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, even his prophecy; the inspired utterance of the man to Ithiel, even to Ithiel and Ucal.
2 Angilalwazi okudlula bonke abantu; angilakho ukuzwisisa komuntu.
Truly I am more stupid than any man; There is not in me the understanding of a man.
3 Angikufundanga ukuhlakanipha njalo kangilalwazi ngaye oNgcwele.
I have not learned wisdom, Nor have I gained the knowledge of the Most 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 gone up into heaven and come down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound up the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what his son's name, if thou knowest?
5 Wonke amazwi kaNkulunkulu akalamposiso; uyisihlangu kulabo abacatsha kuye.
Every word of God is pure; A shield is he to them that put their trust in him.
6 Ungengezeleli emazwini akhe, funa akukhuze akwenze umqambimanga.
Add not to his words, Lest he rebuke thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Zimbili izinto engizicela kuwe, Oh Thixo; ungangincitshi zona ngingakafi:
Two things do I ask of thee; Withhold them not from me, before I die!
8 Susa kimi inkohliso lamanga; ungangiphi ubuyanga loba inotho, kodwa ungiphe kuphela ukudla kwami kwansukuzonke.
Remove far from me falsehood and lies; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food which is needful for me;
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 the LORD?” Or lest I be poor, and steal, And violate the name of my God.
10 Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, ngoba izakuqalekisa ungene enkathazweni.
Talk not against a servant to his master, Lest he curse thee, and thou suffer for it.
11 Bakhona abathuka oyise, abangababusisiyo onina;
There is a class of men that curse their fathers, And do not bless their mothers.
12 labo abazibona belungile ikanti kabahlambululwanga emanyaleni abo;
There is a class who are pure in their own eyes, And yet are not washed from their filthiness.
13 labo abamehlo abo ahlezi egcwele ulaka, abakhangela ngokudelela;
There is a class, —O how lofty are their eyes, And how are their eyelids lifted up!
14 labo omazinyo abo zinkemba, omihlathi yabo inanyathiselwe izingqamu ukuze baginye abayanga baphele emhlabeni, labaswelayo abaphakathi kwabantu.
There is a class, whose teeth are swords, And their jaw-teeth 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!’:
The vampire hath two daughters; “Give! give!” [[is their cry.]] There are three things which are never satisfied; Yea, four which say not, “Enough!”
16 lingcwaba yisisu senyumba, lomhlabathi ongasuthiyo amanzi, lomlilo ongezukufa wathi, ‘Sekwanele!’ (Sheol h7585)
The underworld, and the barren womb; The earth, which is not satiated with water, And fire, which never saith, “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 scorneth 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:
These three things are too wonderful for me; Yea, there are four which I understand not:
19 indlela yengqungqulu emkhathini, umzila wenyoka edwaleni, indlela yomkhumbi olwandle, lendlela yejaha lentombi.
The track of an eagle in the air, The track of a serpent upon a rock, The track of a ship in the midst of the sea, And the track 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 nothing wrong.”
21 Zintathu izinto ezizamazamisa umhlaba, zine ongeke uzithwale:
Under three things is the earth disquieted; Yea, under four it cannot bear up:
22 yinceku ebayinkosi, yisiwula esisuthiyo,
Under a servant when he becometh a king, And a fool when he is filled with bread;
23 ngumfazi owendileyo ongathandwayo, lencekukazi ethathela inkosikazi indoda.
Under an odious woman when she becometh a wife, And a handmaid when she becometh heir to her mistress.
24 Kukhona emhlabeni izinto ezine ezincinyane, ikanti-ke zihlakaniphile kakhulu:
There are four things which are small upon the earth, Yet are they wise, instructed in wisdom.
25 Ubunyonyo kabulamandla anganani, kodwa buyabuthelela ukudla kwabo ehlobo;
The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare in the summer their food.
26 lezimbila ziyizidalwa ezilamandla angatsho lutho, kodwa zenza izikhundla zazo ezingoxweni zamadwala;
The conies are a feeble people, Yet do they make their houses in the rocks.
27 izintethe kazilankosi, kodwa zihamba ziludibi olwesabekayo;
The locusts have no king, Yet do they all go forth in bands.
28 umbankwa ungabanjwa ngesandla, kodwa ungena lasezigodlweni zamakhosi.
The lizard seizeth with its hands, And is in king's palaces.
29 Kulezinto ezintathu ezihamba zinqekuza kamnandi, zine ezihamba zibeka kamnandi:
These three have a graceful step; Yea, four are graceful in their walk:
30 yisilwane, esilamandla esabekayo phakathi kwezilo, esingabalekeli lutho;
The lion, the hero among beasts, Which turneth not back for any;
31 liqhude eliditshazelayo, yimpongo, njalo lenkosi nxa ihanqwe libutho layo.
The loin-girded war-horse, the he-goat, And a king who cannot be withstood.
32 Nxa ube yisithutha waziphakamisa, kumbe nxa wakhe amacebo okwenza okubi, vala umlomo wakho ngesandla sakho.
If thou hast been foolish in lifting thyself up, And hast meditated evil, Put thy hand on thy mouth!
33 Ngoba njengokuphehla uchago kudala iphehla, lanjengoba ukugubha amakhala kubanga umungula, kunjalo ukuvusa ulaka kudala ingxabano.”
For, as the pressing of milk bringeth forth cheese, And as the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood, So the pressing of anger bringeth forth strife.
