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 Yakeh, even the prophecy: the man said unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ukkal,
2 Angilalwazi okudlula bonke abantu; angilakho ukuzwisisa komuntu.
“Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a common man.
3 Angikufundanga ukuhlakanipha njalo kangilalwazi ngaye oNgcwele.
Nor have I learned wisdom, so that I should have knowledge of the Holy One.
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 was it that ascended into heaven, and came down again? who gathered the wind in his fists? who bound the waters in a garment? who set up all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest it?”
5 Wonke amazwi kaNkulunkulu akalamposiso; uyisihlangu kulabo abacatsha kuye.
Every saying of God is purified: he is a shield unto those that put their trust in him.
6 Ungengezeleli emazwini akhe, funa akukhuze akwenze umqambimanga.
Do not add aught 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 request of thee: deny them not to me before I die.
8 Susa kimi inkohliso lamanga; ungangiphi ubuyanga loba inotho, kodwa ungiphe kuphela ukudla kwami kwansukuzonke.
Vanity and lying words do thou remove far from me: neither poverty nor riches give thou unto me; let me eat the bread appointed unto me:
9 Phela ngingaba lokunengi kakhulu ngikuphike wena ngithi, ‘Ungubani uThixo?’ loba ngibengumyanga ngintshontshe; ngalokho ngiliyangise ibizo likaNkulunkulu wami.
Lest I become over-full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I become poor, and steal, and trespass against the name of my God.
10 Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, ngoba izakuqalekisa ungene enkathazweni.
Do not calumniate a servant unto his master: lest he curse thee, and thou incur guilt.
11 Bakhona abathuka oyise, abangababusisiyo onina;
There is a generation that curseth its father, and doth not bless its mother.
12 labo abazibona belungile ikanti kabahlambululwanga emanyaleni abo;
There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, and yet is not washed [clean] of its filthiness.
13 labo abamehlo abo ahlezi egcwele ulaka, abakhangela ngokudelela;
There is a generation—O how lofty are its eyes! and its eyelids are so lifted up.
14 labo omazinyo abo zinkemba, omihlathi yabo inanyathiselwe izingqamu ukuze baginye abayanga baphele emhlabeni, labaswelayo abaphakathi kwabantu.
There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and whose string teeth are as knives, to devour the poor 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!’:
Insatiability hath two daughters, [crying, ] Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things which never say, Enough:
16 lingcwaba yisisu senyumba, lomhlabathi ongasuthiyo amanzi, lomlilo ongezukufa wathi, ‘Sekwanele!’ (Sheol h7585)
The nether world; and a barren womb; the earth which is not satisfied with water; and the fire which never saith, Enough. (Sheol h7585)
17 Ilihlo elihleka uyise, elidelela ukulalela unina, lizakotsholwa ngamawabayi asesigodini, lizadliwa ngamanqe.
The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, this shall the ravens of the valley pick out; and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 Kukhona izinto ezintathu ezingimangalisayo kakhulu, ezine engingazizwisisiyo:
Three things there are which are too wonderful for me; and four, which I know not:
19 indlela yengqungqulu emkhathini, umzila wenyoka edwaleni, indlela yomkhumbi olwandle, lendlela yejaha lentombi.
The way of the eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a young woman.
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 wrong.
21 Zintathu izinto ezizamazamisa umhlaba, zine ongeke uzithwale:
Under three things the earth trembleth, and under four which she cannot bear:
22 yinceku ebayinkosi, yisiwula esisuthiyo,
Under a servant when he becometh king, and a worthless fool when he hath eaten enough bread;
23 ngumfazi owendileyo ongathandwayo, lencekukazi ethathela inkosikazi indoda.
Under an odious woman when she is married, and a bond-woman when she dispossesseth her mistress.
24 Kukhona emhlabeni izinto ezine ezincinyane, ikanti-ke zihlakaniphile kakhulu:
There are four which are the little ones of the earth, and they are nevertheless exceedingly wise:
25 Ubunyonyo kabulamandla anganani, kodwa buyabuthelela ukudla kwabo ehlobo;
The ants are a people not strong, therefore do they prepare in the summer their food;
26 lezimbila ziyizidalwa ezilamandla angatsho lutho, kodwa zenza izikhundla zazo ezingoxweni zamadwala;
The conies are but a feeble people, therefore do they place on the rocks their houses;
27 izintethe kazilankosi, kodwa zihamba ziludibi olwesabekayo;
The locusts have no king, and yet they go forth in troops altogether;
28 umbankwa ungabanjwa ngesandla, kodwa ungena lasezigodlweni zamakhosi.
The spider thou canst catch with [thy] hands, and yet she is in the palaces of a king.
29 Kulezinto ezintathu ezihamba zinqekuza kamnandi, zine ezihamba zibeka kamnandi:
Three there are that have a stately step, and four, that are stately in going:
30 yisilwane, esilamandla esabekayo phakathi kwezilo, esingabalekeli lutho;
The lion, the mightiest among beasts, who turneth not round from before any one;
31 liqhude eliditshazelayo, yimpongo, njalo lenkosi nxa ihanqwe libutho layo.
The light-legged greyhound, and the he-goat; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
32 Nxa ube yisithutha waziphakamisa, kumbe nxa wakhe amacebo okwenza okubi, vala umlomo wakho ngesandla sakho.
If thou hast become degraded by lifting up thyself, or if thou hast devised evil, put thy hand to thy mouth:
33 Ngoba njengokuphehla uchago kudala iphehla, lanjengoba ukugubha amakhala kubanga umungula, kunjalo ukuvusa ulaka kudala ingxabano.”
For the pressure of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressure of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the pressure of wrath bringeth forth strife.
