Izaga 18
1 Umuntu ongelamusa uzifunela okwakhe; uyazilahla zonke iziqondiso ezinhle.
He who is separated seeks [his own] desire, He interferes with all wisdom.
2 Isiwula kasikuthakazeleli ukuzwisisa kodwa sithokoza ngokutsho eyaso imibono.
A fool does not delight in understanding, But in uncovering his heart.
3 Nxa kufika ububi kufika lokweyisa, njalo ihlazo liza lokudumazeka.
Contempt has also come with the coming of the wicked, And with shame—reproach.
4 Amazwi omlomo womuntu ayinziki yamanzi, kodwa umthombo wokuhlakanipha ngumfudlana ontuntuzayo.
The words of a man’s mouth [are] deep waters, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
5 Kakukuhle ukulungisela ababi loba ukungehluleli kuhle abangelacala.
Favoring of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
6 Izindebe zesiwula zisilethela ingxabano, lomlomo waso unxusa ukutshaywa.
The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth calls for stripes.
7 Umlomo wesiwula yiwo osidilizayo, lezindebe zaso zingumjibila womphefumulo waso.
The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
8 Amazwi omuntu onyeyayo anjengezibiliboco; angena ekujuleni kwenhliziyo yomuntu.
The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
9 Lowo ovilaphayo emsebenzini wakhe ungumfowabo walowo odilizayo.
He also that is remiss in his work, He [is] a brother to a destroyer.
10 Ibizo likaThixo liyinqaba eqinileyo; abalungileyo babalekela kulo baphephe.
The Name of YHWH [is] a tower of strength, The righteous runs into it, and is set on high.
11 Inotho yezikhulu ingumuzi wazo ovikelweyo; zicabanga ukuthi imiduli yawo ayikhweleki.
The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
12 Umuntu uyazikhukhumeza ngenhliziyo yakhe, mandulo kokuba awe, ikanti ukuzithoba kwandulela udumo.
The heart of man is high before destruction, And humility [is] before honor.
13 Lowo ophendulayo engaqali alalele lobo yibuwula bakhe lehlazo lakhe.
Whoever is answering a matter before he hears, It is folly to him—and shame.
14 Umphefumulo womuntu uyamqinisa nxa egula, kodwa ngubani ongaphila elomoya owephukileyo na?
The spirit of a man sustains his sickness, And who bears a struck spirit?
15 Inhliziyo yabaqedisisayo izuza ulwazi; indlebe zabahlakaniphileyo ziyakudinga.
The heart of the intelligent gets knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 Isipho siyamvulela indlela ophayo azuze ithuba lokubonana labakhulu.
The gift of a man makes room for him, And it leads him before the great.
17 Ecaleni okhuluma kuqala ubonakala enguye olungileyo, kuze kuqhamuke omunye ambuzisise.
The first in his own cause [seems] righteous, [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.
18 Ukwenza inkatho kuyakuqeda ukulwisana, kubehlukanise abaxabanayo.
The lot causes contentions to cease, And it separates between the mighty.
19 Umzalwane owonelweyo uba lukhuni kulomuzi ohonqolozelweyo, lezingxabano zinjengamasango enqaba avaliweyo.
A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
20 Isisu somuntu sigcwaliswa yizithelo zomlomo wakhe; usuthiswa yisivuno sezindebe zakhe.
From the fruit of a man’s mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied.
21 Ulimi lulamandla okuphila lokufa, njalo labo abaluthandayo bazakudla izithelo zalo.
Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
22 Lowo ozuza umfazi ufumana okuhle, athole umusa kuThixo.
[Whoever] has found a wife has found good, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
23 Umyanga uyancenga ukuthi axolelwe, kodwa isinothi siphendula ngolaka.
The poor speaks [with] supplications, And the rich answers fierce things.
24 Umuntu olabangane abanengi ucina kubi, kodwa kuba khona umngane othembeka okudlula umfowenu.
A man with friends—to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
