Proverbs 14
1 Every wise woman hath builded her house, And the foolish with her hands breaketh it down.
Wonke owesifazana ohlakaniphileyo uyayakha indlu yakhe, kodwa oyisithutha uyayidiliza ngezandla zakhe.
2 Whoso is walking in his uprightness is fearing Jehovah, And the perverted [in] his ways is despising Him.
Ohamba ngobuqotho bakhe wesaba iNkosi, kodwa ophambene ngendlela zakhe uyayidelela.
3 In the mouth of a fool [is] a rod of pride, And the lips of the wise preserve them.
Emlonyeni wesithutha kulentonga yokuzigqaja, kodwa indebe zabahlakaniphileyo ziyabagcina.
4 Without oxen a stall [is] clean, And great [is] the increase by the power of the ox.
Lapho okungekho izinkabi khona umkolo uhlanzekile, kodwa kulesivuno esinengi ngamandla enkabi.
5 A faithful witness lieth not, And a false witness breatheth out lies.
Umfakazi othembekileyo kaqambi amanga, kodwa umfakazi wamanga uphafuza amanga.
6 A scorner hath sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge to the intelligent [is] easy.
Odelelayo udinga inhlakanipho, kodwa kayikho; kodwa ulwazi lulula koqedisisayo.
7 Go from before a foolish man, Or thou hast not known the lips of knowledge.
Suka phambi komuntu oyisithutha, nxa ungayikunanzelela kuye indebe zolwazi.
8 The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way, And the folly of fools [is] deceit.
Inhlakanipho yokhaliphileyo yikuqedisisa indlela yakhe, kodwa ubuthutha bezithutha buyinkohliso.
9 Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright — a pleasing thing.
Izithutha ziyakloloda ngesono, kodwa phakathi kwabaqotho kulomusa.
10 The heart knoweth its own bitterness, And with its joy a stranger doth not intermeddle.
Inhliziyo iyazi ukubaba kwayo ngokwayo, lowemzini kahlanganyeli lentokozo yayo.
11 The house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourisheth.
Indlu yabakhohlakeleyo izachithwa, kodwa ithente labaqotho lizahluma.
12 There is a way — right before a man, And its latter end [are] ways of death.
Kukhona indlela ebonakala ilungile emuntwini, kodwa ukuphela kwayo zindlela zokufa.
13 Even in laughter is the heart pained, And the latter end of joy [is] affliction.
Lekuhlekeni inhliziyo isebuhlungwini, lokuphela kwaleyontokozo lusizi.
14 From his ways is the backslider in heart filled, And a good man — from his fruits.
Ohlehlela nyovane ngenhliziyo uzasutha ngezindlela zakhe, kodwa umuntu olungileyo uzasutha ngaye ngokwakhe.
15 The simple giveth credence to everything, And the prudent attendeth to his step.
Ongelalwazi ukholwa lonke ilizwi, kodwa olengqondo unanzelela ukuhamba kwakhe.
16 The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
Ohlakaniphileyo uyesaba, asuke ebubini, kodwa isithutha siyathukuthela, silitshapha.
17 Whoso is short of temper doth folly, And a man of wicked devices is hated.
Ophangisa ukuthukuthela wenza ubuthutha, lomuntu wamacebo amabi uzazondwa.
18 The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge.
Abangelalwazi badla ilifa lobuthutha, kodwa abakhaliphileyo bazathwala umqhele wolwazi.
19 The evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
Ababi bakhothama phambi kwabalungileyo, labakhohlakeleyo emasangweni abalungileyo.
20 Even of his neighbour is the poor hated, And those loving the rich [are] many.
Umyanga uzondwa langumakhelwane wakhe, kodwa abathanda onothileyo banengi.
21 Whoso is despising his neighbour sinneth, Whoso is favouring the humble, O his happiness.
Odelela umakhelwane wakhe uyona, kodwa olomusa kubayanga ubusisiwe.
22 Do not they err who are devising evil? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good,
Kabaduhi yini abaceba okubi? Kodwa umusa leqiniso ngokwalabo abaceba okuhle.
23 In all labour there is advantage, And a thing of the lips [is] only to want.
Kumtshikatshika wonke kulenzuzo, kodwa inkulumo yendebe ibanga inswelo kuphela.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools [is] folly.
Umqhele wabahlakaniphileyo uyinotho yabo; ubuthutha bezithutha buyibuthutha.
25 A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breatheth out lies.
Umfakazi oqinisileyo uyophula imiphefumulo, kodwa ophafuza amanga ungumkhohlisi.
26 In the fear of Jehovah [is] strong confidence, And to His sons there is a refuge.
Ekuyesabeni iNkosi kulethemba eliqinileyo, labantwana bakhe bazakuba lesiphephelo.
27 The fear of Jehovah [is] a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death.
Ukuyesaba iNkosi kungumthombo wempilo, ukusuka emijibileni yokufa.
28 In the multitude of a people [is] the honour of a king, And in lack of people the ruin of a prince.
Lusebunengini babantu udumo lwenkosi, kodwa kusekuswelekeni kwabantu ukuchitheka kombusi.
29 Whoso is slow to anger [is] of great understanding, And whoso is short in temper is exalting folly.
Ophuza ukuthukuthela ulokuqedisisa okukhulu, kodwa ophangisa ukuzonda ukhulisa ubuthutha.
30 A healed heart [is] life to the flesh, And rottenness to the bones [is] envy.
Inhliziyo ephilileyo iyimpilo yenyama, kodwa umhawu uyikubola kwamathambo.
31 An oppressor of the poor reproacheth his Maker, And whoso is honouring Him Is favouring the needy.
Ocindezela umyanga uthuka uMenzi wakhe, kodwa olomusa koswelayo uyamdumisa.
32 In his wickedness is the wicked driven away, And trustful in his death [is] the righteous.
Okhohlakeleyo uwiswa ebubini bakhe, kodwa olungileyo ulethemba ekufeni kwakhe.
33 In the heart of the intelligent wisdom doth rest. And in the midst of fools it is known.
Inhlakanipho ihlala enhliziyweni yoqedisisayo, kodwa okuphakathi kwezithutha kuyaziwa.
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation, And the goodliness of peoples [is] a sin-offering.
Ukulunga kuphakamisa isizwe, kodwa isono silihlazo ebantwini.
35 The favour of a king [is] to a wise servant, And an object of his wrath is one causing shame!
Umusa wenkosi usencekwini ehlakaniphileyo, kodwa intukuthelo yayo izakuba kwethela ihlazo.
