Izaga 14
1 Umfazi ohlakaniphileyo uyakha indlu yakhe, kodwa lowo oyisiwula uyayibhidliza ngezandla zakhe.
Wisdom is building her house, but the foolish woman is pulling it down with her hands.
2 Lowo ohamba ngobuqotho uyamesaba uThixo, kodwa lowo ondlela zakhe zigobile uyameyisa.
He who goes on his way in righteousness has before him the fear of the Lord; but he whose ways are twisted gives him no honour.
3 Inkulumo yesiwula isikhothisa ngoswazi emhlane, kodwa indebe zalowo ohlakaniphileyo ziyamvikela.
In the mouth of the foolish man is a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will keep them safe.
4 Lapho okungelankabi khona isibaya siyize, kodwa amandla enkabi aletha isivuno esinengi.
Where there are no oxen, their food-place is clean; but much increase comes through the strength of the ox.
5 Umfakazi oleqiniso kakhohlisi, kodwa umfakazi ongelaqiniso uhutsha amanga.
A true witness does not say what is false, but a false witness is breathing out deceit.
6 Oweyisayo uyakudinga ukuhlakanipha kodwa kakutholi, kodwa ulwazi luyazizela koqondisisayo.
The hater of authority, searching for wisdom, does not get it; but knowledge comes readily to the open-minded man.
7 Suka emuntwini oyisiwula, ngoba awuyikuthola ulwazi ezindebeni zakhe.
Go away from the foolish man, for you will not see the lips of knowledge.
8 Ukuhlakanipha kwabaqondayo yikuthi bayacabanga ngalokho abakwenzayo, kodwa ubuthutha beziwula buyinkohliso.
The wisdom of the man of good sense makes his way clear; but the unwise behaviour of the foolish is deceit.
9 Iziwula zikwenza ubuthutha ukuphenduka ezonweni, kodwa abaqotho bafisa ukwenza uxolo.
In the tents of those hating authority there is error, but in the house of the upright man there is grace.
10 Inhliziyo leyo laleyo iyakwazi ukudabuka kwayo, njalo kakho ongakwazi ukuthokoza kwayo.
No one has knowledge of a man's grief but himself; and a strange person has no part in his joy.
11 Indlu yomubi izadilizwa, kodwa ithente loqotho lizaphumelela.
The house of the sinner will be overturned, but the tent of the upright man will do well.
12 Kukhona indlela ebonakala ilungile emuntwini, kodwa isiphetho sayo siyikufa.
There is a way which seems straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death.
13 Ukuhleba kungabe kufihle ubuhlungu benhliziyo, lokuthokoza kucine sekulusizi.
Even while laughing the heart may be sad; and after joy comes sorrow.
14 Abangelakho bazavuzwa ngokubafaneleyo, lomuntu olungileyo laye avuzwe ngokwakhe.
He whose heart is turned away will have the reward of his ways in full measure; but a good man will have the reward of his doings.
15 Umuntu oyisithutha ukholwa loba yini, kodwa olengqondo uyakucabangisisa konke akwenzayo.
The simple man has faith in every word, but the man of good sense gives thought to his footsteps.
16 Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo uyamesaba uThixo, axwaye okubi, kodwa isiwula siliphikankani kodwa sizizwa sivikelekile.
The wise man, fearing, keeps himself from evil; but the foolish man goes on in his pride, with no thought of danger.
17 Umuntu olicaphucaphu wenza izinto zobuthutha, lomuntu oliqili uyazondwa.
He who is quickly angry will do what is foolish, but the man of good sense will have quiet.
18 Abangazi lutho ilifa labo yibuwula, kodwa abalengqondo betheswa umqhele wolwazi.
Foolish behaviour is the heritage of the simple, but men of good sense are crowned with knowledge.
19 Abantu ababi bazilahla phansi phambi kwabalungileyo, lezixhwali ziguqa emasangweni abalungileyo.
The knees of the evil are bent before the good; and sinners go down in the dust at the doors of the upright.
20 Abayanga bahlanyukelwa langabomakhelwane babo, kodwa izinothi zilabangane abanengi.
The poor man is hated even by his neighbour, but the man of wealth has numbers of friends.
21 Lowo oweyisa umakhelwane wenza isono, kodwa ubusisiwe olomusa kwabaswelayo.
He who has no respect for his neighbour is a sinner, but he who has pity for the poor is happy.
22 Kabalahleki yini abaceba ububi? Kodwa abamisa ukwenza okuhle bafumana uthando lokuthembeka.
Will not the designers of evil come into error? But mercy and good faith are for the designers of good.
23 Ukusebenza nzima konke kuletha inzuzo, kodwa ukuqina ngomlomo kuthelela ubuyanga.
In all hard work there is profit, but talk only makes a man poor.
24 Inotho yabahlakaniphileyo ingumqhele wabo, kodwa ubuphukuphuku beziwula buzala ubuthutha.
Their wisdom is a crown to the wise, but their foolish behaviour is round the head of the unwise.
25 Umfakazi oleqiniso uyabakhulula abantu, kodwa umfakazi wamanga uyakhohlisa.
A true witness is the saviour of lives; but he who says false things is a cause of deceit.
26 Lowo owesaba uThixo ulenqaba eqinileyo, uzakuba yisiphephelo senzalo yakhe.
For him in whose heart is the fear of the Lord there is strong hope: and his children will have a safe place.
27 Ukumesaba uThixo kungumthombo wokuphila, kuvikela umuntu emijibileni yokufa.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, by which one may be turned from the nets of death.
28 Ubunengi babantu elizweni kuludumo enkosini, kodwa nxa kungelabantu umbusi kasilutho.
A king's glory is in the number of his people: and for need of people a ruler may come to destruction.
29 Umuntu obekezelayo uyazwisisa kakhulu, kodwa ophanga ukuthukuthela uveza ubuthutha.
He who is slow to be angry has great good sense; but he whose spirit is over-quick gives support to what is foolish.
30 Ingqondo elokuthula iletha ukuphila emzimbeni, kodwa umhawu ubolisa amathambo.
A quiet mind is the life of the body, but envy is a disease in the bones.
31 Lowo oncindezela abayanga weyisa uMenzi wabo, kodwa olomusa kwabaswelayo udumisa uNkulunkulu.
He who is hard on the poor puts shame on his Maker; but he who has mercy on those who are in need gives him honour.
32 Nxa kufika ubunzima ababi bayadilika, kodwa abalungileyo balesiphephelo lasekufeni.
The sinner is overturned in his evil-doing, but the upright man has hope in his righteousness.
33 Ukuhlakanipha kuzinzile enhliziyweni yabaqedisisayo, kuyaziveza kanye lakwabayiziwula.
Wisdom has her resting-place in the mind of the wise, but she is not seen among the foolish.
34 Ukulunga kuyasiphakamisa isizwe, kodwa isono silihlazo lakubaphi abantu.
By righteousness a nation is lifted up, but sin is a cause of shame to the peoples.
35 Inkosi iyathokoza ngenceku ehlakaniphileyo, kodwa inceku ehlazisayo iyayithukuthelisa.
The king has pleasure in a servant who does wisely, but his wrath is against him who is a cause of shame.
