Izaga 6
1 Ndodana yami, nxa wenzele umakhelwane wakho isibambiso, nxa libambene izandla ukuba uzamhlawulela imilandu yakhe,
My son, if thou art surety for thy friend, if thou hast struck thy hand with a stranger,
2 aluba usuzihilele ngalokho okutshiloyo, wazibambisa ngamazwi omlomo wakho,
Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with 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!
Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and plead with thy friend.
4 Ungabuvumeli ubuthongo emehlweni akho, ungavumeli ukuwozela enkopheni zakho.
Give not sleep to thy eyes, nor slumber to thy eyelids.
5 Zikhulule njengempala ezandleni zomzingeli, njengenyoni esifini somthiyi.
Deliver thyself as a roe 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; consider her ways, and be wise:
7 Kabulamphathi, kabula mkhangeli loba umbusi,
Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8 kodwa buyaqoqa umphako wabo ehlobo bubuthe ukudla kwabo nxa kuvunwa.
Provideth her food 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 arise out of thy sleep?
10 Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
11 ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
12 Isigangi lesixhwali esihamba sikhuluma amanyala,
A worthless person, a wicked man, walketh with a perverse mouth.
13 esiqhweba ngelihlo sitshengise ngezinyawo zaso njalo sitshengise ngeminwe yaso,
He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;
14 esiceba ububi ngenkohliso enhliziyweni yaso sithanda ukuvusa inkani kokuphela.
Perverseness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
15 Ngakho lowo uzawelwa yingozi ngokuphazima; uzabhidlizwa ngokuphangisa kungasekho okungenziwa.
Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
16 Ziyisithupha izinto uThixo azizondayo, eziyisikhombisa eziyisinengiso kuye:
These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination to him:
17 amehlo atshengisa ukudelela, ulimi oluqamba amanga, izandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 inhliziyo egaya izibozi, inyawo eziphangisa ukuya ebubini,
An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19 umfakazi wamanga, okhuluma inkohliso lomuntu oletha ukuxabana kubazalwane.
A false witness that speaketh lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren.
20 Ndodana yami, gcina imilayo kayihlo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
21 Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho nini lanini; kugqize entanyeni yakho.
Bind them continually upon thy heart, and tie them about thy neck.
22 Nxa uhamba, lezizinto zizakukhokhela; lanxa ulele zizakulinda; uthi uvuka zikukhulumise.
When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk 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 reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24 zikuvikela kowesifazane ongaziphathanga, laselimini olumnandi lomfazi ongelambeko.
To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of an adulteress woman.
25 Ungasuki umfise ngenhliziyo yakho ngenxa yobuhle bakhe kumbe akuhuge ngamehlo akhe.
Lust not after her beauty in thy heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
26 Ngoba isifebe siyakululazisa ufane lesinkwa, kodwa umfazi womuntu uyayibhidliza impilo yakho uqobo.
For by means of an harlot a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.
27 Kambe umuntu angokhela umlilo emathangazini akhe na zingaze zatsha izigqoko zakhe?
Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
28 Kambe umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle inyawo zakhe zingaze zatsha na?
Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
29 Kunjalo kulowo olala lomfazi wenye indoda; kakho omthintayo ongayikujeziswa.
So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife; whoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
30 Abantu kabalithuki isela nxa lintshontsha ngoba lifuqwa liphango.
Men do not despise a thief, if he stealeth to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;
31 Kodwa lingabanjwa lihlawuliswa kasikhombisa, lanxa inhlawulo ilithathela yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
But if he is found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
32 Kodwa indoda efebayo kayilangqondo; lowo okwenzayo lokho uyazibulala yena ngokwakhe.
But whoever committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
33 Izidutshulo lehlazo kuyisabelo sakhe, ukuyangeka kwakhe kakusoze kwafa kwaphela.
A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34 Ngoba ubukhwele bendoda yalowomfazi buyiqubula ulaka, ingabe isaba lozwelo lapho isiphindisela.
For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35 Kayizukuvuma inhlawulo; kayiyikwamukela isivalamlomo loba singakanani.
He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.
