Izaga 6
1 Ndodana yami, nxa wenzele umakhelwane wakho isibambiso, nxa libambene izandla ukuba uzamhlawulela imilandu yakhe,
My son, If thou hast become surety for thy friend, if thou hast struck thy hand for a stranger;
2 aluba usuzihilele ngalokho okutshiloyo, wazibambisa ngamazwi omlomo wakho,
If thou art ensnared through the words of thy mouth, if thou art caught through 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!
[Then] do this by all means, my son, and deliver thyself, because thou art come into the power of thy friend, Go hasten to him, and urge thy friend.
4 Ungabuvumeli ubuthongo emehlweni akho, ungavumeli ukuwozela enkopheni zakho.
Grant not any sleep to thy eyes, nor slumber to thy eyelids.
5 Zikhulule njengempala ezandleni zomzingeli, njengenyoni esifini somthiyi.
Deliver thyself as a roebuck 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; look on her ways, and become wise.
7 Kabulamphathi, kabula mkhangeli loba umbusi,
She, that hath no prince, officer, or ruler,
8 kodwa buyaqoqa umphako wabo ehlobo bubuthe ukudla kwabo nxa kuvunwa.
Provideth in the summer her provision, gathereth in harvest-time her food.
9 Uzalala khonapho kuze kube nini, vila ndini? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?
How long, O sluggard, wilt thou lie down? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
10 Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
“A little [more] sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands in lying down;”
11 ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
But then will thy poverty come like a rover, and thy want as a man armed with a shield.
12 Isigangi lesixhwali esihamba sikhuluma amanyala,
A Godless person is a man of injustice, who walketh with a distorted mouth.
13 esiqhweba ngelihlo sitshengise ngezinyawo zaso njalo sitshengise ngeminwe yaso,
He blinketh with his eyes, he scrapeth with his feet, he pointeth with his fingers;
14 esiceba ububi ngenkohliso enhliziyweni yaso sithanda ukuvusa inkani kokuphela.
Perverseness is in his heart, he contriveth evil at all times; he scattereth abroad discord.
15 Ngakho lowo uzawelwa yingozi ngokuphazima; uzabhidlizwa ngokuphangisa kungasekho okungenziwa.
Therefore shall suddenly come his calamity: unawares shalt he be broken without a remedy.
16 Ziyisithupha izinto uThixo azizondayo, eziyisikhombisa eziyisinengiso kuye:
Six things there are which the Lord hateth; and seven are an abomination unto his spirit:
17 amehlo atshengisa ukudelela, ulimi oluqamba amanga, izandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
Haughty eyes, a tongue of falsehood, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 inhliziyo egaya izibozi, inyawo eziphangisa ukuya ebubini,
A heart that contriveth plans of injustice, feet that hasten to run after evil,
19 umfakazi wamanga, okhuluma inkohliso lomuntu oletha ukuxabana kubazalwane.
A false witness that eagerly uttereth lies, and him that scattereth abroad discord among brethren.
20 Ndodana yami, gcina imilayo kayihlo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
Keep, O my son, the commandment of thy father, and reject not the teaching of thy mother:
21 Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho nini lanini; kugqize entanyeni yakho.
Bind them upon thy heart continually, tie them about thy throat.
22 Nxa uhamba, lezizinto zizakukhokhela; lanxa ulele zizakulinda; uthi uvuka zikukhulumise.
When thou walkest, it shall lead thee; when thou liest down, it shall watch over thee; and when thou art awake, it shall converse 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 the way of life are the admonitions of correction:
24 zikuvikela kowesifazane ongaziphathanga, laselimini olumnandi lomfazi ongelambeko.
To guard thee against a bad woman, from the flattery of an alien tongue.
25 Ungasuki umfise ngenhliziyo yakho ngenxa yobuhle bakhe kumbe akuhuge ngamehlo akhe.
Covet not her beauty in thy heart, and let her not conquer thee with her eyelids.
26 Ngoba isifebe siyakululazisa ufane lesinkwa, kodwa umfazi womuntu uyayibhidliza impilo yakho uqobo.
For by means of a harlot [one is brought down] to the last loaf of bread: and an adulterous woman will even hunt for the precious life,
27 Kambe umuntu angokhela umlilo emathangazini akhe na zingaze zatsha izigqoko zakhe?
Can a man gather up fire in his lap, and shall his clothes not be burnt?
28 Kambe umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle inyawo zakhe zingaze zatsha na?
Can a man walk along upon hot coals, and shall his feet not be burnt?
29 Kunjalo kulowo olala lomfazi wenye indoda; kakho omthintayo ongayikujeziswa.
So it is with him that goeth in to his neighbor's wife: no one that toucheth her shall remain unpunished.
30 Abantu kabalithuki isela nxa lintshontsha ngoba lifuqwa liphango.
Men do not despise the thief, if he steal, to gratify his craving when he is hungry:
31 Kodwa lingabanjwa lihlawuliswa kasikhombisa, lanxa inhlawulo ilithathela yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
And if he be found, he must pay sevenfold; all the wealth his house must he give.
32 Kodwa indoda efebayo kayilangqondo; lowo okwenzayo lokho uyazibulala yena ngokwakhe.
But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh sense: he that is the destroyer of his soul, will alone do this.
33 Izidutshulo lehlazo kuyisabelo sakhe, ukuyangeka kwakhe kakusoze kwafa kwaphela.
Plague and disgrace will he meet with; and his reproach will not be blotted out.
34 Ngoba ubukhwele bendoda yalowomfazi buyiqubula ulaka, ingabe isaba lozwelo lapho isiphindisela.
For jealousy is the fury of a husband, and he will not spare on the day of vengeance.
35 Kayizukuvuma inhlawulo; kayiyikwamukela isivalamlomo loba singakanani.
He will not regard the appearance of any ransom; and he will not be content, though thou give ever so many bribes.
