Izaga 27
1 Ungazincomi ngelakusasa, ngoba kawukwazi ukuthi liza lithweleni.
Do not make a noise about tomorrow, for you are not certain what a day's outcome may be.
2 Yekela omunye akudumise, hatshi owakho umlomo; akube ngomunye, kungabi ngezakho izindebe.
Let another man give you praise, and not your mouth; one who is strange to you, and not your lips.
3 Ilitshe liyasinda, itshebetshebe ngumthwalo onzima, kodwa ukucatshulwa yisiwula kunzima okudlula kokubili.
A stone has great weight, and sand is crushing; but the wrath of the foolish is of greater weight than these.
4 Ulaka lulolunya lentukuthelo iyagabha, kambe ngubani ongema phambi komhawu na?
Wrath is cruel, and angry feeling an overflowing stream; but who does not give way before envy?
5 Kungcono ukuthukwa obala kulokuthandwa ngokufihlakeleyo.
Better is open protest than love kept secret.
6 Ukulinyazwa ngumngane kakwesabeki, kodwa isitha sikwanga sedlulise amalawulo.
The wounds of a friend are given in good faith, but the kisses of a hater are false.
7 Osuthiyo kathakazeleli uluju oluvela ekhekhebeni, kodwa kolambileyo lokubabayo kunambitheka mnandi.
The full man has no use for honey, but to the man in need of food every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Njengenyoni elahleka esidlekeni sayo, unjalo umuntu otshiya umuzi wakhe.
Like a bird wandering from the place of her eggs is a man wandering from his station.
9 Amakha lempepha kuletha intokozo enhliziyweni, lobumnandi bomngane busuka ezelulekweni zakhe eziqinileyo.
Oil and perfume make glad the heart, and the wise suggestion of a friend is sweet to the soul.
10 Ungadeli umngane wakho lomngane kayihlo, futhi ungayi endlini yomfowenu nxa wehlelwe yizinhlupheko ungcono umakhelwane eduze kolomfowenu okhatshana.
Do not give up your friend and your father's friend; and do not go into your brother's house in the day of your trouble: better is a neighbour who is near than a brother far off.
11 Hlakanipha, ndodana, ulethe intokozo enhliziyweni yami; lapho ngizakwazi ukumphendula ongeyisayo.
My son, be wise and make my heart glad, so that I may give back an answer to him who puts me to shame.
12 Umuntu olengqondo uthi ebona ingozi acatshe, kodwa isithutha siyaphikelela singena enkathazweni.
The sharp man sees the evil and takes cover: the simple go straight on and get into trouble.
13 Thatha isigqoko salowo owenzela owemzini isibambiso; sigcine njengesithembiso aluba esenzela umfazi ongelasimilo.
Take a man's clothing if he makes himself responsible for a strange man, and get an undertaking from him who gives his word for strange men.
14 Uba umuntu evukisa umakhelwane wakhe ngokumnqolonga ekuseni kakhulu, kuzathiwa uyamqalekisa.
He who gives a blessing to his friend with a loud voice, getting up early in the morning, will have it put to his account as a curse.
15 Umfazi olenkani unjengamathonsi angapheliyo mhlana kusina;
Like an unending dropping on a day of rain is a bitter-tongued woman.
16 ukumkhuza kufana lokukhuza umoya loba lokubamba okulamagcobo ngesandla.
He who keeps secret the secret of his friend, will get himself a name for good faith.
17 Njengensimbi ilola insimbi, kanjalo indoda ikhaliphisa enye.
Iron makes iron sharp; so a man makes sharp his friend.
18 Lowo onakekela isihlahla somkhiwa uzakudla izithelo zawo, kuthi lowo olondoloza umqhatshi wakhe abelodumo.
Whoever keeps a fig-tree will have its fruit; and the servant waiting on his master will be honoured.
19 Njengamanzi etshengisa ubuso bomuntu, kanjalo inhliziyo yomuntu itshengisa ayikho khona.
Like face looking at face in water, so are the hearts of men to one another.
The underworld and Abaddon are never full, and the eyes of man have never enough. (Sheol h7585)
21 Isiliva sincibilikiselwa embizeni imvutho ngeyegolide, kodwa abantu bahlolwa ngodumo lwabo.
The heating-pot is for silver and the oven-fire for gold, and a man is measured by what he is praised for.
22 Ungaze uchole isiwula elitsheni, usichole njengamabele ngembokodo kawusoze ubususe ubuwula baso.
Even if a foolish man is crushed with a hammer in a vessel among crushed grain, still his foolish ways will not go from him.
23 Woba leqiniso ukuthi uhlala usazi kuhle isimo sezifuyo zakho, nanzelela imihlambi yakho;
Take care to have knowledge about the condition of your flocks, looking well after your herds;
24 ngoba inotho kayiyikuhlala kokuphela, lomqhele wobukhosi kawuyikuba ngowezizukulwane zonke.
For wealth is not for ever, and money does not go on for all generations.
25 Utshani bungaqunywa kuqalise ukuhluma obunye kuthi bonke obusikiweyo ezintabeni sebubuthiwe,
The grass comes up and the young grass is seen, and the mountain plants are got in.
26 amawundlu azakupha uboya bezigqoko, lembuzi zikuphe imali elingana intengo yesiqinti.
The lambs are for your clothing, and the he-goats make the value of a field:
27 Uzakuba lochago lwembuzi olunengi olwakho lolwendlu yakho lusuthise lezinceku zakho.
There will be goats' milk enough for your food, and for the support of your servant-girls.
