< Izaga 23 >
1 Nxa uhlala phansi usidla lombusi, nanzelela ukuthi kuyini okuphambi kwakho,
2 ungazifaki ingqamu entanyeni nxa uhugwa yibuhwaba.
3 Ungahawukeli izibiliboco zakhe ngoba lokho kudla kuyakhohlisa.
4 Ungazihlukuluzi uzigugise ngomsebenzi uzama inotho; hlakanipha wazi ukuzikhuza.
5 Ungayibona manje inotho, masinyane isinyamalele, ngoba ngempela izamila impiko iphaphele emkhathini njengengqungqulu.
6 Ungakudli ukudla komuntu oncitshanayo, ungazihawukeli izibiliboco zakhe;
7 ngoba yena uhlezi ebalisa ngendleko. Angathi kuwe, “Dlana unathe,” kodwa kungasuki enhliziyweni yakhe.
8 Uzakuhlanza okuncane lokho okudlileyo ube udlalise amazwi akho okubonga.
9 Ungakhulumi lesithutha ngoba sizakweyisa inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
10 Ungasusi ilitshe lakudala elomngcele loba uzithathele amasimu ezintandane,
11 ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; uzakuba ngumeli wazo aphikisane lawe.
12 Nikela inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
13 Ungayekeli ukumlaya umntwana; ukumtshaya ngoswazi akuyikumbulala.
14 Mjezise ngoswazi ukuze uphephise umphefumulo wakhe ekufeni. (Sheol )
15 Ndodana yami, aluba inhliziyo yakho ihlakaniphile, inhliziyo yami layo izathokoza;
16 ingaphakathi yami izajabula lapho izindebe zakho zikhuluma okulungileyo.
17 Inhliziyo yakho mayingahawukeli izoni, kodwa hlala utshisekela ukwesaba uThixo.
18 Ngeqiniso lihle ikusasa lakho, lethemba lakho kaliyikucitshwa.
19 Lalela, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, ubeke inhliziyo yakho endleleni elungileyo.
20 Ungahlangani leziminzi zewayini labazitika ngenyama,
21 ngoba izidakwa lezihwaba ziba ngabayanga, ukuwozela kwazo kuzembese amadabudabu.
22 Lalela uyihlo owakuletha emhlabeni, njalo ungeyisi unyoko nxa eseluphele.
23 Thenga iqiniso ungalithengisi; zuza ukuhlakanipha lokuzikhuza lokuzwisisa.
24 Uyise womuntu olungileyo uyathokoza kakhulu; lowo olendodana ehlakaniphileyo uyathokoza ngayo.
25 Sengathi uyihlo lonyoko bangathokoza; sengathi lowo owakuzalayo angajabula!
26 Ndodana yami, ngipha inhliziyo yakho, amehlo akho ahlale ezindleleni zami,
27 ngoba isifebe singumgodi otshonayo lomfazi olibele lendlela ungumthombo oyingozi.
28 Uyacathamela njengesigebenga, andise amadoda angathembekanga.
29 Ngubani ohlaba umkhosi? Ngubani olosizi na? Ngubani otshingayo? Ngubani olensolo na? Ngubani omahluzuhluzu ngeze? Ngubani omehlo abomvu gebhu na?
30 Yilabo abalibala ngewayini, abahamba bedinga inzwisa yewayini elidibanisiweyo.
31 Ungahugwa liwayini ulibona libomvu, nxa likhazimula enkomitshini, lapho lisehla kamnandi!
32 Ekucineni liluma njengenyoka libe lobuhlungu obubulalayo njengenhlangwana.
33 Amehlo akho azabona izinto ezingaqedakaliyo lengqondo yakho icabange izinto ezididayo.
34 Uzakuba njengomuntu ondendayo phakathi kolwandle, olele esiqongweni sensika yomkhumbi.
35 Uzakuthi, “Bangitshayile kodwa kangilimalanga! Bangibethile kodwa kakubuhlungu! Ngizavuka nini bo ngiyodinga obunye utshwala?”