Proverbs 20
1 Wine [is] a scorner — strong drink [is] noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.
Iwayini lenza ukudelela lotshwala buyaxabanisa, okhohliswa yilezi izinto kahlakaniphanga.
2 The fear of a king [is] a growl as of a young lion, He who is causing him to be wroth is wronging his soul.
Ulaka lwenkosi lunjengokubhonga kwesilwane; lowo oyizondisayo udela impilo yakhe.
3 An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.
Kumupha udumo umuntu ukubalekela ukuxabana, kodwa iziphukuphuku zonke ziphangisa ukuthenga inkani.
4 Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh in harvest, and there is nothing.
Ivila kalilimi ngesikhathi esifaneleyo; kuthi ngesikhathi sokuvuna liswele amabele.
5 Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draweth it up.
Izifiso zenhliziyo yomuntu zingamanzi azikileyo, kodwa umuntu ozwisisayo uyazifinyelela.
6 A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find?
Banengi abathi balothando olungapheliyo, kodwa ngubani ongamthola umuntu othembekileyo na?
7 The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness of his sons after him!
Umuntu olungileyo uphila impilo encomekayo; babusisiwe abantwabakhe abamfuzayo.
8 A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering with his eyes all evil,
Inkosi nxa ihlezi esihlalweni sayo isahlulela, iyakuhlungula konke okubi ngamehlo ayo.
9 Who saith, 'I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?'
Ngubani ongathi, “Ngiyigcinile inhliziyo yami imhlophe; ngihlanzekile kangilasono?”
10 A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to Jehovah.
Izisindo ezitshiyanayo lezilinganiso ezitshiyanayo uThixo uyakuzonda kokubili.
11 Even by his actions a youth maketh himself known, Whether his work be pure or upright.
Lomntwana waziwa ngezenzo zakhe, ngokuthi isimilo sakhe sihle, siqotho.
12 A hearing ear, and a seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
Indlebe ezizwayo lamehlo abonayo kokubili kwenziwa nguThixo.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou become poor, Open thine eyes — be satisfied [with] bread.
Ungathandani lobuthongo uzakuba ngumyanga, hlala uvukile uzakuba lokudla okunengi.
14 'Bad, bad,' saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself.
“Kubi, kubi!” kutsho umthengi; esuka lapho usezincoma ngakuthengileyo.
15 Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Yea, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
Likhona igolide lamatshe aligugu amanengi, kodwa izindebe ezikhuluma ulwazi zilivelakancane.
16 Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it.
Thatha isembatho salowo owenzela owezizweni isibambiso; sigcine nxa ebambisela owesifazane ongaziphathanga.
17 Sweet to a man [is] the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled [with] gravel.
Ukudla okuzuzwe ngenkohliso kumnandi emuntwini, kodwa kucina sekungathi udla itshebetshebe.
18 Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.
Nxa usenza amacebo dinga izeluleko; nxa usiyahlasela zuza ukuqondiswa.
19 A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver [with] his lips make not thyself surety.
Onyeyayo uyehluleka ukugcina imfihlo, ngakho yehlukana lomuntu okhuluma angathuli.
20 Whoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp in blackness of darkness.
Nxa umuntu ethuka uyise loba unina, isibane sakhe sizacinywa abesemnyameni omubi.
21 An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
Ilifa elizuzwa lula ekuqaleni alilakubusiswa ekucineni.
22 Do not say, 'I recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.
Ungabokuthi, “Lami ngizakulungisa ngalokhu ongenze khona!” Yekela, uThixo nguye ozakusiza.
23 An abomination to Jehovah [are] a stone and a stone, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
UThixo uyazizonda izilinganiso eziguquguqulwayo, njalo kathokoziswa yizikali zokudlelezela.
24 From Jehovah [are] the steps of a man, And man — how understandeth he his way?
Izinyathelo zomuntu zikhokhelwa nguThixo. Pho umuntu angayazi kanjani na indlela yakhe?
25 A snare to a man [is] he hath swallowed a holy thing, And after vows to make inquiry.
Yikuzithiya ukuthembisa ngokuphangisa ukupha ulutho, phambili umuntu aphinde azisole ngalesosifungo.
26 A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.
Inkosi ehlakaniphileyo iyabahlungula ababi; iyabahadla njengelitshe lokuchola.
27 The breath of man [is] a lamp of Jehovah, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
Isibane sikaThixo siyawuhlolisisa umphefumulo womuntu; sihlolisisa ekujuleni kwemibilini yakhe.
28 Kindness and truth keep a king, And he hath supported by kindness his throne.
Uthando lokwethembeka kuyayivikela inkosi; ngothando isihlalo sayo sobukhosi sivikelekile.
29 The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honour of old men is grey hairs.
Udumo lwamajaha lusemandleni awo, izimvu zekhanda ziyinkazimulo yabadala.
30 The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart!
Izidutshulo lamanxeba kugezisa okubi, lezibhaxulo zihlambulula ingaphakathi.
