UmTshumayeli 10
1 Impukane ezifileyo zinukisa zibilise amagcobo omthaki; ubuthutha obuncinyane benza njalo kohloniphekayo ngenxa yenhlakanipho lodumo.
Dead flies cause a perfumer’s perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom—By reason of honor—a little folly!
2 Inhliziyo yohlakaniphileyo ingakwesokunene sakhe, kodwa inhliziyo yesithutha ingakwesokhohlo saso.
The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.
3 Yebo-ke lapho oyisithutha ehamba endleleni, ingqondo yakhe iyasilela, uthi kuye wonke uyisithutha.
And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, And he has said to everyone, “He [is] a fool.”
4 Uba umoya wombusi ukuvukela, ungatshiyi indawo yakho, ngoba ukuthobeka kuyathulisa iziphambeko ezinkulu.
If the spirit of the ruler goes up against you, do not leave your place, For yielding quiets great sinners.
5 Kulobubi engibubone ngaphansi kwelanga, njengesiphosiso esiphuma ebusweni bombusi:
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As ignorance that goes out from the ruler,
6 Ubuwula bubekwa ezindaweni eziphakemeyo kakhulu, labanothileyo bahlala endaweni ephansi.
He has set the fool in many high places, And the rich sits in a low place.
7 Ngibonile izigqili zigade amabhiza, leziphathamandla zihamba njengezigqili emhlabeni.
I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 Ogebha umgodi uzawela kuwo; lodiliza umthangala, inyoka izamluma.
Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And whoever is breaking a hedge, a serpent bites him.
9 Osusa amatshe uzalinyazwa yiwo; obanda izigodo uzakuba sengozini ngazo.
Whoever is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoever is cleaving trees endangered by them.
10 Uba insimbi ibuthundu njalo engaloli ubukhali, ngakho ufanele engezelele amandla; kodwa inhlakanipho yinhle ukulungisa.
If the iron has been blunt, And he has not sharpened the face, Then he increases strength, And wisdom [is] advantageous to make right.
11 Uba inyoka iluma kungelakulunjwa, kakulanzuzo kungcitshi yolimi.
If the serpent bites without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
12 Amazwi omlomo ohlakaniphileyo alomusa, kodwa indebe zesithutha ziyasiginya.
Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.
13 Ukuqala kwamazwi omlomo waso kuyibuthutha, lokucina kwenkulumo yaso kuyibuhlanya obubi,
The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] folly, And the latter end of his mouth [Is] mischievous madness.
14 njalo isithutha sandisa amazwi. Umuntu kazi okuzakuba khona; lalokho okuzakuba khona emva kwakhe, ngubani ongamtshela khona?
And the fool multiplies words: “Man does not know that which is—And that which is after him, who declares to him?”
15 Umtshikatshika wesithuthandini uyasidinisa, ngoba kasazi ukuya emzini.
The labor of the foolish wearies him, In that he has not known to go to the city.
16 Maye kuwe, lizwe, onkosi yakho ingumntwana, leziphathamandla zakho zidla ekuseni!
Woe to you, O land, when your king [is] a youth, And your princes eat in the morning.
17 Ubusisiwe, lizwe, onkosi yakho iyindodana yabakhulu, leziphathamandla zakho zidla ngesikhathi esifaneleyo, zidlela ukuqina, hatshi ukudakwa.
Blessed are you, O land, When your king [is] a son of nobles, And your princes eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.
18 Ngobuvila obukhulu intungo ziyabhensa, langokuyekethisa izandla indlu iyanethela.
By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands the house drops.
19 Idili lenzelwa uhleko, lewayini lithokozisa impilo; kodwa imali iyimpendulo yakho konke.
For mirth they are making a feast, And wine makes life joyful, And the silver answers with all.
20 Lemcabangweni wakho ungayithuki inkosi, lekamelweni lakho lokulala ungamthuki onothileyo; ngoba inyoni yamazulu izathwala ilizwi, lokulamaphiko kubike udaba.
Even in your mind do not revile a king, And in the inner parts of your bed-chamber do not revile the rich: For a bird of the heavens causes the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declares the word.
