Izaga 23
1 Nxa uhlala phansi usidla lombusi, nanzelela ukuthi kuyini okuphambi kwakho,
When thou shalt sit to eat with a prince, consider diligently what is set before thy face.
2 ungazifaki ingqamu entanyeni nxa uhugwa yibuhwaba.
And put a knife to thy throat, if it be so that thou have thy soul in thy own power.
3 Ungahawukeli izibiliboco zakhe ngoba lokho kudla kuyakhohlisa.
Be not desirous of his meats, in which is the bread of deceit.
4 Ungazihlukuluzi uzigugise ngomsebenzi uzama inotho; hlakanipha wazi ukuzikhuza.
Labour not to be rich: but set bounds to thy prudence.
5 Ungayibona manje inotho, masinyane isinyamalele, ngoba ngempela izamila impiko iphaphele emkhathini njengengqungqulu.
Lift not up thy eyes to riches which thou canst not have: because they shall make themselves wings like those of an eagle, and shall fly towards heaven.
6 Ungakudli ukudla komuntu oncitshanayo, ungazihawukeli izibiliboco zakhe;
Eat not with an envious man, and desire not his meats:
7 ngoba yena uhlezi ebalisa ngendleko. Angathi kuwe, “Dlana unathe,” kodwa kungasuki enhliziyweni yakhe.
Because like a soothsayer, and diviner, he thinketh that which he knoweth not. Eat and drink, will he say to thee: and his mind is not with thee.
8 Uzakuhlanza okuncane lokho okudlileyo ube udlalise amazwi akho okubonga.
The meats which thou hadst eaten, thou shalt vomit up: and shalt loose thy beautiful words.
9 Ungakhulumi lesithutha ngoba sizakweyisa inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
Speak not in the ears of fools: because they will despise the instruction of thy speech.
10 Ungasusi ilitshe lakudala elomngcele loba uzithathele amasimu ezintandane,
Touch not the bounds of little ones: and enter not into the field of the fatherless:
11 ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; uzakuba ngumeli wazo aphikisane lawe.
For their near kinsman is strong: and he will judge their cause against thee.
12 Nikela inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
Let thy heart apply itself to instruction: and thy ears to words of knowledge.
13 Ungayekeli ukumlaya umntwana; ukumtshaya ngoswazi akuyikumbulala.
Withhold not correction from a child: for if thou strike him with the rod, he shall not die.
Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and deliver his soul from hell. (Sheol h7585)
15 Ndodana yami, aluba inhliziyo yakho ihlakaniphile, inhliziyo yami layo izathokoza;
My son, if thy mind be wise, my heart shall rejoice with thee:
16 ingaphakathi yami izajabula lapho izindebe zakho zikhuluma okulungileyo.
And my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips shall speak what is right.
17 Inhliziyo yakho mayingahawukeli izoni, kodwa hlala utshisekela ukwesaba uThixo.
Let not thy heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long:
18 Ngeqiniso lihle ikusasa lakho, lethemba lakho kaliyikucitshwa.
Because thou shalt have hope in the latter end, and thy expectation shall not be taken away.
19 Lalela, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, ubeke inhliziyo yakho endleleni elungileyo.
Hear thou, my son, and be wise: and guide thy mind in the way.
20 Ungahlangani leziminzi zewayini labazitika ngenyama,
Be not in the feasts of great drinkers, nor in their revellings, who contribute flesh to eat:
21 ngoba izidakwa lezihwaba ziba ngabayanga, ukuwozela kwazo kuzembese amadabudabu.
Because they that give themselves to drinking, and that club together shall be consumed; and drowsiness shall be clothed with rags.
22 Lalela uyihlo owakuletha emhlabeni, njalo ungeyisi unyoko nxa eseluphele.
Hearken to thy father, that beget thee: and despise not thy mother when she is old.
23 Thenga iqiniso ungalithengisi; zuza ukuhlakanipha lokuzikhuza lokuzwisisa.
Buy truth, and do not sell wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24 Uyise womuntu olungileyo uyathokoza kakhulu; lowo olendodana ehlakaniphileyo uyathokoza ngayo.
The father of the just rejoiceth greatly: he that hath begotten a wise son, shall have joy in him.
25 Sengathi uyihlo lonyoko bangathokoza; sengathi lowo owakuzalayo angajabula!
Let thy father, and thy mother be joyful, and let her rejoice that bore thee.
26 Ndodana yami, ngipha inhliziyo yakho, amehlo akho ahlale ezindleleni zami,
My son, give me thy heart: and let thy eyes keep my ways.
27 ngoba isifebe singumgodi otshonayo lomfazi olibele lendlela ungumthombo oyingozi.
For a harlot is a deep ditch: and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28 Uyacathamela njengesigebenga, andise amadoda angathembekanga.
She lieth in wait in the way as a robber, and him whom she shall see unwary, she will kill.
29 Ngubani ohlaba umkhosi? Ngubani olosizi na? Ngubani otshingayo? Ngubani olensolo na? Ngubani omahluzuhluzu ngeze? Ngubani omehlo abomvu gebhu na?
Who hath woe? whose father hath woe? who hath contentions? who falls into pits? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30 Yilabo abalibala ngewayini, abahamba bedinga inzwisa yewayini elidibanisiweyo.
Surely they that pass their time in wine, and study to drink of their cups.
31 Ungahugwa liwayini ulibona libomvu, nxa likhazimula enkomitshini, lapho lisehla kamnandi!
Look not upon the wine when it is yellow, when the colour thereof shineth in the glass: it goeth in pleasantly,
32 Ekucineni liluma njengenyoka libe lobuhlungu obubulalayo njengenhlangwana.
But in the end, it will bite like a snake, and will spread abroad poison like a basilisk.
33 Amehlo akho azabona izinto ezingaqedakaliyo lengqondo yakho icabange izinto ezididayo.
Thy eyes shall behold strange women, and thy heart shall utter perverse things.
34 Uzakuba njengomuntu ondendayo phakathi kolwandle, olele esiqongweni sensika yomkhumbi.
And thou shalt be as one sleeping in the midst of the sea, and as a pilot fast asleep, when the stern is lost.
35 Uzakuthi, “Bangitshayile kodwa kangilimalanga! Bangibethile kodwa kakubuhlungu! Ngizavuka nini bo ngiyodinga obunye utshwala?”
And thou shalt say: They have beaten me, but I was not sensible of pain: they drew me, and I felt not: when shall I awake, and find wine again?
