Izaga 23
1 Nxa uhlala phansi usidla lombusi, nanzelela ukuthi kuyini okuphambi kwakho,
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider well who is before thee;
2 ungazifaki ingqamu entanyeni nxa uhugwa yibuhwaba.
and put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
3 Ungahawukeli izibiliboco zakhe ngoba lokho kudla kuyakhohlisa.
Be not desirous of his dainties; for they are deceitful food.
4 Ungazihlukuluzi uzigugise ngomsebenzi uzama inotho; hlakanipha wazi ukuzikhuza.
Weary not thyself to become rich; cease from thine own intelligence:
5 Ungayibona manje inotho, masinyane isinyamalele, ngoba ngempela izamila impiko iphaphele emkhathini njengengqungqulu.
wilt thou set thine eyes upon it, it is gone; for indeed it maketh itself wings and it flieth away as an eagle towards the heavens.
6 Ungakudli ukudla komuntu oncitshanayo, ungazihawukeli izibiliboco zakhe;
Eat thou not the food of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainties.
7 ngoba yena uhlezi ebalisa ngendleko. Angathi kuwe, “Dlana unathe,” kodwa kungasuki enhliziyweni yakhe.
For as he thinketh in his soul, so is he. Eat and drink! will he say unto thee; but his heart is not with thee.
8 Uzakuhlanza okuncane lokho okudlileyo ube udlalise amazwi akho okubonga.
Thy morsel which thou hast eaten must thou vomit up, and thou wilt have wasted thy sweet words.
9 Ungakhulumi lesithutha ngoba sizakweyisa inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
Speak not in the ears of a foolish [man], for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
10 Ungasusi ilitshe lakudala elomngcele loba uzithathele amasimu ezintandane,
Remove not the ancient landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
11 ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; uzakuba ngumeli wazo aphikisane lawe.
for their redeemer is mighty; he will plead their cause against thee.
12 Nikela inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
Apply thy heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Ungayekeli ukumlaya umntwana; ukumtshaya ngoswazi akuyikumbulala.
Withhold not correction from the child; for [if] thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die:
thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
15 Ndodana yami, aluba inhliziyo yakho ihlakaniphile, inhliziyo yami layo izathokoza;
My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine;
16 ingaphakathi yami izajabula lapho izindebe zakho zikhuluma okulungileyo.
and my reins shall exult, when thy lips speak right things.
17 Inhliziyo yakho mayingahawukeli izoni, kodwa hlala utshisekela ukwesaba uThixo.
Let not thy heart envy sinners, but [be thou] in the fear of Jehovah all the day;
18 Ngeqiniso lihle ikusasa lakho, lethemba lakho kaliyikucitshwa.
for surely there is a result, and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
19 Lalela, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, ubeke inhliziyo yakho endleleni elungileyo.
Thou, my son, hear and be wise, and direct thy heart in the way.
20 Ungahlangani leziminzi zewayini labazitika ngenyama,
Be not among winebibbers, among riotous eaters of flesh.
21 ngoba izidakwa lezihwaba ziba ngabayanga, ukuwozela kwazo kuzembese amadabudabu.
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; and drowsiness clotheth with rags.
22 Lalela uyihlo owakuletha emhlabeni, njalo ungeyisi unyoko nxa eseluphele.
Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
23 Thenga iqiniso ungalithengisi; zuza ukuhlakanipha lokuzikhuza lokuzwisisa.
Buy the truth, and sell it not; wisdom, and instruction, and intelligence.
24 Uyise womuntu olungileyo uyathokoza kakhulu; lowo olendodana ehlakaniphileyo uyathokoza ngayo.
The father of a righteous [man] shall greatly rejoice, and he that begetteth a wise [son] shall have joy of him:
25 Sengathi uyihlo lonyoko bangathokoza; sengathi lowo owakuzalayo angajabula!
let thy father and thy mother have joy, and let her that bore thee rejoice.
26 Ndodana yami, ngipha inhliziyo yakho, amehlo akho ahlale ezindleleni zami,
My son, give me thy heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
27 ngoba isifebe singumgodi otshonayo lomfazi olibele lendlela ungumthombo oyingozi.
For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28 Uyacathamela njengesigebenga, andise amadoda angathembekanga.
She also lieth in wait as a robber, and increaseth the treacherous among men.
29 Ngubani ohlaba umkhosi? Ngubani olosizi na? Ngubani otshingayo? Ngubani olensolo na? Ngubani omahluzuhluzu ngeze? Ngubani omehlo abomvu gebhu na?
Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who contentions? Who complaining? Who wounds without cause? Who redness of eyes?
30 Yilabo abalibala ngewayini, abahamba bedinga inzwisa yewayini elidibanisiweyo.
— They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to try mixed wine.
31 Ungahugwa liwayini ulibona libomvu, nxa likhazimula enkomitshini, lapho lisehla kamnandi!
Look not upon the wine when it is red, when it sparkleth in the cup, and goeth down smoothly:
32 Ekucineni liluma njengenyoka libe lobuhlungu obubulalayo njengenhlangwana.
at the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
33 Amehlo akho azabona izinto ezingaqedakaliyo lengqondo yakho icabange izinto ezididayo.
Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thy heart shall speak froward things;
34 Uzakuba njengomuntu ondendayo phakathi kolwandle, olele esiqongweni sensika yomkhumbi.
and thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, and as he that lieth down upon the top of a mast:
35 Uzakuthi, “Bangitshayile kodwa kangilimalanga! Bangibethile kodwa kakubuhlungu! Ngizavuka nini bo ngiyodinga obunye utshwala?”
— “They have smitten me, [and] I am not sore; they have beaten me, [and] I knew it not. When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.”
