Izaga 24
1 Ungabahawukeli abantu abaxhwalileyo, ungafisi ubungane labo;
Be not thou envious of wicked men, And desire not to be with them!
2 ngoba ezingqondweni zabo bahlose udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma ngokuvusa umsindo.
For their heart studieth destruction, And their lips speak mischief.
3 Indlu yakhiwa ngokuhlakanipha, imiswe ngokuzwisisa;
Through wisdom is a house builded, And by understanding is it established;
4 amakamelo ayo agcwaliswe ngolwazi, agcwaliswe ngemiceciso yakude eligugu.
Yea, by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and goodly substance.
5 Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla amakhulu, njalo umuntu ololwazi uyandisa amandla;
The wise man is strong; Yea, the man of understanding establisheth his strength.
6 ukuthi unqobe empini kufunakala izeluleko, lokunqoba kudinga abeluleki abanengi.
For by wise counsel shalt thou make war, And by the multitude of counsellors cometh success.
7 Ukuhlakanipha kuphakeme kakhulu koyisiwula; enkundleni kalalutho angalukhuluma.
Wisdom is too high for the fool; He openeth not his mouth at the gate.
8 Lowo oceba ububi uzakwaziwa njengomacebomabi.
He that deviseth to do evil Shall be called mischief-master.
9 Amacebo obuwula ayisono, njalo abantu bayasizonda isideleli.
The purpose of folly is sin; And a scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 Nxa uthikaza ngezikhathi zenhlupheko, mancinyane kanganani amandla akho!
If thy spirit faint in the day of adversity, Faint will be thy strength.
11 Bahlangule labo abaholelwa ekufeni; banqande labo abadayizela besiya ekubulaweni.
Deliver thou those who are dragged to death, And those who totter to the slaughter, —O keep them back!
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 sayst, “Behold, we knew it not!” Doth not he that weigheth the heart observe it? Yea, he that keepeth thy soul knoweth it. And he will render to every man according to his works.
13 Dlana uluju ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile; uluju olujuluka ekhekhebeni lumnandi luyanambitheka.
Eat honey, my son, for it is good, And the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste;
14 Yazi njalo ukuthi ukuhlakanipha kumnandi emphefumulweni wakho, aluba ukuzuza ikusasa lakho lilethemba elihle, njalo ithemba lakho aliyikudaniswa.
So learn thou wisdom for thy soul! When thou hast found it, there shall be a reward, And thy expectation shall not be cut off.
15 Ungacathameli indlu yomuntu olungileyo njengesigebenga, ungawuhlaseli umuzi wakhe;
Plot not, O wicked man! against the habitation of the righteous; Spoil not his resting-place!
16 ngoba loba angaze awe kasikhombisa umuntu olungileyo uyavuka futhi, kodwa ababi babhazalaliswa yizinhlupheko.
For though the righteous fall seven times, yet shall he rise up again; But the wicked shall fall into mischief.
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 the LORD see, and it displease him, And he turn away his anger from him.
19 Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabantu ababi loba ubahawukele abaxhwalileyo,
Fret not thyself on account of evil men, Neither be thou envious of the wicked;
20 ngoba umuntu omubi akalalo ithemba lakusasa, njalo isibane sezixhwali sizacinywa.
For there shall be no posterity to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 Yesaba uThixo lombusi, ndodana yami, ungangenelani labahlamuki,
My son, fear thou the LORD and the king; And mingle 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 up suddenly, And their ruin, coming from them both, in a moment.
23 La ngamanye amazwi ezihlakaniphi: Ukwahlulela ngobandlululo kakulunganga:
These also are words of 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 to the wicked, “Thou art righteous,” Him shall the people curse; Nations shall abhor him.
25 Kodwa kuzabalungela labo abamlahlayo olecala, lezibusiso ezinengi zizabehlela.
But it shall be well with them that punish him, And the blessing of prosperity shall come upon them.
26 Impendulo eqotho injengokwangiwa ezindebeni.
He that giveth a right answer Kisseth the lips.
27 Qeda umsebenzi wakho waphandle ulungise lamasimu akho; kuthi-ke usuqedile wakhe indlu yakho.
Arrange thy work without, And prepare it in thy field: Afterwards thou mayst build thy house.
28 Ungafakazi ngokubethela umakhelwane kungelamlandu, kumbe usebenzise izindebe zakho ukhohlisa.
Be not a witness without cause against thy neighbor, And deceive not with thy lips.
29 Ungabokuthi, “Ngizakwenza kuye njengoba enze kimi; ngizahlawulisa ngalokho angenze khona.”
Say not, “As he hath done to me, So will I do to him; I will render to the man according to his doings.”
30 Ngedlula ensimini yevilavoxo, ngedlula esivinini somuntu ongelangqondo;
I passed by the field of the slothful, And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding,
31 ameva ayesekhula indawo yonke, indawo yonke isithe phethu ukhula, lomduli wamatshe usudilikile.
And, lo! it was all overgrown with thorns, And the face thereof was covered with nettles, And the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 Ngakunanzelela konke engangikubona ngafunda isifundo kulokho engakubonayo:
Then I saw, and considered it well; I looked upon it. and 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 poverty come upon thee like a highwayman; Yea, want like an armed man.
