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] the prophecy: the man spoke to Ithiel, even to 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.
I neither learned wisdom, nor have 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 into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what [is] his name, and what [is] his son's name, if thou canst tell?
5 Wonke amazwi kaNkulunkulu akalamposiso; uyisihlangu kulabo abacatsha kuye.
Every word of God [is] pure: he [is] a shield to them that put their trust in him.
6 Ungengezeleli emazwini akhe, funa akukhuze akwenze umqambimanga.
Add thou not to 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 required 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.
Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient 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 take the name of my God [in vain].
10 Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, ngoba izakuqalekisa ungene enkathazweni.
Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found 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, O 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 horse-leech hath two daughters, [crying], Give, give. There are three [things that] are never satisfied, [yes], four [things] say not, [It is] 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 filled with water; and the fire [that] saith not, [It is] enough. (Sheol h7585)
17 Ilihlo elihleka uyise, elidelela ukulalela unina, lizakotsholwa ngamawabayi asesigodini, lizadliwa ngamanqe.
The eye [that] mocketh at [its] father, and despiseth to obey [its] 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 which] are too wonderful for me, yes, 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.’
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:
For three [things] the earth is disquieted, and for four [which] it cannot bear:
22 yinceku ebayinkosi, yisiwula esisuthiyo,
For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with food.
23 ngumfazi owendileyo ongathandwayo, lencekukazi ethathela inkosikazi indoda.
For an odious [woman] when she is married; and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24 Kukhona emhlabeni izinto ezine ezincinyane, ikanti-ke zihlakaniphile kakhulu:
There are four [things which are] little upon the earth, but they [are] very wise:
25 Ubunyonyo kabulamandla anganani, kodwa buyabuthelela ukudla kwabo ehlobo;
The ants [are] a people not strong, yet they prepare their food in the summer;
26 lezimbila ziyizidalwa ezilamandla angatsho lutho, kodwa zenza izikhundla zazo ezingoxweni zamadwala;
The conies [are but] a feeble people, yet they make 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 spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in king's palaces.
29 Kulezinto ezintathu ezihamba zinqekuza kamnandi, zine ezihamba zibeka kamnandi:
There are three [things] which go well, yes, four are comely in going:
30 yisilwane, esilamandla esabekayo phakathi kwezilo, esingabalekeli lutho;
A lion, [which is] strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31 liqhude eliditshazelayo, yimpongo, njalo lenkosi nxa ihanqwe libutho layo.
A greyhound; a he-goat also; 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 done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] thy hand upon thy mouth.
33 Ngoba njengokuphehla uchago kudala iphehla, lanjengoba ukugubha amakhala kubanga umungula, kunjalo ukuvusa ulaka kudala ingxabano.”
Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
