Izaga 24
1 Ungabahawukeli abantu abaxhwalileyo, ungafisi ubungane labo;
Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;
2 ngoba ezingqondweni zabo bahlose udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma ngokuvusa umsindo.
for their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 Indlu yakhiwa ngokuhlakanipha, imiswe ngokuzwisisa;
Through wisdom is a house built, and by understanding it is established;
4 amakamelo ayo agcwaliswe ngolwazi, agcwaliswe ngemiceciso yakude eligugu.
and by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant substance.
5 Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla amakhulu, njalo umuntu ololwazi uyandisa amandla;
A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
6 ukuthi unqobe empini kufunakala izeluleko, lokunqoba kudinga abeluleki abanengi.
For with good advice shalt thou make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7 Ukuhlakanipha kuphakeme kakhulu koyisiwula; enkundleni kalalutho angalukhuluma.
Wisdom is too high for a fool: he will not open his mouth in the gate.
8 Lowo oceba ububi uzakwaziwa njengomacebomabi.
He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a master of intrigues.
9 Amacebo obuwula ayisono, njalo abantu bayasizonda isideleli.
The purpose of folly is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10 Nxa uthikaza ngezikhathi zenhlupheko, mancinyane kanganani amandla akho!
[If] thou losest courage in the day of trouble, thy strength is small.
11 Bahlangule labo abaholelwa ekufeni; banqande labo abadayizela besiya ekubulaweni.
Deliver them that are taken forth unto death, and withdraw not from them that stagger to slaughter.
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 thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not, will not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that preserveth thy soul, he knoweth it; and he rendereth to man according to his work.
13 Dlana uluju ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile; uluju olujuluka ekhekhebeni lumnandi luyanambitheka.
Eat honey, my son, for it is good; and a honeycomb is sweet to thy taste:
14 Yazi njalo ukuthi ukuhlakanipha kumnandi emphefumulweni wakho, aluba ukuzuza ikusasa lakho lilethemba elihle, njalo ithemba lakho aliyikudaniswa.
so consider wisdom for thy soul; if thou hast found it, there shall be a result, and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
15 Ungacathameli indlu yomuntu olungileyo njengesigebenga, ungawuhlaseli umuzi wakhe;
Lay not wait, O wicked [man], against the dwelling of the righteous; lay not waste his resting-place.
16 ngoba loba angaze awe kasikhombisa umuntu olungileyo uyavuka futhi, kodwa ababi babhazalaliswa yizinhlupheko.
For the righteous falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked stumble into disaster.
17 Ungathatshiswa yikuwa kwesitha sakho; nxa sikhubeka ungavumeli inhliziyo yakho ithokoze,
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
18 ngoba uThixo uzakubona lokho asole abesepholisa ulaka lwakhe kuso isitha.
lest Jehovah see it, and it be evil in his sight, and he turn away his anger from him.
19 Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabantu ababi loba ubahawukele abaxhwalileyo,
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, [and] be not envious of the wicked:
20 ngoba umuntu omubi akalalo ithemba lakusasa, njalo isibane sezixhwali sizacinywa.
for there shall be no future to the evil [man]; the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 Yesaba uThixo lombusi, ndodana yami, ungangenelani labahlamuki,
My son, fear Jehovah and the king: meddle not with them that are given to change.
22 ngoba laba bobabili bazakwehlisa ulaka lubabhubhise, ngoba phela ngubani kambe okwaziyo ukubhubhisa abangakwehlisa?
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
23 La ngamanye amazwi ezihlakaniphi: Ukwahlulela ngobandlululo kakulunganga:
These things also come from the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 Loba ngubani othi kolecala, “Umsulwa,” abantu bonke bazamqalekisa lezizwe zonke zizamhlamukela.
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him;
25 Kodwa kuzabalungela labo abamlahlayo olecala, lezibusiso ezinengi zizabehlela.
but to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, and a good blessing cometh upon them.
26 Impendulo eqotho injengokwangiwa ezindebeni.
He kisseth the lips who giveth a right answer.
27 Qeda umsebenzi wakho waphandle ulungise lamasimu akho; kuthi-ke usuqedile wakhe indlu yakho.
Prepare thy work without, and put thy field in order, and afterwards build thy house.
28 Ungafakazi ngokubethela umakhelwane kungelamlandu, kumbe usebenzise izindebe zakho ukhohlisa.
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and wouldest thou deceive with thy lips?
29 Ungabokuthi, “Ngizakwenza kuye njengoba enze kimi; ngizahlawulisa ngalokho angenze khona.”
Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me, I will render to the man according to his work.
30 Ngedlula ensimini yevilavoxo, ngedlula esivinini somuntu ongelangqondo;
I went by the field of a sluggard, and by the vineyard of a man void of understanding;
31 ameva ayesekhula indawo yonke, indawo yonke isithe phethu ukhula, lomduli wamatshe usudilikile.
and lo, it was all grown over with thistles, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Ngakunanzelela konke engangikubona ngafunda isifundo kulokho engakubonayo:
Then I looked, I took it to heart; I saw, I received instruction:
33 Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
— A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest!
34 ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
So shall thy poverty come [as] a roving plunderer, and thy penury as an armed man.
