Izaga 6
1 Ndodana yami, nxa wenzele umakhelwane wakho isibambiso, nxa libambene izandla ukuba uzamhlawulela imilandu yakhe,
My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, thou hast engaged fast thy hand to a stranger.
2 aluba usuzihilele ngalokho okutshiloyo, wazibambisa ngamazwi omlomo wakho,
Thou art ensnared with the words of thy mouth, and caught with thy own words.
3 lapho-ke yenza lokhu, ndodana yami, ukuzikhulula, njengoba usuwele ezandleni zakhe umakhelwane wakho: Hamba ufike uzehlise; mncengancenge umakhelwane wakho!
Do therefore, my son, what I say, and deliver thyself: because thou art fallen into the hand of thy neighbour. Run about, make haste, stir up thy friend:
4 Ungabuvumeli ubuthongo emehlweni akho, ungavumeli ukuwozela enkopheni zakho.
Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber.
5 Zikhulule njengempala ezandleni zomzingeli, njengenyoni esifini somthiyi.
Deliver thyself as a doe from the hand, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Khangela ubunyonyo, wena vila; hlolisisa ukwenza kwabo uhlakaniphe!
Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom:
7 Kabulamphathi, kabula mkhangeli loba umbusi,
Which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain,
8 kodwa buyaqoqa umphako wabo ehlobo bubuthe ukudla kwabo nxa kuvunwa.
Provideth her meat for herself 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 rise out of thy sleep?
10 Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep:
11 ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee.
12 Isigangi lesixhwali esihamba sikhuluma amanyala,
A man that is an apostate, an unprofitable man, walketh with a perverse mouth,
13 esiqhweba ngelihlo sitshengise ngezinyawo zaso njalo sitshengise ngeminwe yaso,
He winketh with the eyes, presseth with the foot, speaketh with the finger.
14 esiceba ububi ngenkohliso enhliziyweni yaso sithanda ukuvusa inkani kokuphela.
With a wicked heart he deviseth evil, and at all times he soweth discord.
15 Ngakho lowo uzawelwa yingozi ngokuphazima; uzabhidlizwa ngokuphangisa kungasekho okungenziwa.
To such a one his destruction shall presently come, and he shall suddenly be destroyed, and shall no longer have any remedy.
16 Ziyisithupha izinto uThixo azizondayo, eziyisikhombisa eziyisinengiso kuye:
Six things there are, which the Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul detesteth:
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 deviseth wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief,
19 umfakazi wamanga, okhuluma inkohliso lomuntu oletha ukuxabana kubazalwane.
A deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren.
20 Ndodana yami, gcina imilayo kayihlo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
My son, beep the commandments of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.
21 Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho nini lanini; kugqize entanyeni yakho.
Bind them in thy heart continually, and put them about thy neck.
22 Nxa uhamba, lezizinto zizakukhokhela; lanxa ulele zizakulinda; uthi uvuka zikukhulumise.
When thou walkest, let them go with thee: when thou sleepest, let them keep thee; and when thou awakest, talk with them.
23 Ngoba imilayo le iyisibane, imfundiso le iyikukhanya, leziqondiso zokuzithiba ziyindlela yokuphila,
Because the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24 zikuvikela kowesifazane ongaziphathanga, laselimini olumnandi lomfazi ongelambeko.
That they may keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the stranger.
25 Ungasuki umfise ngenhliziyo yakho ngenxa yobuhle bakhe kumbe akuhuge ngamehlo akhe.
Let not thy heart covet her beauty, be not caught with her winks:
26 Ngoba isifebe siyakululazisa ufane lesinkwa, kodwa umfazi womuntu uyayibhidliza impilo yakho uqobo.
For the price of a harlot is scarce one loaf: but the woman catcheth the precious soul of a man.
27 Kambe umuntu angokhela umlilo emathangazini akhe na zingaze zatsha izigqoko zakhe?
Can a man hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not burn?
28 Kambe umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle inyawo zakhe zingaze zatsha na?
Or can he walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt?
29 Kunjalo kulowo olala lomfazi wenye indoda; kakho omthintayo ongayikujeziswa.
So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife, shall not be clean when he shall touch her.
30 Abantu kabalithuki isela nxa lintshontsha ngoba lifuqwa liphango.
The fault is not so great when a man hath stolen: for he stealeth to fill his hungry soul:
31 Kodwa lingabanjwa lihlawuliswa kasikhombisa, lanxa inhlawulo ilithathela yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
And if he be taken he shall restore sevenfold, and shall give up all the substance of his house.
32 Kodwa indoda efebayo kayilangqondo; lowo okwenzayo lokho uyazibulala yena ngokwakhe.
But he that is an adulterer, for the folly of his heart shall destroy his own soul:
33 Izidutshulo lehlazo kuyisabelo sakhe, ukuyangeka kwakhe kakusoze kwafa kwaphela.
He gathereth to himself shame and dishonour, and his reproach shall not be blotted out:
34 Ngoba ubukhwele bendoda yalowomfazi buyiqubula ulaka, ingabe isaba lozwelo lapho isiphindisela.
Because the jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge,
35 Kayizukuvuma inhlawulo; kayiyikwamukela isivalamlomo loba singakanani.
Nor will he yield to any man’s prayers, nor will he accept for satisfaction ever so many gifts.
