Proverbs 30
1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the revelation: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
Amazwi kaAguri indodana kaJake umMasa. Umuntu wathi kuIthiyeli, kuIthiyeli loUkhali:
2 “Surely I am the most ignorant man, and don’t have a man’s understanding.
Isibili, ngiyisithutha kulomuntu, kangilakuqedisisa komuntu.
3 I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.
Kangifundanga inhlakanipho, kangilwazi ulwazi lwabangcwele.
4 Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you know?
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 flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Lonke ilizwi likaNkulunkulu licwengekile; uyisihlangu kwabaphephela kuye.
6 Don’t you add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
Ungengezeleli emazwini akhe, hlezi akukhuze, utholwe ungumqambimanga.
7 “Two things I have asked of you. Don’t deny me before I die.
Zimbili izinto engizicele kuwe; ungangigodleli zona ngingakafi.
8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me,
Susa khatshana lami ize lamazwi amanga; ungangiphi ubuyanga loba inotho; ungiphe ukudla kwesabelo sami.
9 lest I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is Yahweh?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
Hlezi ngisuthe, ngikuphike ngithi: Ngubani iNkosi? Kumbe hlezi ngibe ngumyanga, ngintshontshe, ngithathe ngeze ibizo likaNkulunkulu wami.
10 “Don’t slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, hlezi ikuthuke, ube lecala.
11 There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn’t bless their mother.
Kulesizukulwana esithuka uyise, esingabusisi unina;
12 There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.
isizukulwana esihlambulukileyo emehlweni aso, kodwa esingahlanjululwanga engcekezeni yaso;
13 There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.
isizukulwana omehlo aso aphakeme kangaka, lenkophe zaso ziphakanyisiwe;
14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men.
isizukulwana omazinyo aso zinkemba, lesimazinyo aso omhlathi zingqamu, zokudla abayanga emhlabeni, labaswelayo ebantwini.
15 “The leech has two daughters: ‘Give, give.’ “There are three things that are never satisfied; four that don’t say, ‘Enough!’:
Umkhaza ulamadodakazi amabili athi: Phana, phana; lezizontathu kazisuthi; ezine kazitsho ukuthi: Kwanele.
16 Sheol, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that doesn’t say, ‘Enough!’ (Sheol h7585)
Ingcwaba, lesizalo esiyinyumba, umhlaba ongasuthi amanzi, lomlilo ongathi: Kwanele. (Sheol h7585)
17 “The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, 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 amazing for me, four which I don’t understand:
Lezizinto ezintathu ziyisimangaliso esikhulu kimi, yebo, ezine engingazaziyo:
19 The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man with a maiden.
Indlela yokhozi emazulwini, indlela yenyoka edwaleni, indlela yomkhumbi enhliziyweni yolwandle, lendlela yejaha entombini.
20 “So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
Injalo indlela yowesifazana oliwule; udla, esule umlomo wakhe, athi: Kangenzanga isiphambeko.
21 “For three things the earth trembles, and under four, it can’t bear up:
Ngenxa yezinto ezintathu umhlaba uyazamazama, yebo, ngenxa yezine ongezithwale:
22 For a servant when he is king, a fool when he is filled with food,
Ngenxa yesigqili nxa sibusa, lesithutha nxa sisuthi ukudla,
23 for an unloved woman when she is married, and a servant who is heir to her mistress.
ngenxa yesaliwakazi nxa sendile, lencekukazi nxa iyindlalifa yenkosikazi yayo.
24 “There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:
Lezi ezine zingezincinyane zomhlaba, kanti zihlakaniphile zenziwe zihlakaniphe:
25 The ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.
Ubunyonyo buyisizwe esingelamandla, kanti bulungisa ukudla kwabo ehlobo.
26 The hyraxes are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.
Imbila ziyisizwe esingelamandla, kanti zimisa indlu yazo edwaleni.
27 The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.
Intethe kazilankosi, kanti zonke ziphuma zehlukene ngamaviyo.
28 You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.
Umbankwa ubambelela ngezandla ezimbili, njalo usezigodlweni zenkosi.
29 “There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:
Lezi ezintathu zinyathela kuhle, yebo, ezine zihamba kuhle:
30 The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn’t turn away for any;
Isilwane esilamandla phakathi kwenyamazana, esingeyikubuyela emuva ngenxa yobuso loba ngobukabani;
31 the greyhound; the male goat; and the king against whom there is no rising up.
inja ebhince okhalweni, kumbe impongo; lenkosi ileviyo lamabutho.
32 “If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.
Uba ube yisithutha ngokuziphakamisa, njalo uba ucebe okubi, beka isandla emlonyeni.
33 For as the churning of milk produces butter, and the wringing of the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife.”
Ngoba ukuphehlwa kochago kuveza iphehla, lokucindezelwa kwempumulo kuveza igazi, lokucindezelwa kwentukuthelo kuveza ingxabano.
