< Izaga 23 >

1 Nxa uhlala phansi usidla lombusi, nanzelela ukuthi kuyini okuphambi kwakho,
When you sit to eat with a ruler, Diligently consider that which [is] before you,
2 ungazifaki ingqamu entanyeni nxa uhugwa yibuhwaba.
And you have put a knife to your throat, If you [are] a man of appetite.
3 Ungahawukeli izibiliboco zakhe ngoba lokho kudla kuyakhohlisa.
Have no desire to his delicacies, seeing it [is] lying food.
4 Ungazihlukuluzi uzigugise ngomsebenzi uzama inotho; hlakanipha wazi ukuzikhuza.
Do not labor to make wealth, Cease from your own understanding, Do you cause your eyes to fly on it? Then it is not.
5 Ungayibona manje inotho, masinyane isinyamalele, ngoba ngempela izamila impiko iphaphele emkhathini njengengqungqulu.
For wealth makes wings to itself, It flies to the heavens as an eagle.
6 Ungakudli ukudla komuntu oncitshanayo, ungazihawukeli izibiliboco zakhe;
Do not eat the bread of an evil eye, And have no desire to his delicacies,
7 ngoba yena uhlezi ebalisa ngendleko. Angathi kuwe, “Dlana unathe,” kodwa kungasuki enhliziyweni yakhe.
For as he has thought in his soul, so he [is]. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, And his heart [is] not with you.
8 Uzakuhlanza okuncane lokho okudlileyo ube udlalise amazwi akho okubonga.
You vomit up your morsel you have eaten, And have marred your words that [are] sweet.
9 Ungakhulumi lesithutha ngoba sizakweyisa inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
Do not speak in the ears of a fool, For he treads on the wisdom of your words.
10 Ungasusi ilitshe lakudala elomngcele loba uzithathele amasimu ezintandane,
Do not remove a border of ancient times, And do not enter into fields of the fatherless,
11 ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; uzakuba ngumeli wazo aphikisane lawe.
For their Redeemer [is] strong, He pleads their cause with you.
12 Nikela inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
Bring your heart to instruction, And your ear to sayings of knowledge.
13 Ungayekeli ukumlaya umntwana; ukumtshaya ngoswazi akuyikumbulala.
Do not withhold discipline from a youth, When you strike him with a rod he does not die.
14 Mjezise ngoswazi ukuze uphephise umphefumulo wakhe ekufeni. (Sheol h7585)
You strike him with a rod, And you deliver his soul from Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
15 Ndodana yami, aluba inhliziyo yakho ihlakaniphile, inhliziyo yami layo izathokoza;
My son, if your heart has been wise, My heart rejoices, even mine,
16 ingaphakathi yami izajabula lapho izindebe zakho zikhuluma okulungileyo.
And my reins exult when your lips speak uprightly.
17 Inhliziyo yakho mayingahawukeli izoni, kodwa hlala utshisekela ukwesaba uThixo.
Do not let your heart be envious at sinners, But—in the fear of YHWH all the day.
18 Ngeqiniso lihle ikusasa lakho, lethemba lakho kaliyikucitshwa.
For is there a posterity? Then your hope is not cut off.
19 Lalela, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, ubeke inhliziyo yakho endleleni elungileyo.
Hear, my son, and be wise, And make your heart blessed in the way,
20 Ungahlangani leziminzi zewayini labazitika ngenyama,
Do not become drunk with wine, Among gluttonous ones of flesh,
21 ngoba izidakwa lezihwaba ziba ngabayanga, ukuwozela kwazo kuzembese amadabudabu.
For the drunkard and glutton become poor, And drowsiness clothes with rags.
22 Lalela uyihlo owakuletha emhlabeni, njalo ungeyisi unyoko nxa eseluphele.
Listen to your father, who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she has become 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 righteous rejoices greatly, The begetter of the wise rejoices in him.
25 Sengathi uyihlo lonyoko bangathokoza; sengathi lowo owakuzalayo angajabula!
Your father and your mother rejoice, Indeed, she bearing you is joyful.
26 Ndodana yami, ngipha inhliziyo yakho, amehlo akho ahlale ezindleleni zami,
Give, my son, your heart to me, And let your 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 pit.
28 Uyacathamela njengesigebenga, andise amadoda angathembekanga.
She also, as catching prey, lies in wait, And she increases 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 has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaint? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?
30 Yilabo abalibala ngewayini, abahamba bedinga inzwisa yewayini elidibanisiweyo.
Those lingering by the wine, Those going in to search out mixed wine.
31 Ungahugwa liwayini ulibona libomvu, nxa likhazimula enkomitshini, lapho lisehla kamnandi!
Do not see wine when it shows itself red, When it gives its color in the cup, It goes up and down through the upright.
32 Ekucineni liluma njengenyoka libe lobuhlungu obubulalayo njengenhlangwana.
Its latter end—it bites as a serpent, And it stings as a viper.
33 Amehlo akho azabona izinto ezingaqedakaliyo lengqondo yakho icabange izinto ezididayo.
Your eyes see strange women, And your heart speaks perverse things.
34 Uzakuba njengomuntu ondendayo phakathi kolwandle, olele esiqongweni sensika yomkhumbi.
And you have been as one lying down in the heart of the sea, And as one lying down on the top of a mast.
35 Uzakuthi, “Bangitshayile kodwa kangilimalanga! Bangibethile kodwa kakubuhlungu! Ngizavuka nini bo ngiyodinga obunye utshwala?”
“They struck me, I have not been sick, They beat me, I have not known. When I awake—I seek it yet again!”

< Izaga 23 >