Izaga 23
1 Nxa uhlala phansi usidla lombusi, nanzelela ukuthi kuyini okuphambi kwakho,
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider well him that 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; seeing they are deceitful food.
4 Ungazihlukuluzi uzigugise ngomsebenzi uzama inotho; hlakanipha wazi ukuzikhuza.
Weary not thyself to be rich; cease from thine own wisdom.
5 Ungayibona manje inotho, masinyane isinyamalele, ngoba ngempela izamila impiko iphaphele emkhathini njengengqungqulu.
Wilt thou set thine eyes upon it? it is gone; for riches certainly make themselves wings, like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.
6 Ungakudli ukudla komuntu oncitshanayo, ungazihawukeli izibiliboco zakhe;
Eat thou not the bread 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 one that hath reckoned within himself, so is he: 'Eat and drink', saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
8 Uzakuhlanza okuncane lokho okudlileyo ube udlalise amazwi akho okubonga.
The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
9 Ungakhulumi lesithutha ngoba sizakweyisa inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
Speak not in the ears of a fool; 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 strong; He will plead their cause with 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 though thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Thou beatest him with the rod, and wilt deliver his soul from the nether-world. (Sheol h7585)
15 Ndodana yami, aluba inhliziyo yakho ihlakaniphile, inhliziyo yami layo izathokoza;
My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart will be glad, even mine;
16 ingaphakathi yami izajabula lapho izindebe zakho zikhuluma okulungileyo.
Yea, my reins will rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
17 Inhliziyo yakho mayingahawukeli izoni, kodwa hlala utshisekela ukwesaba uThixo.
Let not thy heart envy sinners, but be in the fear of the LORD all the day;
18 Ngeqiniso lihle ikusasa lakho, lethemba lakho kaliyikucitshwa.
For surely there is a future; and thy hope shall not be cut off.
19 Lalela, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, ubeke inhliziyo yakho endleleni elungileyo.
Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thy heart in the way.
20 Ungahlangani leziminzi zewayini labazitika ngenyama,
Be not among winebibbers; among gluttonous 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 shall clothe a man with rags.
22 Lalela uyihlo owakuletha emhlabeni, njalo ungeyisi unyoko nxa eseluphele.
Hearken unto thy father that begot 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; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24 Uyise womuntu olungileyo uyathokoza kakhulu; lowo olendodana ehlakaniphileyo uyathokoza ngayo.
The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; and he that begetteth a wise child will have joy of him.
25 Sengathi uyihlo lonyoko bangathokoza; sengathi lowo owakuzalayo angajabula!
Let thy father and thy mother be glad, 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 harlot is a deep ditch; and an alien woman is a narrow pit.
28 Uyacathamela njengesigebenga, andise amadoda angathembekanga.
She also lieth in wait as a robber, and increaseth the faithless among men.
29 Ngubani ohlaba umkhosi? Ngubani olosizi na? Ngubani otshingayo? Ngubani olensolo na? Ngubani omahluzuhluzu ngeze? Ngubani omehlo abomvu gebhu na?
Who crieth: 'Woe'? who: 'Alas'? who hath contentions? who hath raving? who hath wounds without cause? who hath 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 thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its colour in the cup, when it glideth down smoothly;
32 Ekucineni liluma njengenyoka libe lobuhlungu obubulalayo njengenhlangwana.
At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like a basilisk.
33 Amehlo akho azabona izinto ezingaqedakaliyo lengqondo yakho icabange izinto ezididayo.
Thine eyes shall behold strange things, and thy heart shall utter confused things.
34 Uzakuba njengomuntu ondendayo phakathi kolwandle, olele esiqongweni sensika yomkhumbi.
Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
35 Uzakuthi, “Bangitshayile kodwa kangilimalanga! Bangibethile kodwa kakubuhlungu! Ngizavuka nini bo ngiyodinga obunye utshwala?”
'They have struck me, and I felt it not, they have beaten me, and I knew it not; when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.'
