Izaga 23
1 Nxa uhlala phansi usidla lombusi, nanzelela ukuthi kuyini okuphambi kwakho,
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, Consider well what is before thee;
2 ungazifaki ingqamu entanyeni nxa uhugwa yibuhwaba.
For thou wilt put a knife to thy throat, If thou art a man given to appetite!
3 Ungahawukeli izibiliboco zakhe ngoba lokho kudla kuyakhohlisa.
Long not for his dainties. For they are deceitful meat.
4 Ungazihlukuluzi uzigugise ngomsebenzi uzama inotho; hlakanipha wazi ukuzikhuza.
Toil not to become rich; Cease from this, thy wisdom.
5 Ungayibona manje inotho, masinyane isinyamalele, ngoba ngempela izamila impiko iphaphele emkhathini njengengqungqulu.
Wilt thou let thine eyes fly toward them? They are gone! For riches truly make to themselves wings; They fly away like the eagle toward heaven.
6 Ungakudli ukudla komuntu oncitshanayo, ungazihawukeli izibiliboco zakhe;
Eat not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, And long not for his dainties;
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, thou shalt vomit up; And thou wilt have thrown away 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 avenger is mighty; He will maintain their cause against thee.
12 Nikela inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
Apply thy heart to instruction, And thine ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Ungayekeli ukumlaya umntwana; ukumtshaya ngoswazi akuyikumbulala.
Withhold not correction from a child; If thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Beat him thyself with the rod, And thou shalt rescue him from the underworld. (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.
Yea, my reins shall exult, When thy lips speak right things.
17 Inhliziyo yakho mayingahawukeli izoni, kodwa hlala utshisekela ukwesaba uThixo.
Let not thy heart envy sinners, But continue thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long;
18 Ngeqiniso lihle ikusasa lakho, lethemba lakho kaliyikucitshwa.
For surely there shall be a reward, 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 let thy heart go forward in the way!
20 Ungahlangani leziminzi zewayini labazitika ngenyama,
Be not thou among winebibbers, And 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 will clothe a man with rags.
22 Lalela uyihlo owakuletha emhlabeni, njalo ungeyisi unyoko nxa eseluphele.
Hearken to thy father, who 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; Buy wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24 Uyise womuntu olungileyo uyathokoza kakhulu; lowo olendodana ehlakaniphileyo uyathokoza ngayo.
The father of a righteous man shall greatly rejoice; Yea, he who begetteth a wise child shall have joy in him.
25 Sengathi uyihlo lonyoko bangathokoza; sengathi lowo owakuzalayo angajabula!
Let thy father and thy mother have joy; Yea, 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; Yea, a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28 Uyacathamela njengesigebenga, andise amadoda angathembekanga.
Like a robber she lieth in wait, And 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 contentions? Who anxiety? Who wounds without cause? Who dimness of eyes?
30 Yilabo abalibala ngewayini, abahamba bedinga inzwisa yewayini elidibanisiweyo.
They that tarry long at the wine; They that go in 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 sparkleth in the cup, When it goeth down smoothly.
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 will look upon strange women, And thy heart will utter perverse things.
34 Uzakuba njengomuntu ondendayo phakathi kolwandle, olele esiqongweni sensika yomkhumbi.
Yea, thou shalt be as one that lieth down in the midst of the sea, And as one that lieth down 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]], —I suffered no pain! They have beaten me, —I felt it not! When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
