Izaga 30
1 Amazwi ka-Aguri indodana kaJakhe, amazwi ahlakaniphileyo: Umuntu lo wathi ku-Ithiyeli: “Ngikhathele, Oh Nkulunkulu, kodwa ngizophumelela.
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the prophecy uttered by the man unto Ithiel, [even] unto Ithiel and Ucal:
2 Angilalwazi okudlula bonke abantu; angilakho ukuzwisisa komuntu.
Truly I am more stupid than any one; and I have not a man's intelligence.
3 Angikufundanga ukuhlakanipha njalo kangilalwazi ngaye oNgcwele.
I have neither learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy.
4 Ngubani oseke waya ezulwini waphinda wehla na? Ngubani oseke wafumbatha umoya ngesandla sakhe na? Ngubani oseke wagoqela amanzi ngesigqoko sakhe na? Ngubani omise yonke imikhawulo yomhlaba na? Lingubani ibizo lakhe, lebizo lendodana yakhe? Ngitshela nxa usazi!
Who hath ascended up into the heavens, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a mantle? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?
5 Wonke amazwi kaNkulunkulu akalamposiso; uyisihlangu kulabo abacatsha kuye.
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6 Ungengezeleli emazwini akhe, funa akukhuze akwenze umqambimanga.
Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Zimbili izinto engizicela kuwe, Oh Thixo; ungangincitshi zona ngingakafi:
Two things do I ask of thee; deny me [them] not before I die:
8 Susa kimi inkohliso lamanga; ungangiphi ubuyanga loba inotho, kodwa ungiphe kuphela ukudla kwami kwansukuzonke.
Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my daily need:
9 Phela ngingaba lokunengi kakhulu ngikuphike wena ngithi, ‘Ungubani uThixo?’ loba ngibengumyanga ngintshontshe; ngalokho ngiliyangise ibizo likaNkulunkulu wami.
lest I be full and deny [thee], and say, Who is Jehovah? or lest I be poor and steal, and outrage the name of my God.
10 Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, ngoba izakuqalekisa ungene enkathazweni.
Speak not too much about a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.
11 Bakhona abathuka oyise, abangababusisiyo onina;
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother;
12 labo abazibona belungile ikanti kabahlambululwanga emanyaleni abo;
there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness;
13 labo abamehlo abo ahlezi egcwele ulaka, abakhangela ngokudelela;
there is a generation, — how lofty are their eyes, how their eyelids are lifted up!
14 labo omazinyo abo zinkemba, omihlathi yabo inanyathiselwe izingqamu ukuze baginye abayanga baphele emhlabeni, labaswelayo abaphakathi kwabantu.
— a generation whose teeth are swords, and their jaw-teeth knives, to devour the afflicted from off the earth, and the needy from [among] men.
15 Umkhaza ulamadodakazi amabili; ayamemeza athi, ‘Siphe! Siphe!’ Zintathu izinto ezingasuthiyo, zine ezingakaze zithi, ‘Sekwanele!’:
The leech hath two daughters: Give, give. There are three [things] never satisfied; four which say not, It is enough:
16 lingcwaba yisisu senyumba, lomhlabathi ongasuthiyo amanzi, lomlilo ongezukufa wathi, ‘Sekwanele!’ (Sheol h7585)
— Sheol, and the barren womb; the earth which is not filled with water, and the fire which saith not, It is enough. (Sheol h7585)
17 Ilihlo elihleka uyise, elidelela ukulalela unina, lizakotsholwa ngamawabayi asesigodini, lizadliwa ngamanqe.
The eye that mocketh at a father, and despiseth to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 Kukhona izinto ezintathu ezingimangalisayo kakhulu, ezine engingazizwisisiyo:
There are three [things] too wonderful for me, and four that I know not:
19 indlela yengqungqulu emkhathini, umzila wenyoka edwaleni, indlela yomkhumbi olwandle, lendlela yejaha lentombi.
The way of an eagle in the heavens, the way of a serpent upon a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a maid.
20 Le yindlela yesiphingikazi: siyadla sesule umlomo waso besesisithi, ‘Angenzanga lutho olubi.’
Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21 Zintathu izinto ezizamazamisa umhlaba, zine ongeke uzithwale:
Under three [things] the earth is disquieted, and under four it cannot bear up:
22 yinceku ebayinkosi, yisiwula esisuthiyo,
Under a servant when he reigneth, and a churl when he is filled with meat;
23 ngumfazi owendileyo ongathandwayo, lencekukazi ethathela inkosikazi indoda.
under an odious [woman] when she is married, and a handmaid when she is heir to her mistress.
24 Kukhona emhlabeni izinto ezine ezincinyane, ikanti-ke zihlakaniphile kakhulu:
There are four [things] little upon the earth, and they are exceeding wise:
25 Ubunyonyo kabulamandla anganani, kodwa buyabuthelela ukudla kwabo ehlobo;
The ants, a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
26 lezimbila ziyizidalwa ezilamandla angatsho lutho, kodwa zenza izikhundla zazo ezingoxweni zamadwala;
the rock-badgers are but a feeble folk, yet they make their house in the cliff;
27 izintethe kazilankosi, kodwa zihamba ziludibi olwesabekayo;
the locusts have no king, yet they go forth all of them by bands;
28 umbankwa ungabanjwa ngesandla, kodwa ungena lasezigodlweni zamakhosi.
thou takest hold of the lizard with the hands, yet is she in kings' palaces.
29 Kulezinto ezintathu ezihamba zinqekuza kamnandi, zine ezihamba zibeka kamnandi:
There are three [things] which have a stately step, and four are comely in going:
30 yisilwane, esilamandla esabekayo phakathi kwezilo, esingabalekeli lutho;
The lion, mighty among beasts, which turneth not away for any;
31 liqhude eliditshazelayo, yimpongo, njalo lenkosi nxa ihanqwe libutho layo.
a [horse] girt in the loins; or the he-goat; and a king, against whom none can rise up.
32 Nxa ube yisithutha waziphakamisa, kumbe nxa wakhe amacebo okwenza okubi, vala umlomo wakho ngesandla sakho.
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] the hand upon thy mouth.
33 Ngoba njengokuphehla uchago kudala iphehla, lanjengoba ukugubha amakhala kubanga umungula, kunjalo ukuvusa ulaka kudala ingxabano.”
For the pressing of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood; and the pressing of anger bringeth forth strife.
