Izaga 6
1 Ndodana yami, nxa wenzele umakhelwane wakho isibambiso, nxa libambene izandla ukuba uzamhlawulela imilandu yakhe,
My son, if thou have become surety for thy neighbour, —have struck for a stranger thy hands,
2 aluba usuzihilele ngalokho okutshiloyo, wazibambisa ngamazwi omlomo wakho,
Thou hast been snared by the sayings of thy mouth, —thou hast been caught by the sayings 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 then, my son, and deliver thyself, When thou hast come into the hand of thy neighbour, Go, haste thee, and urge thy neighbour;
4 Ungabuvumeli ubuthongo emehlweni akho, ungavumeli ukuwozela enkopheni zakho.
Do not give sleep to thine eyes, or slumber to thine eyelashes;
5 Zikhulule njengempala ezandleni zomzingeli, njengenyoni esifini somthiyi.
Deliver thyself, as a gazelle out of the hand, and as a bird, out of the hand of the fowler.
6 Khangela ubunyonyo, wena vila; hlolisisa ukwenza kwabo uhlakaniphe!
Go to the ant, thou sluggard, observe her ways, and be wise;
7 Kabulamphathi, kabula mkhangeli loba umbusi,
Which, having no harvest, scribe, or ruler,
8 kodwa buyaqoqa umphako wabo ehlobo bubuthe ukudla kwabo nxa kuvunwa.
Prepareth, in the summer, her food, hath collected, in the harvest, her sustenance.
9 Uzalala khonapho kuze kube nini, vila ndini? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?
How long, O sluggard, wilt thou lie? how long ere thou rise from thy sleep?
10 Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest: —
11 ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
So shall come in, as a highwayman, thy poverty, and, thy want, as one armed with a shield.
12 Isigangi lesixhwali esihamba sikhuluma amanyala,
An abandoned man, a man of iniquity, [is he] who—goeth on in perversity of mouth;
13 esiqhweba ngelihlo sitshengise ngezinyawo zaso njalo sitshengise ngeminwe yaso,
Winketh with his eyes, speaketh with his foot, pointeth with his fingers;
14 esiceba ububi ngenkohliso enhliziyweni yaso sithanda ukuvusa inkani kokuphela.
[Hath] perverse things in his heart, deviseth mischief on every occasion, strifes, he sendeth forth.
15 Ngakho lowo uzawelwa yingozi ngokuphazima; uzabhidlizwa ngokuphangisa kungasekho okungenziwa.
For this cause, suddenly cometh his doom, in a moment, shall he be torn in pieces and there be no mending.
16 Ziyisithupha izinto uThixo azizondayo, eziyisikhombisa eziyisinengiso kuye:
These six things, doth Yahweh hate, yea, seven, are the abomination of his soul: —
17 amehlo atshengisa ukudelela, ulimi oluqamba amanga, izandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
Eyes that are lofty, a tongue that is false, and hands shedding innocent blood;
18 inhliziyo egaya izibozi, inyawo eziphangisa ukuya ebubini,
A heart contriving iniquitous devices, feet hasting to run into mischief;
19 umfakazi wamanga, okhuluma inkohliso lomuntu oletha ukuxabana kubazalwane.
One that uttereth lies—a false witness, and one sending forth strifes between brethren.
20 Ndodana yami, gcina imilayo kayihlo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
Observe thou, my son, the commandment of thy father, and do not decline from the instruction of thy mother:
21 Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho nini lanini; kugqize entanyeni yakho.
Bind them upon thy heart continually, fasten them upon thy neck;
22 Nxa uhamba, lezizinto zizakukhokhela; lanxa ulele zizakulinda; uthi uvuka zikukhulumise.
When thou walkest abroad, it shall guide thee, when thou sleepest, it shall watch over thee, when thou wakest, it shall speak to thee:
23 Ngoba imilayo le iyisibane, imfundiso le iyikukhanya, leziqondiso zokuzithiba ziyindlela yokuphila,
For, a lamp, is the commandment, and, the instruction, a light, and, the way of life, are the reproofs of correction:
24 zikuvikela kowesifazane ongaziphathanga, laselimini olumnandi lomfazi ongelambeko.
To keep thee from the wicked woman, from the flattery of the tongue of her that is a stranger.
25 Ungasuki umfise ngenhliziyo yakho ngenxa yobuhle bakhe kumbe akuhuge ngamehlo akhe.
Do not covet her beauty, in thy heart, neither let her take thee, by her eyelashes;
26 Ngoba isifebe siyakululazisa ufane lesinkwa, kodwa umfazi womuntu uyayibhidliza impilo yakho uqobo.
Because, for the sake of an impure woman, [a man may be brought] even to a cake of bread, —and, a man’s wife, for a precious soul, may hunt!
27 Kambe umuntu angokhela umlilo emathangazini akhe na zingaze zatsha izigqoko zakhe?
Can a man snatch up fire in his bosom, and, his clothes, not be burned?
28 Kambe umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle inyawo zakhe zingaze zatsha na?
Or can a man walk upon hot coals, and, his feet, not be burned?
29 Kunjalo kulowo olala lomfazi wenye indoda; kakho omthintayo ongayikujeziswa.
So, he that goeth in unto his neighbour’s wife, no man shall be guiltless who toucheth her!
30 Abantu kabalithuki isela nxa lintshontsha ngoba lifuqwa liphango.
Men despise not a thief, when he stealeth, to satisfy his appetite, because he is famished;
31 Kodwa lingabanjwa lihlawuliswa kasikhombisa, lanxa inhlawulo ilithathela yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
Yet, if found, he must pay back sevenfold, All the substance of his house, must he give:
32 Kodwa indoda efebayo kayilangqondo; lowo okwenzayo lokho uyazibulala yena ngokwakhe.
He that committeth adultery with a woman, lacketh sense, A destroyer of his own life, is he that doeth it;
33 Izidutshulo lehlazo kuyisabelo sakhe, ukuyangeka kwakhe kakusoze kwafa kwaphela.
Smiting and shame, shall he find, and, his reproach, shall not be wiped out;
34 Ngoba ubukhwele bendoda yalowomfazi buyiqubula ulaka, ingabe isaba lozwelo lapho isiphindisela.
For, jealousy, is the rage of a man, nor will he spare, in the day of avenging;
35 Kayizukuvuma inhlawulo; kayiyikwamukela isivalamlomo loba singakanani.
He will not look, at any ransom, neither will he consent, though thou increase the bribe.
