Izaga 24
1 Ungabahawukeli abantu abaxhwalileyo, ungafisi ubungane labo;
Have no envy for evil men, or any desire to be with them:
2 ngoba ezingqondweni zabo bahlose udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma ngokuvusa umsindo.
For the purposes of their hearts are destruction, and their lips are talking of trouble.
3 Indlu yakhiwa ngokuhlakanipha, imiswe ngokuzwisisa;
The building of a house is by wisdom, and by reason it is made strong:
4 amakamelo ayo agcwaliswe ngolwazi, agcwaliswe ngemiceciso yakude eligugu.
And by knowledge its rooms are full of all dear and pleasing things.
5 Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla amakhulu, njalo umuntu ololwazi uyandisa amandla;
A wise man is strong; and a man of knowledge makes strength greater.
6 ukuthi unqobe empini kufunakala izeluleko, lokunqoba kudinga abeluleki abanengi.
For by wise guiding you will overcome in war: and in a number of wise guides there is salvation.
7 Ukuhlakanipha kuphakeme kakhulu koyisiwula; enkundleni kalalutho angalukhuluma.
Wisdom is outside the power of the foolish: he keeps his mouth shut in the public place.
8 Lowo oceba ububi uzakwaziwa njengomacebomabi.
He whose purposes are bad will be named a man of evil designs.
9 Amacebo obuwula ayisono, njalo abantu bayasizonda isideleli.
The purpose of the foolish is sin: and the hater of authority is disgusting to others.
10 Nxa uthikaza ngezikhathi zenhlupheko, mancinyane kanganani amandla akho!
If you give way in the day of trouble, your strength is small.
11 Bahlangule labo abaholelwa ekufeni; banqande labo abadayizela besiya ekubulaweni.
Be the saviour of those who are given up to death, and do not keep back help from those who are slipping to destruction.
12 Nxa usithi, “Angithi besingazi lutho ngalokhu,” kambe lowo ohlola inhliziyo kakuboni lokho na? Kakwazi lokho yini onguye olinda ukuphila kwakho na? Akayikuvuza ubani lobani ngakwenzileyo na?
If you say, See, we had no knowledge of this: does not the tester of hearts give thought to it? and he who keeps your soul, has he no knowledge of it? and will he not give to every man the reward of his work?
13 Dlana uluju ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile; uluju olujuluka ekhekhebeni lumnandi luyanambitheka.
My son, take honey, for it is good; and the flowing honey, which is sweet to your taste:
14 Yazi njalo ukuthi ukuhlakanipha kumnandi emphefumulweni wakho, aluba ukuzuza ikusasa lakho lilethemba elihle, njalo ithemba lakho aliyikudaniswa.
So let your desire be for wisdom: if you have it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
15 Ungacathameli indlu yomuntu olungileyo njengesigebenga, ungawuhlaseli umuzi wakhe;
Do not keep a secret watch, O evil-doer, against the fields of the upright man, or send destruction on his resting-place:
16 ngoba loba angaze awe kasikhombisa umuntu olungileyo uyavuka futhi, kodwa ababi babhazalaliswa yizinhlupheko.
For an upright man, after falling seven times, will get up again: but trouble is the downfall of the evil.
17 Ungathatshiswa yikuwa kwesitha sakho; nxa sikhubeka ungavumeli inhliziyo yakho ithokoze,
Do not be glad at the fall of your hater, and let not your heart have joy at his downfall:
18 ngoba uThixo uzakubona lokho asole abesepholisa ulaka lwakhe kuso isitha.
For fear that the Lord may see it, and it may be evil in his eyes, and his wrath may be turned away from him.
19 Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabantu ababi loba ubahawukele abaxhwalileyo,
Do not be troubled because of evil-doers, or have envy of sinners:
20 ngoba umuntu omubi akalalo ithemba lakusasa, njalo isibane sezixhwali sizacinywa.
For there will be no future for the evil man; the light of sinners will be put out.
21 Yesaba uThixo lombusi, ndodana yami, ungangenelani labahlamuki,
My son, go in fear of the Lord and the king: have nothing to do with those who are in high positions:
22 ngoba laba bobabili bazakwehlisa ulaka lubabhubhise, ngoba phela ngubani kambe okwaziyo ukubhubhisa abangakwehlisa?
For their downfall will come suddenly; and who has knowledge of the destruction of those in high positions?
23 La ngamanye amazwi ezihlakaniphi: Ukwahlulela ngobandlululo kakulunganga:
These are more sayings of the wise: To have respect for a person's position when judging is not good.
24 Loba ngubani othi kolecala, “Umsulwa,” abantu bonke bazamqalekisa lezizwe zonke zizamhlamukela.
He who says to the evil-doer, You are upright, will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.
25 Kodwa kuzabalungela labo abamlahlayo olecala, lezibusiso ezinengi zizabehlela.
But those who say sharp words to him will have delight, and a blessing of good will come on them.
26 Impendulo eqotho injengokwangiwa ezindebeni.
He gives a kiss with his lips who gives a right answer.
27 Qeda umsebenzi wakho waphandle ulungise lamasimu akho; kuthi-ke usuqedile wakhe indlu yakho.
Put your work in order outside, and make it ready in the field; and after that, see to the building of your house.
28 Ungafakazi ngokubethela umakhelwane kungelamlandu, kumbe usebenzise izindebe zakho ukhohlisa.
Do not be a violent witness against your neighbour, or let your lips say what is false.
29 Ungabokuthi, “Ngizakwenza kuye njengoba enze kimi; ngizahlawulisa ngalokho angenze khona.”
Say not, I will do to him as he has done to me; I will give the man the reward of his work.
30 Ngedlula ensimini yevilavoxo, ngedlula esivinini somuntu ongelangqondo;
I went by the field of the hater of work, and by the vine-garden of the man without sense;
31 ameva ayesekhula indawo yonke, indawo yonke isithe phethu ukhula, lomduli wamatshe usudilikile.
And it was all full of thorns, and covered with waste plants, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Ngakunanzelela konke engangikubona ngafunda isifundo kulokho engakubonayo:
Then looking at it, I gave thought: I saw, and I got teaching from it.
33 Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
34 ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
So loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man.
