Proverbs 24
1 Don’t be envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;
Ungabi lamhawu ngabantu ababi, ungaloyisi ukuba labo.
2 for their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about mischief.
Ngoba inhliziyo yabo iceba udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma uhlupho.
3 Through wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established;
Ngenhlakanipho indlu iyakhiwa, langokuqedisisa iqiniswe.
4 by knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure.
Langolwazi amakamelo agcwaliswa ngempahla zonke eziligugu lezimnandi.
5 A wise man has great power. A knowledgeable man increases strength,
Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla, lomuntu ololwazi uqinisa amandla.
6 for by wise guidance you wage your war, and victory is in many advisors.
Ngoba ngezeluleko ezihlakaniphileyo ungalawula impi yakho, lokukhululwa kusebunengini babeluleki.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool. He doesn’t open his mouth in the gate.
Inhlakanipho enkulu iphakeme esiwuleni; esangweni kasivuli umlomo waso.
8 One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.
Oceba ukwenza okubi, bazambiza ngokuthi ngumnikazi wamacebo amabi.
9 The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.
Umcabango wobuwula yisono, lesideleli siyisinengiso emuntwini.
10 If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small.
Uba uzitshengisa uxega ngosuku lokuhlupheka, amandla akho mancinyane.
11 Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!
Bophule abasiwa ekufeni, labatatalikela ekubulaweni, kungathi ungabanqanda.
12 If you say, “Behold, we didn’t know this,” doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn’t he know it? Shall he not render to every man according to his work?
Uba usithi: Khangela besingakwazi lokhu; ohlola izinhliziyo yena kayikukunanzelela yini? Olondoloza umphefumulo wakho yena kakwazi yini? ngitsho ubuyisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe?
13 My son, eat honey, for it is good, the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste;
Dlana uluju, ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile, lohlanga loluju lumnandi elwangeni lwakho.
14 so you shall know wisdom to be to your soul. If you have found it, then there will be a reward: Your hope will not be cut off.
Lunjalo ulwazi lwenhlakanipho emphefumulweni wakho; uba uluthola, kuzakuba lomvuzo, lethemba lakho kaliyikuqunywa.
15 Don’t lay in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Don’t destroy his resting place;
Wena okhohlakeleyo, ungacathameli umuzi wolungileyo; ungachithi indawo yakhe yokuphumula.
16 for a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
Ngoba olungileyo uzakuwa kasikhombisa, avuke futhi; kodwa abakhohlakeleyo bazakhubeka ebubini.
17 Don’t rejoice when your enemy falls. Don’t let your heart be glad when he is overthrown,
Ungathokozi ngokuwa kwesitha sakho, lekukhubekeni kwaso inhliziyo yakho kayingajabuli;
18 lest Yahweh see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
hlezi iNkosi ikubone, kube kubi emehlweni ayo, iphendule ulaka lwayo ilususe kuso.
19 Don’t fret yourself because of evildoers, neither be envious of the wicked;
Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabenzi bobubi, ungabi lamhawu ngabakhohlakeleyo;
20 for there will be no reward to the evil man. The lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
ngoba omubi kayikuba lomvuzo; isibane sabakhohlakeleyo sizacitshwa.
21 My son, fear Yahweh and the king. Don’t join those who are rebellious,
Ndodana yami, yesaba uJehova lenkosi; ungahlanganyeli labaguquguqukayo;
22 for their calamity will rise suddenly. Who knows what destruction may come from them both?
ngoba incithakalo yabo izavuka masinyane; njalo ngubani owazi ukuchitheka kwabo bobabili?
23 These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
Lala ngawabahlakaniphileyo. Ukunaka ubuso kusahlulelo kakulunganga.
24 He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” peoples will curse him, and nations will abhor him—
Othi kokhohlakeleyo: Wena ulungile; abantu bazamqalekisa, izizwe zizamthukuthelela.
25 but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.
Kodwa kulabo abamkhuzayo kuzakuba lentokozo, lesibusiso esihle sizabehlela.
26 An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
Ophendula ngamazwi aqondileyo uzakwanga indebe.
27 Prepare your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.
Lungisa umsebenzi wakho ngaphandle, uzilungiselele wona ensimini, emva kwalokho wakhe indlu yakho.
28 Don’t be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Don’t deceive with your lips.
Ungabi ngumfakazi umelene lomakhelwane wakho kungelasizatho, kumbe ukhohlise ngendebe zakho.
29 Don’t say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”
Ungathi: Njengokwenza kwakhe kimi ngizakwenza njalo kuye; ngizaphindisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe.
30 I went by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man void of understanding.
Ngedlula ensimini yevila, lesivinini somuntu oswele ingqondo;
31 Behold, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.
khangela-ke, konke kwakumile ameva, imbabazane yayisibekele ubuso bakho, lomthangala wakho wamatshe udilikile.
32 Then I saw, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:
Mina-ke ngakukhangela, ngakubeka enhliziyweni yami; ngakubona, ngemukela imfundiso.
33 a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep,
Ubuthongo obuncinyane, ukuwozela okuncinyane, ukusonga izandla okuncinyane ukuthi kulalwe,
34 so your poverty will come as a robber and your want as an armed man.
besebusiza ubuyanga bakho njengesihambi, lenswelo zakho njengomuntu ohlomileyo.
