Izaga 6
1 Ndodana yami, nxa wenzele umakhelwane wakho isibambiso, nxa libambene izandla ukuba uzamhlawulela imilandu yakhe,
My son, if you have taken a pledge on behalf of your friend, then you have bound your hand to an outsider,
2 aluba usuzihilele ngalokho okutshiloyo, wazibambisa ngamazwi omlomo wakho,
then you are ensnared by the words of your own mouth, and taken captive by your own words.
3 lapho-ke yenza lokhu, ndodana yami, ukuzikhulula, njengoba usuwele ezandleni zakhe umakhelwane wakho: Hamba ufike uzehlise; mncengancenge umakhelwane wakho!
Therefore, my son, do what I say, and free yourself, for you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor. Run, hurry, awaken your friend.
4 Ungabuvumeli ubuthongo emehlweni akho, ungavumeli ukuwozela enkopheni zakho.
Do not grant sleep to your eyes, nor let your eyelids slumber.
5 Zikhulule njengempala ezandleni zomzingeli, njengenyoni esifini somthiyi.
Rescue yourself like a gazelle from the hand, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Khangela ubunyonyo, wena vila; hlolisisa ukwenza kwabo uhlakaniphe!
Go to the ant, you lazy one, and consider her ways, and so learn wisdom.
7 Kabulamphathi, kabula mkhangeli loba umbusi,
For though she has no ruler, nor instructor, nor leader,
8 kodwa buyaqoqa umphako wabo ehlobo bubuthe ukudla kwabo nxa kuvunwa.
she provides meals for herself in the summer, and she gathers at the harvest what she may eat.
9 Uzalala khonapho kuze kube nini, vila ndini? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?
How long will you slumber, you lazy one? When will you rise up from your sleep?
10 Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
You will sleep a little, you will slumber a little, you will fold your hands a little to sleep,
11 ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
and then destitution will meet with you, like a traveler, and poverty, like an armed man. Yet truly, if you would be diligent, then your harvest will arrive like a fountain, and destitution will flee far from you.
12 Isigangi lesixhwali esihamba sikhuluma amanyala,
An apostate man, a harmful man, walks with a perverse mouth;
13 esiqhweba ngelihlo sitshengise ngezinyawo zaso njalo sitshengise ngeminwe yaso,
he winks with the eyes, touches with the foot, speaks with the finger.
14 esiceba ububi ngenkohliso enhliziyweni yaso sithanda ukuvusa inkani kokuphela.
With a depraved heart he devises evil, and at all times he sows conflict.
15 Ngakho lowo uzawelwa yingozi ngokuphazima; uzabhidlizwa ngokuphangisa kungasekho okungenziwa.
To this one, his perdition will arrive promptly, and he shall be crushed suddenly: he will no longer have any remedy.
16 Ziyisithupha izinto uThixo azizondayo, eziyisikhombisa eziyisinengiso kuye:
Six things there are that the Lord hates, and the seventh, his soul detests:
17 amehlo atshengisa ukudelela, ulimi oluqamba amanga, izandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 inhliziyo egaya izibozi, inyawo eziphangisa ukuya ebubini,
a heart that devises the most wicked thoughts, feet running swiftly unto evil,
19 umfakazi wamanga, okhuluma inkohliso lomuntu oletha ukuxabana kubazalwane.
a deceitful witness bringing forth lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
20 Ndodana yami, gcina imilayo kayihlo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
My son, preserve the precepts of your father, and do not dismiss the law of your mother.
21 Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho nini lanini; kugqize entanyeni yakho.
Bind them to your heart unceasingly, and encircle them around your throat.
22 Nxa uhamba, lezizinto zizakukhokhela; lanxa ulele zizakulinda; uthi uvuka zikukhulumise.
When you walk, let them keep step with you. When you sleep, let them guard you. And when you keep watch, speak with them.
23 Ngoba imilayo le iyisibane, imfundiso le iyikukhanya, leziqondiso zokuzithiba ziyindlela yokuphila,
For commandment is a lamp, and law is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life.
24 zikuvikela kowesifazane ongaziphathanga, laselimini olumnandi lomfazi ongelambeko.
So may they guard you from an evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the outsider.
25 Ungasuki umfise ngenhliziyo yakho ngenxa yobuhle bakhe kumbe akuhuge ngamehlo akhe.
Let not your heart desire her beauty; do not be captivated by her winks.
26 Ngoba isifebe siyakululazisa ufane lesinkwa, kodwa umfazi womuntu uyayibhidliza impilo yakho uqobo.
For the price of a prostitute is only one loaf. Yet the woman seizes the precious soul of a man.
27 Kambe umuntu angokhela umlilo emathangazini akhe na zingaze zatsha izigqoko zakhe?
Would a man be able to conceal fire in his bosom, so that his garments would not burn?
28 Kambe umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle inyawo zakhe zingaze zatsha na?
Or could he walk over burning coals, so that his feet would not be burned?
29 Kunjalo kulowo olala lomfazi wenye indoda; kakho omthintayo ongayikujeziswa.
So also, he who enters to the wife of his neighbor shall not be clean when he touches her.
30 Abantu kabalithuki isela nxa lintshontsha ngoba lifuqwa liphango.
Not so great is the fault when someone has stolen. For he steals so as to satisfy a hungry soul.
31 Kodwa lingabanjwa lihlawuliswa kasikhombisa, lanxa inhlawulo ilithathela yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
Also, if he is apprehended, he shall repay sevenfold and hand over all the substance of his house.
32 Kodwa indoda efebayo kayilangqondo; lowo okwenzayo lokho uyazibulala yena ngokwakhe.
But whoever is an adulterer, because of the emptiness of his heart, will destroy his own soul.
33 Izidutshulo lehlazo kuyisabelo sakhe, ukuyangeka kwakhe kakusoze kwafa kwaphela.
He gathers shame and dishonor to himself, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
34 Ngoba ubukhwele bendoda yalowomfazi buyiqubula ulaka, ingabe isaba lozwelo lapho isiphindisela.
For the jealousy and fury of the husband will not spare him on the day of vindication,
35 Kayizukuvuma inhlawulo; kayiyikwamukela isivalamlomo loba singakanani.
nor will he agree to the pleadings of anyone, nor will he accept, as repayment, a multitude of gifts.
