Proverbs 23
1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
Nxa uhlala phansi usidla lombusi, nanzelela ukuthi kuyini okuphambi kwakho,
2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou art a man given to appetite.
ungazifaki ingqamu entanyeni nxa uhugwa yibuhwaba.
3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful food.
Ungahawukeli izibiliboco zakhe ngoba lokho kudla kuyakhohlisa.
4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thy own wisdom.
Ungazihlukuluzi uzigugise ngomsebenzi uzama inotho; hlakanipha wazi ukuzikhuza.
5 Wilt thou set thy eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make to themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
Ungayibona manje inotho, masinyane isinyamalele, ngoba ngempela izamila impiko iphaphele emkhathini njengengqungqulu.
6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his delicacies:
Ungakudli ukudla komuntu oncitshanayo, ungazihawukeli izibiliboco zakhe;
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
ngoba yena uhlezi ebalisa ngendleko. Angathi kuwe, “Dlana unathe,” kodwa kungasuki enhliziyweni yakhe.
8 The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
Uzakuhlanza okuncane lokho okudlileyo ube udlalise amazwi akho okubonga.
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
Ungakhulumi lesithutha ngoba sizakweyisa inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
Ungasusi ilitshe lakudala elomngcele loba uzithathele amasimu ezintandane,
11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.
ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; uzakuba ngumeli wazo aphikisane lawe.
12 Apply thy heart to instruction, and thy ears to the words of knowledge.
Nikela inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Ungayekeli ukumlaya umntwana; ukumtshaya ngoswazi akuyikumbulala.
Mjezise ngoswazi ukuze uphephise umphefumulo wakhe ekufeni. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
Ndodana yami, aluba inhliziyo yakho ihlakaniphile, inhliziyo yami layo izathokoza;
16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
ingaphakathi yami izajabula lapho izindebe zakho zikhuluma okulungileyo.
17 Let not thy heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
Inhliziyo yakho mayingahawukeli izoni, kodwa hlala utshisekela ukwesaba uThixo.
18 For surely there is an end; and thy expectation shall not be cut off.
Ngeqiniso lihle ikusasa lakho, lethemba lakho kaliyikucitshwa.
19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thy heart in the way.
Lalela, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, ubeke inhliziyo yakho endleleni elungileyo.
20 Be not among winebibbers; among gluttonous eaters of flesh:
Ungahlangani leziminzi zewayini labazitika ngenyama,
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
ngoba izidakwa lezihwaba ziba ngabayanga, ukuwozela kwazo kuzembese amadabudabu.
22 Hearken to thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
Lalela uyihlo owakuletha emhlabeni, njalo ungeyisi unyoko nxa eseluphele.
23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Thenga iqiniso ungalithengisi; zuza ukuhlakanipha lokuzikhuza lokuzwisisa.
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
Uyise womuntu olungileyo uyathokoza kakhulu; lowo olendodana ehlakaniphileyo uyathokoza ngayo.
25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bore thee shall rejoice.
Sengathi uyihlo lonyoko bangathokoza; sengathi lowo owakuzalayo angajabula!
26 My son, give me thy heart, and let thy eyes observe my ways.
Ndodana yami, ngipha inhliziyo yakho, amehlo akho ahlale ezindleleni zami,
27 For an harlot is a deep ditch; and an adulteress is a narrow pit.
ngoba isifebe singumgodi otshonayo lomfazi olibele lendlela ungumthombo oyingozi.
28 She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.
Uyacathamela njengesigebenga, andise amadoda angathembekanga.
29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Ngubani ohlaba umkhosi? Ngubani olosizi na? Ngubani otshingayo? Ngubani olensolo na? Ngubani omahluzuhluzu ngeze? Ngubani omehlo abomvu gebhu na?
30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Yilabo abalibala ngewayini, abahamba bedinga inzwisa yewayini elidibanisiweyo.
31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
Ungahugwa liwayini ulibona libomvu, nxa likhazimula enkomitshini, lapho lisehla kamnandi!
32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
Ekucineni liluma njengenyoka libe lobuhlungu obubulalayo njengenhlangwana.
33 Thy eyes shall behold strange things, and thy heart shall utter perverse things.
Amehlo akho azabona izinto ezingaqedakaliyo lengqondo yakho icabange izinto ezididayo.
34 And thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
Uzakuba njengomuntu ondendayo phakathi kolwandle, olele esiqongweni sensika yomkhumbi.
35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
Uzakuthi, “Bangitshayile kodwa kangilimalanga! Bangibethile kodwa kakubuhlungu! Ngizavuka nini bo ngiyodinga obunye utshwala?”
