Izaga 6
1 Ndodana yami, nxa wenzele umakhelwane wakho isibambiso, nxa libambene izandla ukuba uzamhlawulela imilandu yakhe,
My son, if thou art become surety for thy neighbor, If thou hast stricken thy hands for a stranger;
2 aluba usuzihilele ngalokho okutshiloyo, wazibambisa ngamazwi omlomo wakho,
Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, Thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
3 lapho-ke yenza lokhu, ndodana yami, ukuzikhulula, njengoba usuwele ezandleni zakhe umakhelwane wakho: Hamba ufike uzehlise; mncengancenge umakhelwane wakho!
Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, Seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbor: Go, humble thyself, and importune thy neighbor;
4 Ungabuvumeli ubuthongo emehlweni akho, ungavumeli ukuwozela enkopheni zakho.
Give not sleep to thine eyes, Nor slumber to thine eyelids;
5 Zikhulule njengempala ezandleni zomzingeli, njengenyoni esifini somthiyi.
Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand [of the hunter], And as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Khangela ubunyonyo, wena vila; hlolisisa ukwenza kwabo uhlakaniphe!
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; Consider her ways, and be wise:
7 Kabulamphathi, kabula mkhangeli loba umbusi,
Which having no chief, Overseer, or ruler,
8 kodwa buyaqoqa umphako wabo ehlobo bubuthe ukudla kwabo nxa kuvunwa.
Provideth her bread in the summer, And gathereth her food in the harvest.
9 Uzalala khonapho kuze kube nini, vila ndini? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?
How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
10 Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
[Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep:
11 ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
So shall thy poverty come as a robber, And thy want as an armed man.
12 Isigangi lesixhwali esihamba sikhuluma amanyala,
A worthless person, a man of iniquity, Is he that walketh with a perverse mouth;
13 esiqhweba ngelihlo sitshengise ngezinyawo zaso njalo sitshengise ngeminwe yaso,
That winketh with his eyes, that speaketh with his feet, That maketh signs with his fingers;
14 esiceba ububi ngenkohliso enhliziyweni yaso sithanda ukuvusa inkani kokuphela.
In whose heart is perverseness, Who deviseth evil continually, Who soweth discord.
15 Ngakho lowo uzawelwa yingozi ngokuphazima; uzabhidlizwa ngokuphangisa kungasekho okungenziwa.
Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; On a sudden shall he be broken, and that without remedy.
16 Ziyisithupha izinto uThixo azizondayo, eziyisikhombisa eziyisinengiso kuye:
There are six things which Jehovah hateth; Yea, seven which are an abomination unto him:
17 amehlo atshengisa ukudelela, ulimi oluqamba amanga, izandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood;
18 inhliziyo egaya izibozi, inyawo eziphangisa ukuya ebubini,
A heart that deviseth wicked purposes, Feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19 umfakazi wamanga, okhuluma inkohliso lomuntu oletha ukuxabana kubazalwane.
A false witness that uttereth lies, And he that soweth discord among brethren.
20 Ndodana yami, gcina imilayo kayihlo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
My son, keep the commandment of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother:
21 Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho nini lanini; kugqize entanyeni yakho.
Bind them continually upon thy heart; Tie them about thy neck.
22 Nxa uhamba, lezizinto zizakukhokhela; lanxa ulele zizakulinda; uthi uvuka zikukhulumise.
When thou walkest, it shall lead thee; When thou sleepest, it shall watch over thee; And when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
23 Ngoba imilayo le iyisibane, imfundiso le iyikukhanya, leziqondiso zokuzithiba ziyindlela yokuphila,
For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; And reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24 zikuvikela kowesifazane ongaziphathanga, laselimini olumnandi lomfazi ongelambeko.
To keep thee from the evil woman, From the flattery of the foreigner’s tongue.
25 Ungasuki umfise ngenhliziyo yakho ngenxa yobuhle bakhe kumbe akuhuge ngamehlo akhe.
Lust not after her beauty in thy heart; Neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
26 Ngoba isifebe siyakululazisa ufane lesinkwa, kodwa umfazi womuntu uyayibhidliza impilo yakho uqobo.
For on account of a harlot [a man is brought] to a piece of bread; And the adulteress hunteth for the precious life.
27 Kambe umuntu angokhela umlilo emathangazini akhe na zingaze zatsha izigqoko zakhe?
Can a man take fire in his bosom, And his clothes not be burned?
28 Kambe umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle inyawo zakhe zingaze zatsha na?
Or can one walk upon hot coals, And his feet not be scorched?
29 Kunjalo kulowo olala lomfazi wenye indoda; kakho omthintayo ongayikujeziswa.
So he that goeth in to his neighbor’s wife; Whosoever toucheth her shall not be unpunished.
30 Abantu kabalithuki isela nxa lintshontsha ngoba lifuqwa liphango.
Men do not despise a thief, if he steal To satisfy himself when he is hungry:
31 Kodwa lingabanjwa lihlawuliswa kasikhombisa, lanxa inhlawulo ilithathela yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; He shall give all the substance of his house.
32 Kodwa indoda efebayo kayilangqondo; lowo okwenzayo lokho uyazibulala yena ngokwakhe.
He that committeth adultery with a woman is void of understanding: He doeth it who would destroy his own soul.
33 Izidutshulo lehlazo kuyisabelo sakhe, ukuyangeka kwakhe kakusoze kwafa kwaphela.
Wounds and dishonor shall he get; And his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34 Ngoba ubukhwele bendoda yalowomfazi buyiqubula ulaka, ingabe isaba lozwelo lapho isiphindisela.
For jealousy is the rage of a man; And he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35 Kayizukuvuma inhlawulo; kayiyikwamukela isivalamlomo loba singakanani.
He will not regard any ransom; Neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.
