Izaga 23
1 Nxa uhlala phansi usidla lombusi, nanzelela ukuthi kuyini okuphambi kwakho,
WHEN thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what 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 meat.
4 Ungazihlukuluzi uzigugise ngomsebenzi uzama inotho; hlakanipha wazi ukuzikhuza.
Labour not 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 that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle 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 dainty meats:
7 ngoba yena uhlezi ebalisa ngendleko. Angathi kuwe, “Dlana unathe,” kodwa kungasuki enhliziyweni yakhe.
For as he thinketh in his heart, 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 old 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 shall plead their cause with thee.
12 Nikela inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
Apply thine 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 hell. (Sheol h7585)
15 Ndodana yami, aluba inhliziyo yakho ihlakaniphile, inhliziyo yami layo izathokoza;
My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
16 ingaphakathi yami izajabula lapho izindebe zakho zikhuluma okulungileyo.
Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
17 Inhliziyo yakho mayingahawukeli izoni, kodwa hlala utshisekela ukwesaba uThixo.
Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.
18 Ngeqiniso lihle ikusasa lakho, lethemba lakho kaliyikucitshwa.
For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
19 Lalela, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, ubeke inhliziyo yakho endleleni elungileyo.
Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine 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 shall clothe a man 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; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24 Uyise womuntu olungileyo uyathokoza kakhulu; lowo olendodana ehlakaniphileyo uyathokoza ngayo.
The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
25 Sengathi uyihlo lonyoko bangathokoza; sengathi lowo owakuzalayo angajabula!
Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
26 Ndodana yami, ngipha inhliziyo yakho, amehlo akho ahlale ezindleleni zami,
My son, give me thine 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 for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors 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 hath contentions? who hath babbling? 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 seek 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 his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
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 thine heart shall utter perverse 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 stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
