Izaga 6

1 Ndodana yami, nxa wenzele umakhelwane wakho isibambiso, nxa libambene izandla ukuba uzamhlawulela imilandu yakhe,

[My] son, if thou become surety for thy friend, thou shalt deliver thine hand to an enemy.

2 aluba usuzihilele ngalokho okutshiloyo, wazibambisa ngamazwi omlomo wakho,

For a man's own lips become a strong snare to him, and he is caught with the lips of his own mouth.

3 lapho-ke yenza lokhu, ndodana yami, ukuzikhulula, njengoba usuwele ezandleni zakhe umakhelwane wakho: Hamba ufike uzehlise; mncengancenge umakhelwane wakho!

[My] son, do what I command thee, and deliver thyself; for on thy friend's account thou art come into the power of evil [men]: faint not, but stir up even thy friend for whom thou art become surety.

4 Ungabuvumeli ubuthongo emehlweni akho, ungavumeli ukuwozela enkopheni zakho.

Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber with thine eyelids;

5 Zikhulule njengempala ezandleni zomzingeli, njengenyoni esifini somthiyi.

that thou mayest deliver thyself as a doe out of the toils, and as a bird out of a snare.

6 Khangela ubunyonyo, wena vila; hlolisisa ukwenza kwabo uhlakaniphe!

Go to the ant, O sluggard; and see, and emulate his ways, and become wiser than he.

7 Kabulamphathi, kabula mkhangeli loba umbusi,

For whereas he has no husbandry, nor any one to compel him, and is under no master,

8 kodwa buyaqoqa umphako wabo ehlobo bubuthe ukudla kwabo nxa kuvunwa.

he prepares food for himself in the summer, and lays by abundant store in harvest. Or go to the bee, and learn how diligent she is, and how earnestly she is engaged in her work; whose labours kings and private men use for health, and she is desired and respected by all: though weak in body, she is advanced by honouring wisdom.

9 Uzalala khonapho kuze kube nini, vila ndini? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?

How long wilt thou lie, O sluggard? and when wilt thou awake out of sleep?

10 Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,

Thou sleepest a little, and thou restest a little, and thou slumberest a short [time], and thou foldest thine arms over thy breast a little.

11 ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.

Then poverty comes upon thee as an evil traveller, and want as a swift courier: but if thou be diligent, thine harvest shall arrive as a fountain, and poverty shall flee away as a bad courier.

12 Isigangi lesixhwali esihamba sikhuluma amanyala,

A foolish man and a transgressor goes in ways that are not good.

13 esiqhweba ngelihlo sitshengise ngezinyawo zaso njalo sitshengise ngeminwe yaso,

And the same winks with the eye, and makes a sign with his foot, and teaches with the beckonings of his fingers.

14 esiceba ububi ngenkohliso enhliziyweni yaso sithanda ukuvusa inkani kokuphela.

[His] perverse heart devises evils: at all times such a one causes troubles to a city.

15 Ngakho lowo uzawelwa yingozi ngokuphazima; uzabhidlizwa ngokuphangisa kungasekho okungenziwa.

Therefore his destruction shall come suddenly; overthrow and irretrievable ruin.

16 Ziyisithupha izinto uThixo azizondayo, eziyisikhombisa eziyisinengiso kuye:

For he rejoices in all things which God hates, and he is ruined by reason of impurity of soul.

17 amehlo atshengisa ukudelela, ulimi oluqamba amanga, izandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,

The eye of the haughty, a tongue unjust, hands shedding the blood of the just;

18 inhliziyo egaya izibozi, inyawo eziphangisa ukuya ebubini,

and a heart devising evil thoughts, and feet hastening to do evil, —[are hateful to God].

19 umfakazi wamanga, okhuluma inkohliso lomuntu oletha ukuxabana kubazalwane.

An unjust witness kindles falsehoods, and brings on quarrels between brethren.

20 Ndodana yami, gcina imilayo kayihlo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.

[My] son, keep the laws of thy father, and reject not the ordinances of thy mother:

21 Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho nini lanini; kugqize entanyeni yakho.

but bind them upon thy soul continually, and hang them as a chain about thy neck.

22 Nxa uhamba, lezizinto zizakukhokhela; lanxa ulele zizakulinda; uthi uvuka zikukhulumise.

Whensoever thou walkest, lead this along and let it be with thee; that it may talk with thee when thou wakest.

23 Ngoba imilayo le iyisibane, imfundiso le iyikukhanya, leziqondiso zokuzithiba ziyindlela yokuphila,

For the commandment of the law is a lamp and a light; a way of life; reproof also and correction:

24 zikuvikela kowesifazane ongaziphathanga, laselimini olumnandi lomfazi ongelambeko.

to keep thee continually from a married woman, and from the calumny of a strange tongue.

25 Ungasuki umfise ngenhliziyo yakho ngenxa yobuhle bakhe kumbe akuhuge ngamehlo akhe.

Let not the desire of beauty overcome thee, neither be thou caught by thine eyes, neither be captivated with her eyelids.

26 Ngoba isifebe siyakululazisa ufane lesinkwa, kodwa umfazi womuntu uyayibhidliza impilo yakho uqobo.

For the value of a harlot is as much as of one loaf; and a woman hunts for the precious souls of men.

27 Kambe umuntu angokhela umlilo emathangazini akhe na zingaze zatsha izigqoko zakhe?

Shall any one bind fire in his bosom, and not burn his garments?

28 Kambe umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle inyawo zakhe zingaze zatsha na?

or will any one walk on coals of fire, and not burn his feet?

29 Kunjalo kulowo olala lomfazi wenye indoda; kakho omthintayo ongayikujeziswa.

So is he that goes in to a married woman; he shall not be held guiltless, neither any one that touches her.

30 Abantu kabalithuki isela nxa lintshontsha ngoba lifuqwa liphango.

It is not to be wondered at if one should be taken stealing, for he steals that when hungry he may satisfy his soul:

31 Kodwa lingabanjwa lihlawuliswa kasikhombisa, lanxa inhlawulo ilithathela yonke impahla yendlu yalo.

but if he should be taken, he shall repay sevenfold, and shall deliver himself by giving all his goods.

32 Kodwa indoda efebayo kayilangqondo; lowo okwenzayo lokho uyazibulala yena ngokwakhe.

But the adulterer through want of sense procures destruction to his soul.

33 Izidutshulo lehlazo kuyisabelo sakhe, ukuyangeka kwakhe kakusoze kwafa kwaphela.

He endures both pain and disgrace, and his reproach shall never be wiped off.

34 Ngoba ubukhwele bendoda yalowomfazi buyiqubula ulaka, ingabe isaba lozwelo lapho isiphindisela.

For the soul of her husband is full of jealousy: he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

35 Kayizukuvuma inhlawulo; kayiyikwamukela isivalamlomo loba singakanani.

He will not forego [his] enmity for any ransom: neither will he be reconciled for many gifts.