< Izaga 11 >

1 UThixo uyazenyanya izilinganiso zokudlelezela, kodwa uthokoza ngezilinganiso eziqondileyo.
Scales of deceit are hated by the Lord, but a true weight is his delight.
2 Nxa kungena ukuzigqaja kungena lokweyisa, kodwa ukuzithoba kuhamba lenhlakanipho.
When pride comes, there comes shame, but wisdom is with the quiet in spirit.
3 Ubuqotho kwabaqondileyo buyabakhokhela, kodwa abangathembekanga babulawa yibumenemene babo.
The righteousness of the upright will be their guide, but the twisted ways of the false will be their destruction.
4 Inotho kayisizi lutho ngosuku lweziphithiphithi kodwa ukulunga kuyaphephisa ekufeni.
Wealth is of no profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness keeps a man safe from death.
5 Ukulunga kwabangelacala kuqondisa indlela yabo, kodwa ababi bawiswa yibubi babo.
The righteousness of the good man will make his way straight, but the sin of the evil-doer will be the cause of his fall.
6 Ukulunga kwabaqondileyo kuyabakhulula, kodwa abangathembekanga bagwenxwa yizinkanuko zabo ezimbi.
The righteousness of the upright will be their salvation, but the false will themselves be taken in their evil designs.
7 Umuntu omubi angafa ithemba lakhe liyaphela; konke abesithi uzakuzuza ngamandla akhe kuphelela ezeni.
At the death of an upright man his hope does not come to an end, but the hope of the evil-doer comes to destruction.
8 Umuntu olungileyo uyakhululwa enkathazweni, kusuke kuyewela komubi.
The upright man is taken out of trouble, and in his place comes the sinner.
9 Ngomlomo wakhe umuntu ongakholwayo uyamchitha umakhelwane, kodwa ngolwazi abalungileyo bayaphepha.
With his mouth the evil man sends destruction on his neighbour; but through knowledge the upright are taken out of trouble.
10 Nxa kuphumelela abalungileyo umuzi uyathokoza; nxa kusifa omubi kuba lokujabula.
When things go well for the upright man, all the town is glad; at the death of sinners, there are cries of joy.
11 Ngokubusiswa ngabalungileyo omubi ubalodumo, kodwa ngomlomo wezigangi uyachitheka.
By the blessing of the upright man the town is made great, but it is overturned by the mouth of the evil-doer.
12 Umuntu ongelangqondo weyisa umakhelwane wakhe, kodwa umuntu ozwisisayo uthiba ulimi lwakhe.
He who has a poor opinion of his neighbour has no sense, but a wise man keeps quiet.
13 Onyeyayo wehluleka ukuvala isifuba sakhe, kodwa othembekileyo uyayigcina imfihlo.
He who goes about talking of others makes secrets public, but the true-hearted man keeps things covered.
14 Isizwe esingelabukhokheli obuqondileyo siyachitheka, kodwa ngobunengi babeluleki siyanqoba.
When there is no helping suggestion the people will have a fall, but with a number of wise guides they will be safe.
15 Lowo okhuphela omunye umuntu isibambiso uzahlupheka, kodwa owalayo ukupha isibambiso uvikelekile.
He who makes himself responsible for a strange man will undergo much loss; but the hater of such undertakings will be safe.
16 Umfazi olomusa uyahlonitshwa, kodwa amadoda alesihluku azuza inotho kuphela.
A woman who is full of grace is honoured, but a woman hating righteousness is a seat of shame: those hating work will undergo loss, but the strong keep their wealth.
17 Umuntu olomusa uyazisiza, kodwa umuntu ololunya uyazilimaza.
The man who has mercy will be rewarded, but the cruel man is the cause of trouble to himself.
18 Umuntu omubi uhola umvuzo wobuqili, kodwa lowo ohlanyela ukulunga uvuna umvuzo omuhle.
The sinner gets the payment of deceit; but his reward is certain who puts in the seed of righteousness.
19 Lowo omiyo ekulungeni uzuza ukuphila, kodwa oxotshana lobubi uya ekufeni.
So righteousness gives life; but he who goes after evil gets death for himself.
20 UThixo uyabazonda abantu abalenhliziyo embi, kodwa uyathokoza ngalabo abandlela zabo zilungile.
The uncontrolled are hated by the Lord, but those whose ways are without error are his delight
21 Kodwa yazi lokhu, ababi bazajeziswa kodwa abalungileyo bazahlala bekhululekile.
Certainly the evil-doer will not go free from punishment, but the seed of the upright man will be safe.
22 Njengesongo legolide lifakwe emakhaleni engulube, unjalo umfazi omuhle kodwa ongelambeko.
Like a ring of gold in the nose of a pig, is a beautiful woman who has no sense.
23 Izifiso zabalungileyo zizuza okuhle kodwa ithemba lababi liphelela osizini.
The desire of the upright man is only for good, but wrath is waiting for the evil-doer.
24 Ophayo ngesihle uyazuza okunengi kulakuqala, lowo ogodlayo ungenelwa yibuyanga.
A man may give freely, and still his wealth will be increased; and another may keep back more than is right, but only comes to be in need.
25 Lowo ophayo uzaphumelela; owonga abanye laye uzakongiwa.
He who gives blessing will be made fat, but the curser will himself be cursed.
26 Abantu bayamqalekisa lowo ogodla amabele, kodwa izibusiso zingumqhele walowo ovuma ukuwathengisa.
He who keeps back grain will be cursed by the people; but a blessing will be on the head of him who lets them have it for a price.
27 Lowo odinga ukulunga uzuza umusa, kodwa okubi kwehlela lowo okudingayo.
He who, with all his heart, goes after what is good is searching for grace; but he who is looking for trouble will get it.
28 Othembele enothweni yakhe uzakuwa; kodwa olungileyo uzaphila njengehlamvu eliluhlaza.
He who puts his faith in wealth will come to nothing; but the upright man will be full of growth like the green leaf.
29 Olethela abendlu yakhe uhlupho ilifa lakhe yize, lesihawu sizakuba yinceku yohlakaniphileyo.
The troubler of his house will have the wind for his heritage, and the foolish will be servant to the wise-hearted.
30 Izithelo zolungileyo ziyisihlahla sokuphila, njalo lowo ozuza imiphefumulo uhlakaniphile.
The fruit of righteousness is a tree of life, but violent behaviour takes away souls.
31 Nxa abalungileyo bezuza ukujeziswa emhlabeni pho kuzakuba njani kwabangakholwayo labayizoni!
If the upright man is rewarded on earth, how much more the evil-doer and the sinner!

< Izaga 11 >