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 revelation: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
2 Angilalwazi okudlula bonke abantu; angilakho ukuzwisisa komuntu.
“Surely I am the most ignorant man, and don’t have a man’s understanding.
3 Angikufundanga ukuhlakanipha njalo kangilalwazi ngaye oNgcwele.
I have not learnt wisdom, neither do I have 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 has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you know?
5 Wonke amazwi kaNkulunkulu akalamposiso; uyisihlangu kulabo abacatsha kuye.
“Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Ungengezeleli emazwini akhe, funa akukhuze akwenze umqambimanga.
Don’t you add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
7 Zimbili izinto engizicela kuwe, Oh Thixo; ungangincitshi zona ngingakafi:
“Two things I have asked of you. Don’t deny 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 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, deny you, and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonour the name of my God.
10 Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, ngoba izakuqalekisa ungene enkathazweni.
“Don’t slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
11 Bakhona abathuka oyise, abangababusisiyo onina;
There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn’t bless their mother.
12 labo abazibona belungile ikanti kabahlambululwanga emanyaleni abo;
There is a generation that is 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, oh how lofty are their eyes! 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 like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from amongst men.
15 Umkhaza ulamadodakazi amabili; ayamemeza athi, ‘Siphe! Siphe!’ Zintathu izinto ezingasuthiyo, zine ezingakaze zithi, ‘Sekwanele!’:
“The leech has two daughters: ‘Give, give.’ “There are three things that are never satisfied; four that don’t say, ‘Enough!’:
16 lingcwaba yisisu senyumba, lomhlabathi ongasuthiyo amanzi, lomlilo ongezukufa wathi, ‘Sekwanele!’ (Sheol h7585)
Sheol, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that doesn’t say, ‘Enough!’ (Sheol h7585)
17 Ilihlo elihleka uyise, elidelela ukulalela unina, lizakotsholwa ngamawabayi asesigodini, lizadliwa ngamanqe.
“The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat it.
18 Kukhona izinto ezintathu ezingimangalisayo kakhulu, ezine engingazizwisisiyo:
“There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I don’t understand:
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 on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man with a maiden.
20 Le yindlela yesiphingikazi: siyadla sesule umlomo waso besesisithi, ‘Angenzanga lutho olubi.’
“So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
21 Zintathu izinto ezizamazamisa umhlaba, zine ongeke uzithwale:
“For three things the earth trembles, and under four, it can’t bear up:
22 yinceku ebayinkosi, yisiwula esisuthiyo,
For a servant when he is king, a fool when he is filled with food,
23 ngumfazi owendileyo ongathandwayo, lencekukazi ethathela inkosikazi indoda.
for an unloved woman when she is married, and a servant who is heir to her mistress.
24 Kukhona emhlabeni izinto ezine ezincinyane, ikanti-ke zihlakaniphile kakhulu:
“There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:
25 Ubunyonyo kabulamandla anganani, kodwa buyabuthelela ukudla kwabo ehlobo;
The ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.
26 lezimbila ziyizidalwa ezilamandla angatsho lutho, kodwa zenza izikhundla zazo ezingoxweni zamadwala;
The hyraxes 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 they advance in ranks.
28 umbankwa ungabanjwa ngesandla, kodwa ungena lasezigodlweni zamakhosi.
You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.
29 Kulezinto ezintathu ezihamba zinqekuza kamnandi, zine ezihamba zibeka kamnandi:
“There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:
30 yisilwane, esilamandla esabekayo phakathi kwezilo, esingabalekeli lutho;
The lion, which is mightiest amongst animals, and doesn’t turn away for any;
31 liqhude eliditshazelayo, yimpongo, njalo lenkosi nxa ihanqwe libutho layo.
the greyhound; the male goat; 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 you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.
33 Ngoba njengokuphehla uchago kudala iphehla, lanjengoba ukugubha amakhala kubanga umungula, kunjalo ukuvusa ulaka kudala ingxabano.”
For as the churning of milk produces butter, and the wringing of the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife.”
