Izaga 27
1 Ungazincomi ngelakusasa, ngoba kawukwazi ukuthi liza lithweleni.
BOAST not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2 Yekela omunye akudumise, hatshi owakho umlomo; akube ngomunye, kungabi ngezakho izindebe.
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
3 Ilitshe liyasinda, itshebetshebe ngumthwalo onzima, kodwa ukucatshulwa yisiwula kunzima okudlula kokubili.
A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both.
4 Ulaka lulolunya lentukuthelo iyagabha, kambe ngubani ongema phambi komhawu na?
Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
5 Kungcono ukuthukwa obala kulokuthandwa ngokufihlakeleyo.
Open rebuke is better than secret love.
6 Ukulinyazwa ngumngane kakwesabeki, kodwa isitha sikwanga sedlulise amalawulo.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
7 Osuthiyo kathakazeleli uluju oluvela ekhekhebeni, kodwa kolambileyo lokubabayo kunambitheka mnandi.
The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Njengenyoni elahleka esidlekeni sayo, unjalo umuntu otshiya umuzi wakhe.
As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
9 Amakha lempepha kuletha intokozo enhliziyweni, lobumnandi bomngane busuka ezelulekweni zakhe eziqinileyo.
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
10 Ungadeli umngane wakho lomngane kayihlo, futhi ungayi endlini yomfowenu nxa wehlelwe yizinhlupheko ungcono umakhelwane eduze kolomfowenu okhatshana.
Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that 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, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.
12 Umuntu olengqondo uthi ebona ingozi acatshe, kodwa isithutha siyaphikelela singena enkathazweni.
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
13 Thatha isigqoko salowo owenzela owemzini isibambiso; sigcine njengesithembiso aluba esenzela umfazi ongelasimilo.
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
14 Uba umuntu evukisa umakhelwane wakhe ngokumnqolonga ekuseni kakhulu, kuzathiwa uyamqalekisa.
He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
15 Umfazi olenkani unjengamathonsi angapheliyo mhlana kusina;
A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.
16 ukumkhuza kufana lokukhuza umoya loba lokubamba okulamagcobo ngesandla.
Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.
17 Njengensimbi ilola insimbi, kanjalo indoda ikhaliphisa enye.
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18 Lowo onakekela isihlahla somkhiwa uzakudla izithelo zawo, kuthi lowo olondoloza umqhatshi wakhe abelodumo.
Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
19 Njengamanzi etshengisa ubuso bomuntu, kanjalo inhliziyo yomuntu itshengisa ayikho khona.
As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.
Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 Isiliva sincibilikiselwa embizeni imvutho ngeyegolide, kodwa abantu bahlolwa ngodumo lwabo.
As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
22 Ungaze uchole isiwula elitsheni, usichole njengamabele ngembokodo kawusoze ubususe ubuwula baso.
Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
23 Woba leqiniso ukuthi uhlala usazi kuhle isimo sezifuyo zakho, nanzelela imihlambi yakho;
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.
24 ngoba inotho kayiyikuhlala kokuphela, lomqhele wobukhosi kawuyikuba ngowezizukulwane zonke.
For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?
25 Utshani bungaqunywa kuqalise ukuhluma obunye kuthi bonke obusikiweyo ezintabeni sebubuthiwe,
The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.
26 amawundlu azakupha uboya bezigqoko, lembuzi zikuphe imali elingana intengo yesiqinti.
The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.
27 Uzakuba lochago lwembuzi olunengi olwakho lolwendlu yakho lusuthise lezinceku zakho.
And thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.
