Proverbs 25
1 Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed: —
Lalezi yizaga zikaSolomoni abantu bakaHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda abazikopayo.
2 The honour of God [is] to hide a thing, And the honour of kings to search out a matter.
Kuludumo lukaNkulunkulu ukufihla udaba, kodwa kuludumo lwamakhosi ukuhlolisisa udaba.
3 The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings — [are] unsearchable.
Amazulu ngokuphakama, lomhlaba ngokujula, lenhliziyo yamakhosi kakulakuhlolisiswa.
4 Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,
Susa amanyele esiliveni, besekuphuma isitsha somncibilikisi.
5 Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.
Susa okhohlakeleyo phambi kwenkosi, besekuqiniswa isihlalo sayo sobukhosi ngokulunga.
6 Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not.
Ungaziqhenyi phambi kwenkosi, njalo ungemi endaweni yezikhulu;
7 For better [that] he hath said to thee, 'Come thou up hither,' Than [that] he humble thee before a noble, Whom thine eyes have seen.
ngoba kungcono kuthiwe kuwe: Yenyukela ngapha, kulokuthi wehliswe phambi kwesiphathamandla, amehlo akho asibonileyo.
8 Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?
Ungaphangisi ukuphuma ukuyaphikisana, hlezi wenze ulutho ekucineni kwakho, lapho umakhelwane wakho esekuyangisile.
9 Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not,
Mela udaba lwakho lomakhelwane wakho, kodwa ungavezi imfihlo yomunye;
10 Lest the hearer put thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not back.
hlezi okuzwayo akuyangise, lesigcono sakho singaphambuki.
11 Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
Ilizwi elikhulunywe ngokufaneleyo linjengama-apula egolide ezitsheni zesiliva ezibaziweyo.
12 A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear.
Isongo legolide lesiceciso segolide elihle kungumkhuzi ohlakaniphileyo endlebeni ezwayo.
13 As a vessel of snow in a day of harvest, [So is] a faithful ambassador to those sending him, And the soul of his masters he refresheth.
Isithunywa esithembekileyo kwabasithumileyo sinjengomqando weliqhwa elikhithikileyo ngosuku lokuvuna, ngoba sivuselela umphefumulo wamakhosi aso.
14 Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
Umuntu oziqhenya ngesipho samanga unjengamayezi lomoya okungelazulu.
15 By long-suffering is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh a bone.
Ngokubekezela umbusi angavunyiswa, lolimi oluthambileyo lwephula ithambo.
16 Honey thou hast found — eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated [with] it, and hast vomited it.
Utholile yini uluju? Dlana okwenele wena, hlezi uludle kakhulu, uluhlanze.
17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, Lest he be satiated [with] thee, and have hated thee.
Unyawo lwakho kalungavami endlini kamakhelwane wakho, hlezi akusuthe akuzonde.
18 A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying against his neighbour a false testimony.
Umuntu ofakaza ubufakazi bamanga ngomakhelwane wakhe uyisagila lenkemba lomtshoko obukhali.
19 A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
Ukuthemba ongathembekanga ngosuku lokuhlupheka kunjengezinyo elephukileyo, lonyawo olwenyeleyo.
20 Whoso is taking away a garment in a cold day, [Is as] vinegar on nitre, And a singer of songs on a sad heart.
Ohlabelela izingoma enhliziyweni edabukileyo unjengokhupha isembatho ngosuku lwamakhaza, njengeviniga phakathi kwesoda.
21 If he who is hating thee doth hunger, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirst, cause him to drink water.
Uba okuzondayo elambile, umnike isinkwa adle, njalo uba omile, umnike amanzi anathe;
22 For coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee.
ngoba uzabekelela amalahle omlilo ekhanda lakhe, leNkosi izakuvuza.
23 A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue — indignant faces.
Umoya wenyakatho uletha izulu, lolimi lwemfihlo ubuso obulolaka.
24 Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.
Kungcono ukuhlala engonsini yophahla kulalowesifazana wezinkani lendlini yokuhlanganyela.
25 [As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
Umbiko omuhle ovela elizweni elikhatshana unjengamanzi aqandayo emphefumulweni owomileyo.
26 A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
Olungileyo ozanyazanyiswayo phambi kokhohlakeleyo ungumthombo odungekileyo lesiphethu esonakeleyo.
27 The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one's own honour — honour.
Ukudla uluju olunengi kakulunganga; lokuthi badinge udumo lwabo kakusidumo.
28 A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
Umuntu ongathinti umoya wakhe unjengomuzi ofohlelweyo ongelamthangala.
