Proverbs 27
1 Don’t boast about tomorrow; for you don’t know what a day may bring.
Ungazincomi ngosuku lwakusasa, ngoba kawazi ukuthi usuku luzazalani.
2 Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.
Owemzini kakudumise, njalo hatshi umlomo wakho; owezizwe, njalo hatshi indebe zakho.
3 A stone is heavy, and sand is a burden; but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
Ilitshe linzima, letshebetshebe liyasinda, kodwa ulaka lwesithutha lunzima kulakho kokubili.
4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
Ulaka lulolunya, lentukuthelo iyisikhukhula; kodwa ngubani ongema phambi komona?
5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
Kungcono ukukhuzwa ngokusobala kulothando lwensitha.
6 The wounds of a friend are faithful, although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
Amanxeba omngane athembekile, kodwa ukwanga kwesitha kuyakhohlisa.
7 A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.
Umphefumulo osuthiyo unyathelela phansi uhlanga loluju, kodwa kumphefumulo olambileyo konke okubabayo kumnandi.
8 As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his home.
Njengenyoni eduha isuka esidlekeni sayo unjalo umuntu oduha esuka endaweni yakhe.
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend.
Amafutha lempepha kuthokozisa inhliziyo; kunjalo ubumnandi bomngane womuntu ngenxa yeseluleko somphefumulo.
10 Don’t forsake your friend and your father’s friend. Don’t go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster. A neighbor who is near is better than a distant brother.
Ungadeli umngane wakho lomngane kayihlo; njalo ungangeni endlini yomfowenu ngosuku lwencithakalo yakho; kungcono umakhelwane oseduze kulomfowenu okhatshana.
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, then I can answer my tormentor.
Hlakanipha, ndodana yami, uthokozise inhliziyo yami, ukuze ngibe lempendulo kongisolayo.
12 A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
Okhaliphileyo uyabona ububi acatshe, kodwa abangelalwazi bayaqhubeka bajeziswe.
13 Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger. Hold it for a wayward woman!
Thatha isigqoko soyisibambiso ngenxa yowemzini, umthathele isibambiso ngenxa yowesifazana wezizwe.
14 He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse by him.
Obusisa umngane wakhe ngelizwi elikhulu evuka ekuseni kakhulu, kuzathiwa yisiqalekiso kuye.
15 A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike:
Ukuchophelela ngosuku lwezulu eliqhubekayo lowesifazana oxabanayo kuyafanana.
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind, or like grasping oil in his right hand.
Omfihlayo ufihla umoya, lamagcobo ahlangana lesandla sakhe sokunene.
17 Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
Insimbi ilolwa ngensimbi; ngokunjalo umuntu ulola ubuso bomngane wakhe.
18 Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honored.
Olondoloza isihlahla somkhiwa uzakudla isithelo saso; lolinda inkosi yakhe uzadunyiswa.
19 Like water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.
Njengemanzini ubuso busebusweni, ngokunjalo inhliziyo yomuntu isemuntwini.
Isihogo lencithakalo kakusuthi, ngokunjalo amehlo omuntu kawasuthi. (Sheol h7585)
21 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined by his praise.
Imbiza yokucenga ngeyesiliva, lesithando ngesegolide; kunjalo umuntu ngokokudunyiswa kwakhe.
22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.
Lanxa ugiga isithutha ngomgigo engigeni phakathi kwengqoloyi, ubuthutha baso kabuyikusuka kuso.
23 Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds,
Yazi lokwazi isimo sezimvu zakho, beka inhliziyo yakho kumihlambi yakho,
24 for riches are not forever, nor does the crown endure to all generations.
ngoba inotho kayisiyaphakade; kumbe umqhele ube sesizukulwaneni lesizukulwana yini?
25 The hay is removed, and the new growth appears, the grasses of the hills are gathered in.
Utshani buyasuswa, lohlaza lubonakale, kubuthwe lemibhida yezintaba.
26 The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of a field.
Amawundlu angawezigqoko zakho, lezimpongo ziyintengo yesiqinti.
27 There will be plenty of goats’ milk for your food, for your family’s food, and for the nourishment of your servant girls.
Kuzakuba lochago lwezimbuzi olwanele ukudla kwakho lokudla kwendlu yakho lempilo yencekukazi zakho.
