Proverbs 20
1 Wine [is] a scorner — strong drink [is] noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.
Iwayini liyisideleli; okunathwayo okulamandla kulomsindo; njalo wonke oduha kukho 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.
Ukwesabeka kwenkosi kunjengokubhonga kwebhongo lesilwane; oyithukuthelisayo wona umphefumulo wakhe.
3 An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.
Kuludumo emuntwini ukuyekela inkani; kodwa sonke isiwula siyaziveza.
4 Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh in harvest, and there is nothing.
Ngenxa yobusika ivila kaliyikulima; ngakho lizaphanza esivunweni, kodwa kungabi lalutho.
5 Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draweth it up.
Iseluleko enhliziyweni yomuntu sinjengamanzi azikileyo, kodwa umuntu oqedisisayo uzasikha.
6 A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find?
Inengi labantu limemezela, lowo lalowo ukulunga kwakhe, kodwa ngubani ongathola umuntu othembekileyo?
7 The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness of his sons after him!
Olungileyo uhamba ngobuqotho bakhe; babusisiwe abantwana bakhe emva kwakhe.
8 A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering with his eyes all evil,
Inkosi ehlezi esihlalweni sesahlulelo ihlakaza bonke ububi ngamehlo ayo.
9 Who saith, 'I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?'
Ngubani ongathi: Ngihlanzile inhliziyo yami, ngihlambulukile esonweni sami?
10 A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to Jehovah.
Amatshe ezilinganiso ezehlukeneyo, ama-efa ehlukeneyo, kuyisinengiso eNkosini, yebo kokubili.
11 Even by his actions a youth maketh himself known, Whether his work be pure or upright.
Lomntwana uyazazisa ngezenzo zakhe, loba umsebenzi wakhe uhlanzekile kumbe loba uqotho.
12 A hearing ear, and a seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
Indlebe ezwayo lelihlo elibonayo, iNkosi yakwenza, yebo kokubili.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou become poor, Open thine eyes — be satisfied [with] bread.
Ungathandi ubuthongo, hlezi ube ngumyanga; vula amehlo akho, usuthe isinkwa.
14 'Bad, bad,' saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself.
Kubi, kubi, kutsho umthengi; kodwa esehambile abesezincoma.
15 Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Yea, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
Kulegolide, lobunengi bamatshe aligugu, kodwa indebe zolwazi zingumceciso oligugu.
16 Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it.
Thatha isembatho sakhe oyisibambiso sowemzini, umbambe abe yisibambiso sabezizwe.
17 Sweet to a man [is] the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled [with] gravel.
Isinkwa samanga simnandi emuntwini, kodwa emva kwalokho umlomo wakhe uzagcwaliswa ngokhethe.
18 Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.
Imicabango uyimisa ngeseluleko; ngakho yenza impi ngamaqhinga amahle.
19 A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver [with] his lips make not thyself surety.
Ohambahamba enyeya wembula imfihlakalo; ngakho ungahlangani lokhohlisa ngendebe zakhe.
20 Whoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp in blackness of darkness.
Othuka uyise loba unina, isibane sakhe sizacitshwa ebumnyameni obumnyama.
21 An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
Ilifa lingaphangisiswa ekuqaleni, kodwa ukucina kwalo kakuyikubusiswa.
22 Do not say, 'I recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.
Ungathi: Ngizaphindisela okubi; lindela iNkosi, njalo izakusindisa.
23 An abomination to Jehovah [are] a stone and a stone, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
Amatshe ezilinganiso ezehlukeneyo ayisinengiso eNkosini, lesikali esikhohlisayo kasilunganga.
24 From Jehovah [are] the steps of a man, And man — how understandeth he his way?
Izinyathelo zomuntu zivela eNkosini; pho, umuntu angaqedisisa njani indlela yakhe?
25 A snare to a man [is] he hath swallowed a holy thing, And after vows to make inquiry.
Kungumjibila emuntwini ukuginya okungcwele, lokuhlolisisa emva kwezifungo.
26 A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.
Inkosi ehlakaniphileyo ihlakaza ababi, ibuyisela ivili phezu kwabo.
27 The breath of man [is] a lamp of Jehovah, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
Umphefumulo womuntu uyisibane seNkosi, sihlolisisa wonke amakamelo esisu.
28 Kindness and truth keep a king, And he hath supported by kindness his throne.
Umusa leqiniso kuyayigcina inkosi, isekela isihlalo sayo sobukhosi ngokulunga.
29 The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honour of old men is grey hairs.
Udumo lwejaha lungamandla alo, lobukhosi babadala yizimvu zekhanda.
30 The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart!
Imivimvinya yenxeba ihlanza ububi, ngokunjalo izidutshuzo zamakamelo esisu.
