Izaga 19
1 Ungcono umyanga ohamba ngobuqotho kulesiwula esilezindebe ezingcolileyo.
Better is the poor man whose ways are upright, than the man of wealth whose ways are twisted.
2 Kakulunganga ukutshiseka kodwa ungelalwazi, loba ukuwalazela uze ulahlekelwe yindlela.
Further, without knowledge desire is not good; and he who is over-quick in acting goes out of the right way.
3 Ubuwula bomuntu budiliza impilo yakhe, ikanti inhliziyo yakhe ithukuthelela uThixo.
By his foolish behaviour a man's ways are turned upside down, and his heart is bitter against the Lord.
4 Inotho iletha abangane abanengi, kodwa umyanga ufulathelwa ngumngane wakhe weduze.
Wealth makes a great number of friends; but the poor man is parted from his friend.
5 Umfakazi wamanga uthola isijeziso, lalowo ohutshuza amanga kayikuphunyuka.
A false witness will not go without punishment, and the breather out of deceit will not go free.
6 Banengi abazincengela ukuthandwa ngumbusi, njalo wonke umuntu ngumngane walowo ophanayo.
Great numbers will make attempts to get the approval of a ruler: and every man is the special friend of him who has something to give.
7 Umyanga uhlanyukelwa yizihlobo zakhe zonke, pho abangane bakhe bona bamnina kangakanani! Lanxa ebancenga kangakanani, ngeke esabathola.
All the brothers of the poor man are against him: how much more do his friends go far from him! ...
8 Lowo ozuze ukuhlakanipha uthanda umphefumulo wakhe; lowo ogogosa ukuzwisisa uyaphumelela.
He who gets wisdom has love for his soul: he who keeps good sense will get what is truly good.
9 Umfakazi wamanga uthola isijeziso, njalo lowo ohutshuza amanga uzabhubha.
A false witness will not go without punishment, and the breather out of deceit will be cut off.
10 Kakusifanelanga isiwula ukuthi sihlale enothweni kubi kangakanani ukuthi isigqili sibuse amakhosana.
Material comfort is not good for the foolish; much less for a servant to be put over rulers.
11 Ukuhlakanipha komuntu kumupha isineke; kumupha udumo ukunganaki ukuqalwa.
A man's good sense makes him slow to wrath, and the overlooking of wrongdoing is his glory.
12 Ukuthukuthela kwenkosi kunjengokubhonga kwesilwane, kodwa ukuthandwa yiyo kunjengamazolo etshanini.
The king's wrath is like the loud cry of a lion, but his approval is like dew on the grass.
13 Indodana eyisiwula iyamchitha uyise, lomfazi olenkani unjengamanzi athonta ephahleni njalonje.
A foolish son is the destruction of his father; and the bitter arguments of a wife are like drops of rain falling without end.
14 Izindlu lenotho yilifa elizuzwa ebazalini, kodwa umfazi ozwisisayo uvela kuThixo.
House and wealth are a heritage from fathers, but a wife with good sense is from the Lord.
15 Ubuvila buletha ubuthongo obukhulu, njalo umuntu owehluleka ukuzenwaya uyalamba.
Hate of work sends deep sleep on a man: and he who has no industry will go without food.
16 Lowo olalela izeluleko uvikela impilo yakhe, kodwa lowo ozedelelayo uzakufa.
He who keeps the law keeps his soul; but death will be the fate of him who takes no note of the word.
17 Olomusa kubayanga upha uThixo, uzamupha umvuzo ngalokho akwenzayo.
He who has pity on the poor gives to the Lord, and the Lord will give him his reward.
18 Qondisa indodana yakho, ngoba lokho kuzayisiza; ungabi lengxenye yokuyibulala.
Give your son training while there is hope; let not your heart be purposing his death.
19 Umuntu ololaka oluphuphumayo luyamtshayisa, ungamlamulela, usuzahlala umlamulela njalo.
A man of great wrath will have to take his punishment: for if you get him out of trouble you will have to do it again.
20 Lalela ukucetshiswa, wamukele ukuqondiswa, ngoba ekucineni uzahlakanipha.
Let your ear be open to suggestion and take teaching, so that at the end you may be wise.
21 Inhliziyo yomuntu igcwele amacebo amanengi, kodwa yisimiso sikaThixo esimayo.
A man's heart may be full of designs, but the purpose of the Lord is unchanging.
22 Umuntu uloyisa uthando olungaqamukiyo; kungcono ukuba ngumyanga kulokuba lamanga.
The ornament of a man is his mercy, and a poor man is better than one who is false.
23 Ukumesaba uThixo kuholela ekuphileni: olakho uhlala esuthisekile, engathintwa yizinhlupheko.
The fear of the Lord gives life: and he who has it will have need of nothing; no evil will come his way.
24 Ivilavoxo litshonisa isandla salo emganwini, liyehluleke ukubuyisa isandla emlonyeni lidle.
The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin, and will not even take it to his mouth again.
25 Thela uswazi isideleli, abathobekileyo bazafunda ukuhlakanipha; khuza umuntu oqedisisayo, uzazuza ulwazi.
When blows overtake the man of pride, the simple will get sense; say sharp words to the wise, and knowledge will be made clear to him.
26 Lowo ontshontshela uyise, axotshe unina yindodana ethelela inhloni lehlazo.
He who is violent to his father, driving away his mother, is a son causing shame and a bad name.
27 Nxa uyekela ukulandela izeluleko, ndodana yami, uzalahleka utshiye amazwi okwazi.
A son who no longer gives attention to teaching is turned away from the words of knowledge.
28 Umfakazi oxhwalileyo uyawudelela umthetho, lomlomo womubi uminza ububi.
A good-for-nothing witness makes sport of the judge's decision: and the mouth of evil-doers sends out evil like a stream.
29 Izijeziso zilungiselwe izideleli, loswazi ngolwemihlane yeziwula.
Rods are being made ready for the man of pride, and blows for the back of the foolish.
