Izaga 17
1 Lungcono uqweqwe lwesinkwa umuntu elokuthula kulendlu egcwele amagqibhagqibha okudla kodwa kulengxabano.
Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 Isisebenzi esihlakaniphileyo sizabusa indodana eyangisayo, sizakwabelwa ilifa njengomunye wamadodana.
A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 Isiliva sincibilikiselwa embizeni, imvutho ngeyegolide kodwa uThixo uhlola inhliziyo.
A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
4 Umuntu oxhwalileyo uyazilalela izindebe ezimbi; lomqambimanga uyalulalela ulimi olulomona.
A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
5 Lowo ohleka umyanga weyisa uMenzi wakhe; oklolodayo nxa konakele kayikuphepha isijeziso.
He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
6 Abazukulu bangumqhele wabalupheleyo, njalo labantwana baziqhenya ngabazali babo.
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.
7 Izindebe zokutshinga azisifanelanga isiwula zimbi kangakanani ke izindebe zamanga kumbusi!
Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
8 Isivalamlomo siyintelezi kulowo osinikayo; uyaphumelela kukho konke.
A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
9 Ofihla ukona komunye uqinisa uthando, kodwa okhuluma ngakho kokuphela wehlukanisa abangane abasekhwapheni.
Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
10 Ukukhuza kuyamqondisa umuntu olengqondo kulokutshaya isiwula imvimvinya ezilikhulu.
A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
11 Umuntu omubi udinga ukuhlamuka kuphela; uzathunyelwa inxusa elilesihluku.
An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Kungcono ukuqondana lebhele elithathelwe imidlwane yalo kulokuhlangana lesiwula ebuthutheni baso.
It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
13 Nxa umuntu ephindisela okuhle ngobubi, ububi kabusoze basuka endlini yakhe.
If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
14 Ukusungula inkani kunjengokubhidliza umduli wedamu; ngakho yekela indaba ingakadaleki inkani.
To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
15 Ukukhulula olecala lokugweba omsulwa uThixo uyakuzonda kokubili.
Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD.
16 Isizani imali esandleni sesiwula, sivele singatshisekeli ukuzuza ukuhlakanipha?
Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
17 Umngane ulothando ngezikhathi zonke, lomzalwane uzalelwa izikhathi zenhlupheko.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18 Umuntu ongananzeleliyo uyaziwisela anike isibambiso enceda umakhelwane wakhe.
A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
19 Lowo othanda inkani uthanda isono; lowo owakha isango eliphakemeyo udinga ukubhidlizwa.
He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
20 Umuntu olenhliziyo exhwalileyo kaphumeleli; lowo olimi lwakhe luyakhohlisa uwela ekuhluphekeni.
The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
21 Ukuba lendodana eyisiwula kuthelela usizi; akulakuthokoza kuyise wesiwula.
A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
22 Inhliziyo ethokozayo ingumuthi omuhle, kodwa umoya owephukileyo womisa amathambo.
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
23 Umuntu omubi wamukela isivalamlomo ensitha ukuze ahlanekele indlela yokwahlulela.
A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
24 Umuntu ohluzisisayo izinto ukhokhelwa yikuhlakanipha, kodwa amehlo esiwula asabalala afike ekucineni komhlaba.
Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
25 Indodana eyisiwula ithelela uyise usizi lokudabuka kulowo owayizalayo.
A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
26 Kakukuhle ukujezisa umuntu ongelacala, loba ukufaka uswazi izisebenzi ngenxa yobuqotho bazo.
It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
27 Umuntu ololwazi ubeka amazwi akhe ngokunanzelela, njalo umuntu oqedisisayo kathukutheli ngokuphangisa.
A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
28 Lesiwula kuthiwa sihlakaniphile nxa sithule, kuthiwe siyaqedisisa nxa sibamba ulimi lwaso.
Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.
