< Izaga 20 >
1 Iwayini lenza ukudelela lotshwala buyaxabanisa, okhohliswa yilezi izinto kahlakaniphanga.
Wine [is] a scorner—strong drink [is] noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.
2 Ulaka lwenkosi lunjengokubhonga kwesilwane; lowo oyizondisayo udela impilo yakhe.
The fear of a king [is] a growl as of a young lion, He who is causing him to be angry is wronging his soul.
3 Kumupha udumo umuntu ukubalekela ukuxabana, kodwa iziphukuphuku zonke ziphangisa ukuthenga inkani.
Cessation from strife is an honor to a man, And every fool interferes.
4 Ivila kalilimi ngesikhathi esifaneleyo; kuthi ngesikhathi sokuvuna liswele amabele.
The slothful does not plow because of winter, He asks in harvest, and there is nothing.
5 Izifiso zenhliziyo yomuntu zingamanzi azikileyo, kodwa umuntu ozwisisayo uyazifinyelela.
Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draws it up.
6 Banengi abathi balothando olungapheliyo, kodwa ngubani ongamthola umuntu othembekileyo na?
A multitude of men each proclaim his kindness, And a man of steadfastness who finds?
7 Umuntu olungileyo uphila impilo encomekayo; babusisiwe abantwabakhe abamfuzayo.
The righteous is habitually walking in his integrity, O the blessedness of his sons after him!
8 Inkosi nxa ihlezi esihlalweni sayo isahlulela, iyakuhlungula konke okubi ngamehlo ayo.
A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering all evil with his eyes,
9 Ngubani ongathi, “Ngiyigcinile inhliziyo yami imhlophe; ngihlanzekile kangilasono?”
Who says, “I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?”
10 Izisindo ezitshiyanayo lezilinganiso ezitshiyanayo uThixo uyakuzonda kokubili.
A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to YHWH.
11 Lomntwana waziwa ngezenzo zakhe, ngokuthi isimilo sakhe sihle, siqotho.
Even by his actions a youth makes himself known, Whether his work is pure or upright.
12 Indlebe ezizwayo lamehlo abonayo kokubili kwenziwa nguThixo.
A hearing ear, and a seeing eye—YHWH has even made both of them.
13 Ungathandani lobuthongo uzakuba ngumyanga, hlala uvukile uzakuba lokudla okunengi.
Do not love sleep, lest you become poor, Open your eyes—be satisfied [with] bread.
14 “Kubi, kubi!” kutsho umthengi; esuka lapho usezincoma ngakuthengileyo.
“Bad, bad,” says the buyer, And then he boasts himself going his way.
15 Likhona igolide lamatshe aligugu amanengi, kodwa izindebe ezikhuluma ulwazi zilivelakancane.
Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Indeed, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
16 Thatha isembatho salowo owenzela owezizweni isibambiso; sigcine nxa ebambisela owesifazane ongaziphathanga.
When a stranger has been guarantor, take his garment, And pledge it for strangers.
17 Ukudla okuzuzwe ngenkohliso kumnandi emuntwini, kodwa kucina sekungathi udla itshebetshebe.
The bread of falsehood [is] sweet to a man, And afterward his mouth is filled [with] gravel.
18 Nxa usenza amacebo dinga izeluleko; nxa usiyahlasela zuza ukuqondiswa.
You establish purposes by counsel, And with plans you make war.
19 Onyeyayo uyehluleka ukugcina imfihlo, ngakho yehlukana lomuntu okhuluma angathuli.
The busybody is a revealer of secret counsels, And do not make yourself guarantor for a deceiver [with] his lips.
20 Nxa umuntu ethuka uyise loba unina, isibane sakhe sizacinywa abesemnyameni omubi.
Whoever is vilifying his father and his mother, his lamp is extinguished in blackness of darkness.
21 Ilifa elizuzwa lula ekuqaleni alilakubusiswa ekucineni.
An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
22 Ungabokuthi, “Lami ngizakulungisa ngalokhu ongenze khona!” Yekela, uThixo nguye ozakusiza.
Do not say, “I repay evil,” Wait for YHWH, and He delivers you.
23 UThixo uyazizonda izilinganiso eziguquguqulwayo, njalo kathokoziswa yizikali zokudlelezela.
A stone and a stone [are] an abomination to YHWH, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
24 Izinyathelo zomuntu zikhokhelwa nguThixo. Pho umuntu angayazi kanjani na indlela yakhe?
The steps of a man [are] from YHWH, And man—how does he understand his way?
25 Yikuzithiya ukuthembisa ngokuphangisa ukupha ulutho, phambili umuntu aphinde azisole ngalesosifungo.
A snare to a man [that] he has swallowed a holy thing, And to make inquiry after vows.
26 Inkosi ehlakaniphileyo iyabahlungula ababi; iyabahadla njengelitshe lokuchola.
A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turns the wheel back on them.
27 Isibane sikaThixo siyawuhlolisisa umphefumulo womuntu; sihlolisisa ekujuleni kwemibilini yakhe.
The breath of man [is] a lamp of YHWH, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
28 Uthando lokwethembeka kuyayivikela inkosi; ngothando isihlalo sayo sobukhosi sivikelekile.
Kindness and truth keep a king, And he has supported his throne by kindness.
29 Udumo lwamajaha lusemandleni awo, izimvu zekhanda ziyinkazimulo yabadala.
The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honor of old men is grey hairs.
30 Izidutshulo lamanxeba kugezisa okubi, lezibhaxulo zihlambulula ingaphakathi.
Blows that wound cleanse away evil, Also the scourges of the inner parts of the heart!