Izaga 6
1 Ndodana yami, nxa wenzele umakhelwane wakho isibambiso, nxa libambene izandla ukuba uzamhlawulela imilandu yakhe,
My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbour, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 aluba usuzihilele ngalokho okutshiloyo, wazibambisa ngamazwi omlomo wakho,
you are trapped by the words of your mouth; you are ensnared with the words of your 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 yourself, since you have come into the hand of your neighbour. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbour.
4 Ungabuvumeli ubuthongo emehlweni akho, ungavumeli ukuwozela enkopheni zakho.
Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Zikhulule njengempala ezandleni zomzingeli, njengenyoni esifini somthiyi.
Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6 Khangela ubunyonyo, wena vila; hlolisisa ukwenza kwabo uhlakaniphe!
Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;
7 Kabulamphathi, kabula mkhangeli loba umbusi,
which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
8 kodwa buyaqoqa umphako wabo ehlobo bubuthe ukudla kwabo nxa kuvunwa.
provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
9 Uzalala khonapho kuze kube nini, vila ndini? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?
How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?
10 Ukulala okuncane, ukuwozela okuncane, ukugoqa izandla kancane uphumula,
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 ubuyanga buzafika kuwe njengesela lokuswela njengesigebenga.
so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.
12 Isigangi lesixhwali esihamba sikhuluma amanyala,
A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth,
13 esiqhweba ngelihlo sitshengise ngezinyawo zaso njalo sitshengise ngeminwe yaso,
who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers,
14 esiceba ububi ngenkohliso enhliziyweni yaso sithanda ukuvusa inkani kokuphela.
in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.
15 Ngakho lowo uzawelwa yingozi ngokuphazima; uzabhidlizwa ngokuphangisa kungasekho okungenziwa.
Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.
16 Ziyisithupha izinto uThixo azizondayo, eziyisikhombisa eziyisinengiso kuye:
There are six things which the LORD hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:
17 amehlo atshengisa ukudelela, ulimi oluqamba amanga, izandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 inhliziyo egaya izibozi, inyawo eziphangisa ukuya ebubini,
a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19 umfakazi wamanga, okhuluma inkohliso lomuntu oletha ukuxabana kubazalwane.
a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord amongst brothers.
20 Ndodana yami, gcina imilayo kayihlo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
My son, keep your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho nini lanini; kugqize entanyeni yakho.
Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.
22 Nxa uhamba, lezizinto zizakukhokhela; lanxa ulele zizakulinda; uthi uvuka zikukhulumise.
When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.
23 Ngoba imilayo le iyisibane, imfundiso le iyikukhanya, leziqondiso zokuzithiba ziyindlela yokuphila,
For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
24 zikuvikela kowesifazane ongaziphathanga, laselimini olumnandi lomfazi ongelambeko.
to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.
25 Ungasuki umfise ngenhliziyo yakho ngenxa yobuhle bakhe kumbe akuhuge ngamehlo akhe.
Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.
26 Ngoba isifebe siyakululazisa ufane lesinkwa, kodwa umfazi womuntu uyayibhidliza impilo yakho uqobo.
For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.
27 Kambe umuntu angokhela umlilo emathangazini akhe na zingaze zatsha izigqoko zakhe?
Can a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burnt?
28 Kambe umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle inyawo zakhe zingaze zatsha na?
Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?
29 Kunjalo kulowo olala lomfazi wenye indoda; kakho omthintayo ongayikujeziswa.
So is he who goes in to his neighbour’s wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.
30 Abantu kabalithuki isela nxa lintshontsha ngoba lifuqwa liphango.
Men don’t despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry,
31 Kodwa lingabanjwa lihlawuliswa kasikhombisa, lanxa inhlawulo ilithathela yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
but if he is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.
32 Kodwa indoda efebayo kayilangqondo; lowo okwenzayo lokho uyazibulala yena ngokwakhe.
He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.
33 Izidutshulo lehlazo kuyisabelo sakhe, ukuyangeka kwakhe kakusoze kwafa kwaphela.
He will get wounds and dishonour. His reproach will not be wiped away.
34 Ngoba ubukhwele bendoda yalowomfazi buyiqubula ulaka, ingabe isaba lozwelo lapho isiphindisela.
For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won’t spare in the day of vengeance.
35 Kayizukuvuma inhlawulo; kayiyikwamukela isivalamlomo loba singakanani.
He won’t regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.
