Izaga 24
1 Ungabahawukeli abantu abaxhwalileyo, ungafisi ubungane labo;
Be not thou envious of wicked men, neither crave to be with them;
2 ngoba ezingqondweni zabo bahlose udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma ngokuvusa umsindo.
For, violence, their heart muttereth, and, mischief, their lips do speak.
3 Indlu yakhiwa ngokuhlakanipha, imiswe ngokuzwisisa;
In wisdom, is a house builded, and, in understanding, is it established;
4 amakamelo ayo agcwaliswe ngolwazi, agcwaliswe ngemiceciso yakude eligugu.
And, in knowledge, chambers are filled, with all acquisitions, costly and fair.
5 Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla amakhulu, njalo umuntu ololwazi uyandisa amandla;
A wise man, is mighty, and, a man of knowledge, becometh alert in vigour.
6 ukuthi unqobe empini kufunakala izeluleko, lokunqoba kudinga abeluleki abanengi.
Surely, with concerted measures, shalt thou make for thyself war, and, success, lieth in the greatness of the counsellor.
7 Ukuhlakanipha kuphakeme kakhulu koyisiwula; enkundleni kalalutho angalukhuluma.
Unattainable to a foolish man, are the dictates of wisdom, in the gate, he openeth not his mouth.
8 Lowo oceba ububi uzakwaziwa njengomacebomabi.
He that deviseth to do mischief, him, shall men call, a master of plots.
9 Amacebo obuwula ayisono, njalo abantu bayasizonda isideleli.
The purpose of folly, is sin, and, an abomination to mankind, is a buffoon.
10 Nxa uthikaza ngezikhathi zenhlupheko, mancinyane kanganani amandla akho!
Thou hast been slothful in the day of straitness, Strait, is thy strength.
11 Bahlangule labo abaholelwa ekufeni; banqande labo abadayizela besiya ekubulaweni.
Deliver thou such as are being led forth to death, and, them who are tottering to slaughter, oh that thou wouldst hold 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?
Though thou say, Lo! we knew not this, Shall not, he that proveth hearts, himself, discern? And, he that formeth thy soul, himself, know? and bring back to a son of earth according to his deed?
13 Dlana uluju ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile; uluju olujuluka ekhekhebeni lumnandi luyanambitheka.
My son, eat thou honey, because it is good, —and droppings from the comb [because they are] sweet to thy palate:
14 Yazi njalo ukuthi ukuhlakanipha kumnandi emphefumulweni wakho, aluba ukuzuza ikusasa lakho lilethemba elihle, njalo ithemba lakho aliyikudaniswa.
Thus, take knowledge of wisdom, for thine own soul; If thou find it, then there is a future, and, thine expectation, shall not be cut off.
15 Ungacathameli indlu yomuntu olungileyo njengesigebenga, ungawuhlaseli umuzi wakhe;
Do not lie in wait, thou lawless man, against the home of the righteous, —neither destroy thou his place of rest;
16 ngoba loba angaze awe kasikhombisa umuntu olungileyo uyavuka futhi, kodwa ababi babhazalaliswa yizinhlupheko.
For, seven times, may the righteous fall and yet arise, but, lawless men, shall stumble into calamity.
17 Ungathatshiswa yikuwa kwesitha sakho; nxa sikhubeka ungavumeli inhliziyo yakho ithokoze,
When thine enemy falleth, do not thou rejoice, and, when he stumbleth, let not thy heart exult:
18 ngoba uThixo uzakubona lokho asole abesepholisa ulaka lwakhe kuso isitha.
Lest Yahweh see it, and it be wicked in his eyes, and he turn away from him his anger.
19 Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabantu ababi loba ubahawukele abaxhwalileyo,
Burn not with vexation against evil doers, be not envious of lawless men;
20 ngoba umuntu omubi akalalo ithemba lakusasa, njalo isibane sezixhwali sizacinywa.
For there shall be no future for the wicked, The lamp of the lawless, shall go out.
21 Yesaba uThixo lombusi, ndodana yami, ungangenelani labahlamuki,
Revere thou Yahweh, my son, and the king, and, with the fickle, have thou no fellowship;
22 ngoba laba bobabili bazakwehlisa ulaka lubabhubhise, ngoba phela ngubani kambe okwaziyo ukubhubhisa abangakwehlisa?
For, suddenly, shall arise their calamity; and, the misfortune of their years, who knoweth?
23 La ngamanye amazwi ezihlakaniphi: Ukwahlulela ngobandlululo kakulunganga:
These things also, concern the wise, To take note of faces in judgment, is not good.
24 Loba ngubani othi kolecala, “Umsulwa,” abantu bonke bazamqalekisa lezizwe zonke zizamhlamukela.
He that saith to the lawless man, Righteous, thou art, peoples shall denounce him, populations shall curse him;
25 Kodwa kuzabalungela labo abamlahlayo olecala, lezibusiso ezinengi zizabehlela.
But, to reprovers, one should be pleasant, and, upon them, should come an excellent blessing:
26 Impendulo eqotho injengokwangiwa ezindebeni.
Lips, should one kiss with one who answereth in right words.
27 Qeda umsebenzi wakho waphandle ulungise lamasimu akho; kuthi-ke usuqedile wakhe indlu yakho.
Prepare, in the open, thy work, and make ready, in the field, for thyself, Afterwards, shalt thou build thy house.
28 Ungafakazi ngokubethela umakhelwane kungelamlandu, kumbe usebenzise izindebe zakho ukhohlisa.
Do not become a needless witness against thy neighbour, so mightest thou open too wide thy lips:
29 Ungabokuthi, “Ngizakwenza kuye njengoba enze kimi; ngizahlawulisa ngalokho angenze khona.”
Do not say—According to what he hath done to me, so, will I do to him, I will repay every one according to his work.
30 Ngedlula ensimini yevilavoxo, ngedlula esivinini somuntu ongelangqondo;
By the field of the sluggard, I passed, and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense;
31 ameva ayesekhula indawo yonke, indawo yonke isithe phethu ukhula, lomduli wamatshe usudilikile.
And lo! there had come up all over it—thorns, there had covered the face thereof—thistles, and, the stone fence thereof, had been thrown down.
32 Ngakunanzelela konke engangikubona ngafunda isifundo kulokho engakubonayo:
So I observed it, for myself, I applied my heart, I looked—I accepted correction:
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 come in, as a highwayman, thy poverty, and, thy want, as one armed with a shield.
