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 thy own mouth; a stranger, and not thy 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 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 lotheth a honey-comb; 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.
Thy 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 neighbor [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.
Whoever 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.
He that keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit of it: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honored.
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 shouldst bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, [yet] his foolishness will not 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 plant appeareth, and the tender grass showeth 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] maintenance for thy maidens.
