankwa ungabanjwa ngesandla, kodwa ungena lasezigodlweni zamakhosi.
29 There are three things that are stately in their stride and four that are stately in how they walk:
Kulezinto ezintathu ezihamba zinqekuza kamnandi, zine ezihamba zibeka kamnandi:
30 a lion, strongest among wild animals— it does not turn away from anything;
yisilwane, esilamandla esabekayo phakathi kwezilo, esingabalekeli lutho;
31 a strutting rooster; a goat; and a king whose soldiers are beside him.
liqhude eliditshazelayo, yimpongo, njalo lenkosi nxa ihanqwe libutho layo.
32 If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil— put your hand over your mouth.
Nxa ube yisithutha waziphakamisa, kumbe nxa wakhe amacebo okwenza okubi, vala umlomo wakho ngesandla sakho.
33 As churning milk makes butter and as one's nose will produce blood if it is twisted, so deeds done in anger produce conflict.
Ngoba njengokuphehla uchago kudala iphehla, lanjengoba ukugubha amakhala kubanga umungula, kunjalo ukuvusa ulaka kudala ingxabano.”
