UmTshumayeli 10
1 Impukane ezifileyo zinukisa zibilise amagcobo omthaki; ubuthutha obuncinyane benza njalo kohloniphekayo ngenxa yenhlakanipho lodumo.
[A few] dead flies in [a bottle of] perfume cause [all] the perfume to stink. Similarly [SIM], a small amount of acting foolishly can have a greater effect than acting wisely.
2 Inhliziyo yohlakaniphileyo ingakwesokunene sakhe, kodwa inhliziyo yesithutha ingakwesokhohlo saso.
If people think sensibly, it will lead them to do what is right; if they think foolishly, it causes them to do what is wrong.
3 Yebo-ke lapho oyisithutha ehamba endleleni, ingqondo yakhe iyasilela, uthi kuye wonke uyisithutha.
Even while foolish people walk along the road, they show that they do not have good sense; they show everyone that they are not wise.
4 Uba umoya wombusi ukuvukela, ungatshiyi indawo yakho, ngoba ukuthobeka kuyathulisa iziphambeko ezinkulu.
Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
5 Kulobubi engibubone ngaphansi kwelanga, njengesiphosiso esiphuma ebusweni bombusi:
There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
6 Ubuwula bubekwa ezindaweni eziphakemeyo kakhulu, labanothileyo bahlala endaweni ephansi.
They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
7 Ngibonile izigqili zigade amabhiza, leziphathamandla zihamba njengezigqili emhlabeni.
They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
8 Ogebha umgodi uzawela kuwo; lodiliza umthangala, inyoka izamluma.
[It is possible that] those who dig pits will fall into one of those pits. [It is possible that] someone who tears down a wall will be bitten by a snake [that is in that wall].
9 Osusa amatshe uzalinyazwa yiwo; obanda izigodo uzakuba sengozini ngazo.
If you work in a quarry, [it is possible that] a stone [will fall on you and] injure you. [It is possible that] men who split logs will be injured by one of those logs.
10 Uba insimbi ibuthundu njalo engaloli ubukhali, ngakho ufanele engezelele amandla; kodwa inhlakanipho yinhle ukulungisa.
If your axe is not sharp [DOU], you will need to work harder [to cut down a tree], but by being wise, you will succeed.
11 Uba inyoka iluma kungelakulunjwa, kakulanzuzo kungcitshi yolimi.
If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
12 Amazwi omlomo ohlakaniphileyo alomusa, kodwa indebe zesithutha ziyasiginya.
Wise people say [MTY] what is sensible, and because of that, people honor them; but foolish people are destroyed by what they say [MTY].
13 Ukuqala kwamazwi omlomo waso kuyibuthutha, lokucina kwenkulumo yaso kuyibuhlanya obubi,
When foolish people start to talk, they say things that are foolish, and they end by saying things that are both wicked and foolish.
14 njalo isithutha sandisa amazwi. Umuntu kazi okuzakuba khona; lalokho okuzakuba khona emva kwakhe, ngubani ongamtshela khona?
They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
15 Umtshikatshika wesithuthandini uyasidinisa, ngoba kasazi ukuya emzini.
Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
16 Maye kuwe, lizwe, onkosi yakho ingumntwana, leziphathamandla zakho zidla ekuseni!
Terrible things will happen to the people of a nation whose ruler is a foolish young man, and whose [other] leaders continually eat, all day long, every day.
17 Ubusisiwe, lizwe, onkosi yakho iyindodana yabakhulu, leziphathamandla zakho zidla ngesikhathi esifaneleyo, zidlela ukuqina, hatshi ukudakwa.
[But] a nation will prosper if its ruler is from a (noble/well-educated) family, and if its [other] leaders feast [only] at the proper times, and [if they eat and drink only] to be strong, not to become drunk.
18 Ngobuvila obukhulu intungo ziyabhensa, langokuyekethisa izandla indlu iyanethela.
Some men are very lazy [and do not repair the rafters], with the result that the rafters sag [and collapse]; and if they do not repair the roof, water will leak into the house [when it rains].
19 Idili lenzelwa uhleko, lewayini lithokozisa impilo; kodwa imali iyimpendulo yakho konke.
Eating food and drinking wine causes us to laugh and be happy, [but] we are able to enjoy those things only if we have money [to buy them].
20 Lemcabangweni wakho ungayithuki inkosi, lekamelweni lakho lokulala ungamthuki onothileyo; ngoba inyoni yamazulu izathwala ilizwi, lokulamaphiko kubike udaba.
Do not even think about cursing the king, or cursing rich [people, even] when you are [alone] in your bedroom, because [it is possible that] a little bird will hear [what you are saying], [and] tell those people what you said [about them].
