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.
For thou puttest a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man of a craving desire.
3 Ungahawukeli izibiliboco zakhe ngoba lokho kudla kuyakhohlisa.
Do not long for his savory meats; they are deceitful food.
4 Ungazihlukuluzi uzigugise ngomsebenzi uzama inotho; hlakanipha wazi ukuzikhuza.
Fatigue thyself not to become rich; because thou hast understanding, forbear.
5 Ungayibona manje inotho, masinyane isinyamalele, ngoba ngempela izamila impiko iphaphele emkhathini njengengqungqulu.
When thou lettest merely thy eyes fly over it, it is no more: for it will ever make itself wings: like an eagle will it fly toward heaven.
6 Ungakudli ukudla komuntu oncitshanayo, ungazihawukeli izibiliboco zakhe;
Eat not the bread of a man with an evil eye, and do not long for his savory meats;
7 ngoba yena uhlezi ebalisa ngendleko. Angathi kuwe, “Dlana unathe,” kodwa kungasuki enhliziyweni yakhe.
For as though there were a division in his soul, so doth he act: Eat and drink, saith he to 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 spit out, and thou hast wasted thy pleasant words.
9 Ungakhulumi lesithutha ngoba sizakweyisa inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
Speak not before the ears of a fool; for he will despise the intelligence of thy words.
10 Ungasusi ilitshe lakudala elomngcele loba uzithathele amasimu ezintandane,
Remove not the ancient landmark, and into the fields of the fatherless must thou not enter;
11 ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; uzakuba ngumeli wazo aphikisane lawe.
For their redeemer is strong; he will indeed plead their cause with thee.
12 Nikela inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
Apply thy heart unto instruction, and thy ears to the sayings of knowledge.
13 Ungayekeli ukumlaya umntwana; ukumtshaya ngoswazi akuyikumbulala.
Withhold not from a lad correction; for if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Thou wilt indeed beat him with the rod; but thou wilt deliver his soul from perdition. (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 what is equitable.
17 Inhliziyo yakho mayingahawukeli izoni, kodwa hlala utshisekela ukwesaba uThixo.
Let not thy heart be envious against sinners; but [remain] in the fear of the lord all the time.
18 Ngeqiniso lihle ikusasa lakho, lethemba lakho kaliyikucitshwa.
For surely there is a future, and thy hope will not be cut off.
19 Lalela, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, ubeke inhliziyo yakho endleleni elungileyo.
Hear thou, my son, and become wise, and guide thy heart on the right way.
20 Ungahlangani leziminzi zewayini labazitika ngenyama,
Be not among those that drink wine immoderately, among those that over-indulge in eating flesh:
21 ngoba izidakwa lezihwaba ziba ngabayanga, ukuwozela kwazo kuzembese amadabudabu.
For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty; and drowsiness clotheth a man in rags.
22 Lalela uyihlo owakuletha emhlabeni, njalo ungeyisi unyoko nxa eseluphele.
Hearken unto thy father that hath begotten thee, and despise not thy mother although she be 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 be greatly glad, and he that begetteth a wise child will have joy through him.
25 Sengathi uyihlo lonyoko bangathokoza; sengathi lowo owakuzalayo angajabula!
Let [then] thy father and thy mother rejoice, and let her that hath born thee be glad.
26 Ndodana yami, ngipha inhliziyo yakho, amehlo akho ahlale ezindleleni zami,
Give, my son, thy heart unto me, and let thy eyes watch 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 well.
28 Uyacathamela njengesigebenga, andise amadoda angathembekanga.
She also lieth in wait like a robber, and she 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 hath quarrels? who hath complaints? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30 Yilabo abalibala ngewayini, abahamba bedinga inzwisa yewayini elidibanisiweyo.
They that tarry late over the wine: they that come to seek for mixed drink.
31 Ungahugwa liwayini ulibona libomvu, nxa likhazimula enkomitshini, lapho lisehla kamnandi!
Do not look on the wine when it looketh red, when it giveth its color in the cup, when it glideth down so readily.
32 Ekucineni liluma njengenyoka libe lobuhlungu obubulalayo njengenhlangwana.
At the last it will bite like a serpent, and like a basilisk will it sting.
33 Amehlo akho azabona izinto ezingaqedakaliyo lengqondo yakho icabange izinto ezididayo.
Thy eyes will see strange forms, and thy heart will speak perverse things.
34 Uzakuba njengomuntu ondendayo phakathi kolwandle, olele esiqongweni sensika yomkhumbi.
And thou wilt be like one that lieth down in the heart of the sea, or as he that lieth on the top of a mast.
35 Uzakuthi, “Bangitshayile kodwa kangilimalanga! Bangibethile kodwa kakubuhlungu! Ngizavuka nini bo ngiyodinga obunye utshwala?”
“They smote me, [but] I suffered no pain; they struck me hard, [but] I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will continue to seek it again.”
