Izaga 24
1 Ungabahawukeli abantu abaxhwalileyo, ungafisi ubungane labo;
Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:
2 ngoba ezingqondweni zabo bahlose udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma ngokuvusa umsindo.
Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.
3 Indlu yakhiwa ngokuhlakanipha, imiswe ngokuzwisisa;
By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.
4 amakamelo ayo agcwaliswe ngolwazi, agcwaliswe ngemiceciso yakude eligugu.
By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.
5 Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla amakhulu, njalo umuntu ololwazi uyandisa amandla;
A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.
6 ukuthi unqobe empini kufunakala izeluleko, lokunqoba kudinga abeluleki abanengi.
Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.
7 Ukuhlakanipha kuphakeme kakhulu koyisiwula; enkundleni kalalutho angalukhuluma.
Wisdom is too high for a fool, in the gate he shall not open his mouth.
8 Lowo oceba ububi uzakwaziwa njengomacebomabi.
He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.
9 Amacebo obuwula ayisono, njalo abantu bayasizonda isideleli.
The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.
10 Nxa uthikaza ngezikhathi zenhlupheko, mancinyane kanganani amandla akho!
If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.
11 Bahlangule labo abaholelwa ekufeni; banqande labo abadayizela besiya ekubulaweni.
Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.
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 say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.
13 Dlana uluju ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile; uluju olujuluka ekhekhebeni lumnandi luyanambitheka.
Fat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat:
14 Yazi njalo ukuthi ukuhlakanipha kumnandi emphefumulweni wakho, aluba ukuzuza ikusasa lakho lilethemba elihle, njalo ithemba lakho aliyikudaniswa.
So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.
15 Ungacathameli indlu yomuntu olungileyo njengesigebenga, ungawuhlaseli umuzi wakhe;
Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
16 ngoba loba angaze awe kasikhombisa umuntu olungileyo uyavuka futhi, kodwa ababi babhazalaliswa yizinhlupheko.
For a just mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.
17 Ungathatshiswa yikuwa kwesitha sakho; nxa sikhubeka ungavumeli inhliziyo yakho ithokoze,
When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:
18 ngoba uThixo uzakubona lokho asole abesepholisa ulaka lwakhe kuso isitha.
Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabantu ababi loba ubahawukele abaxhwalileyo,
Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:
20 ngoba umuntu omubi akalalo ithemba lakusasa, njalo isibane sezixhwali sizacinywa.
For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 Yesaba uThixo lombusi, ndodana yami, ungangenelani labahlamuki,
My son, fear the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters.
22 ngoba laba bobabili bazakwehlisa ulaka lubabhubhise, ngoba phela ngubani kambe okwaziyo ukubhubhisa abangakwehlisa?
For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?
23 La ngamanye amazwi ezihlakaniphi: Ukwahlulela ngobandlululo kakulunganga:
These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.
24 Loba ngubani othi kolecala, “Umsulwa,” abantu bonke bazamqalekisa lezizwe zonke zizamhlamukela.
They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.
25 Kodwa kuzabalungela labo abamlahlayo olecala, lezibusiso ezinengi zizabehlela.
They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.
26 Impendulo eqotho injengokwangiwa ezindebeni.
He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.
27 Qeda umsebenzi wakho waphandle ulungise lamasimu akho; kuthi-ke usuqedile wakhe indlu yakho.
Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.
28 Ungafakazi ngokubethela umakhelwane kungelamlandu, kumbe usebenzise izindebe zakho ukhohlisa.
Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.
29 Ungabokuthi, “Ngizakwenza kuye njengoba enze kimi; ngizahlawulisa ngalokho angenze khona.”
Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.
30 Ngedlula ensimini yevilavoxo, ngedlula esivinini somuntu ongelangqondo;
I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:
31 ameva ayesekhula indawo yonke, indawo yonke isithe phethu ukhula, lomduli wamatshe usudilikile.
And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.
32 Ngakunanzelela konke engangikubona ngafunda isifundo kulokho engakubonayo:
Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.
33 Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest:
34 ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.
