< Proverbs 30 >
1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, [even] the prophecy: the man spoke to Ithiel, even to Ithiel and Ucal,
Amazwi kaAguri indodana kaJake umMasa. Umuntu wathi kuIthiyeli, kuIthiyeli loUkhali:
2 Surely I [am] more brutish than [any] man, and have not the understanding of a man.
Isibili, ngiyisithutha kulomuntu, kangilakuqedisisa komuntu.
3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
Kangifundanga inhlakanipho, kangilwazi ulwazi lwabangcwele.
4 Who hath ascended into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what [is] his name, and what [is] his son's name, if thou canst tell?
Ngubani owenyukela emazulwini njalo wehla? Ngubani oqoqe wafumbatha umoya ezandleni zakhe? Ngubani ogoqele amanzi esembathweni? Ngubani omise yonke imikhawulo yomhlaba? Lingubani ibizo lakhe, lebizo lendodana yakhe lingubani, uba usazi?
5 Every word of God [is] pure: he [is] a shield to them that put their trust in him.
Lonke ilizwi likaNkulunkulu licwengekile; uyisihlangu kwabaphephela kuye.
6 Add thou not to his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Ungengezeleli emazwini akhe, hlezi akukhuze, utholwe ungumqambimanga.
7 Two [things] have I required of thee; deny [them] not to me before I die:
Zimbili izinto engizicele kuwe; ungangigodleli zona ngingakafi.
8 Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
Susa khatshana lami ize lamazwi amanga; ungangiphi ubuyanga loba inotho; ungiphe ukudla kwesabelo sami.
9 Lest I be full, and deny [thee], and say, Who [is] the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God [in vain].
Hlezi ngisuthe, ngikuphike ngithi: Ngubani iNkosi? Kumbe hlezi ngibe ngumyanga, ngintshontshe, ngithathe ngeze ibizo likaNkulunkulu wami.
10 Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, hlezi ikuthuke, ube lecala.
11 [There is] a generation [that] curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
Kulesizukulwana esithuka uyise, esingabusisi unina;
12 [There is] a generation [that are] pure in their own eyes, and [yet] are not washed from their filthiness.
isizukulwana esihlambulukileyo emehlweni aso, kodwa esingahlanjululwanga engcekezeni yaso;
13 [There is] a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
isizukulwana omehlo aso aphakeme kangaka, lenkophe zaso ziphakanyisiwe;
14 [There is] a generation, whose teeth [are as] swords, and their jaw-teeth [as] knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from [among] men.
isizukulwana omazinyo aso zinkemba, lesimazinyo aso omhlathi zingqamu, zokudla abayanga emhlabeni, labaswelayo ebantwini.
15 The horse-leech hath two daughters, [crying], Give, give. There are three [things that] are never satisfied, [yes], four [things] say not, [It is] enough:
Umkhaza ulamadodakazi amabili athi: Phana, phana; lezizontathu kazisuthi; ezine kazitsho ukuthi: Kwanele.
16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth [that] is not filled with water; and the fire [that] saith not, [It is] enough. (Sheol )
Ingcwaba, lesizalo esiyinyumba, umhlaba ongasuthi amanzi, lomlilo ongathi: Kwanele. (Sheol )
17 The eye [that] mocketh at [its] father, and despiseth to obey [its] mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
Ilihlo eliklolodela uyise, lelidelela ukulalela unina, amawabayi esihotsha azalikopola, labantwana bamanqe bazalidla.
18 There are three [things which] are too wonderful for me, yes, four which I know not:
Lezizinto ezintathu ziyisimangaliso esikhulu kimi, yebo, ezine engingazaziyo:
19 The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.
Indlela yokhozi emazulwini, indlela yenyoka edwaleni, indlela yomkhumbi enhliziyweni yolwandle, lendlela yejaha entombini.
20 Such [is] the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
Injalo indlela yowesifazana oliwule; udla, esule umlomo wakhe, athi: Kangenzanga isiphambeko.
21 For three [things] the earth is disquieted, and for four [which] it cannot bear:
Ngenxa yezinto ezintathu umhlaba uyazamazama, yebo, ngenxa yezine ongezithwale:
22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with food.
Ngenxa yesigqili nxa sibusa, lesithutha nxa sisuthi ukudla,
23 For an odious [woman] when she is married; and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
ngenxa yesaliwakazi nxa sendile, lencekukazi nxa iyindlalifa yenkosikazi yayo.
24 There are four [things which are] little upon the earth, but they [are] very wise:
Lezi ezine zingezincinyane zomhlaba, kanti zihlakaniphile zenziwe zihlakaniphe:
25 The ants [are] a people not strong, yet they prepare their food in the summer;
Ubunyonyo buyisizwe esingelamandla, kanti bulungisa ukudla kwabo ehlobo.
26 The conies [are but] a feeble people, yet they make their houses in the rocks;
Imbila ziyisizwe esingelamandla, kanti zimisa indlu yazo edwaleni.
27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
Intethe kazilankosi, kanti zonke ziphuma zehlukene ngamaviyo.
28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in king's palaces.
Umbankwa ubambelela ngezandla ezimbili, njalo usezigodlweni zenkosi.
29 There are three [things] which go well, yes, four are comely in going:
Lezi ezintathu zinyathela kuhle, yebo, ezine zihamba kuhle:
30 A lion, [which is] strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
Isilwane esilamandla phakathi kwenyamazana, esingeyikubuyela emuva ngenxa yobuso loba ngobukabani;
31 A greyhound; a he-goat also; and a king, against whom [there is] no rising up.
inja ebhince okhalweni, kumbe impongo; lenkosi ileviyo lamabutho.
32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] thy hand upon thy mouth.
Uba ube yisithutha ngokuziphakamisa, njalo uba ucebe okubi, beka isandla emlonyeni.
33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
Ngoba ukuphehlwa kochago kuveza iphehla, lokucindezelwa kwempumulo kuveza igazi, lokucindezelwa kwentukuthelo kuveza ingxabano.