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 oracle. The man saith unto Ithiel, unto Ithiel and Ucal:

2 Angilalwazi okudlula bonke abantu; angilakho ukuzwisisa komuntu.

Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man:

3 Angikufundanga ukuhlakanipha njalo kangilalwazi ngaye oNgcwele.

And I have not learned wisdom, neither have I the 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 hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in his garment? 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 tried: he is a shield unto them that 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 have I asked 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 food that 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 use profanely the name of my God.

10 Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, ngoba izakuqalekisa ungene enkathazweni.

Slander not a servant unto 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; and [yet] are not washed from their filthiness.

13 labo abamehlo abo ahlezi egcwele ulaka, abakhangela ngokudelela;

There is a generation, Oh how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are 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 their jaw teeth [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!’:

The horseleach hath two daughters, [Crying], Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, [yea], four that say not, Enough:

16 lingcwaba yisisu senyumba, lomhlabathi ongasuthiyo amanzi, lomlilo ongezukufa wathi, ‘Sekwanele!’ (Sheol h7585)

The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that saith not, 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, 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 be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:

19 indlela yengqungqulu emkhathini, umzila wenyoka edwaleni, indlela yomkhumbi olwandle, lendlela yejaha lentombi.

The way of an eagle in the air; 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.’

So 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:

For three things the earth doth tremble, and for four, [which] it cannot bear:

22 yinceku ebayinkosi, yisiwula esisuthiyo,

For a servant when he is king; and a fool when he is filled with meat;

23 ngumfazi owendileyo ongathandwayo, lencekukazi ethathela inkosikazi indoda.

For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

24 Kukhona emhlabeni izinto ezine ezincinyane, ikanti-ke zihlakaniphile kakhulu:

There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:

25 Ubunyonyo kabulamandla anganani, kodwa buyabuthelela ukudla kwabo ehlobo;

The ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their meat in the summer;

26 lezimbila ziyizidalwa ezilamandla angatsho lutho, kodwa zenza izikhundla zazo ezingoxweni zamadwala;

The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;

27 izintethe kazilankosi, kodwa zihamba ziludibi olwesabekayo;

The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;

28 umbankwa ungabanjwa ngesandla, kodwa ungena lasezigodlweni zamakhosi.

The lizard taketh hold with her hands, yet is she in kings’ palaces,

29 Kulezinto ezintathu ezihamba zinqekuza kamnandi, zine ezihamba zibeka kamnandi:

There be three things which are stately in their march, yea, four which are stately in going:

30 yisilwane, esilamandla esabekayo phakathi kwezilo, esingabalekeli lutho;

The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

31 liqhude eliditshazelayo, yimpongo, njalo lenkosi nxa ihanqwe libutho layo.

The greyhound; the he-goat also; and the 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 done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] thine hand upon thy mouth.

33 Ngoba njengokuphehla uchago kudala iphehla, lanjengoba ukugubha amakhala kubanga umungula, kunjalo ukuvusa ulaka kudala ingxabano.”

For the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.