Izaga 14
1 Wonke owesifazana ohlakaniphileyo uyayakha indlu yakhe, kodwa oyisithutha uyayidiliza ngezandla zakhe.
Every wise woman hath builded her house, And the foolish with her hands breaketh it down.
2 Ohamba ngobuqotho bakhe wesaba iNkosi, kodwa ophambene ngendlela zakhe uyayidelela.
Whoso is walking in his uprightness is fearing Jehovah, And the perverted [in] his ways is despising Him.
3 Emlonyeni wesithutha kulentonga yokuzigqaja, kodwa indebe zabahlakaniphileyo ziyabagcina.
In the mouth of a fool [is] a rod of pride, And the lips of the wise preserve them.
4 Lapho okungekho izinkabi khona umkolo uhlanzekile, kodwa kulesivuno esinengi ngamandla enkabi.
Without oxen a stall [is] clean, And great [is] the increase by the power of the ox.
5 Umfakazi othembekileyo kaqambi amanga, kodwa umfakazi wamanga uphafuza amanga.
A faithful witness lieth not, And a false witness breatheth out lies.
6 Odelelayo udinga inhlakanipho, kodwa kayikho; kodwa ulwazi lulula koqedisisayo.
A scorner hath sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge to the intelligent [is] easy.
7 Suka phambi komuntu oyisithutha, nxa ungayikunanzelela kuye indebe zolwazi.
Go from before a foolish man, Or thou hast not known the lips of knowledge.
8 Inhlakanipho yokhaliphileyo yikuqedisisa indlela yakhe, kodwa ubuthutha bezithutha buyinkohliso.
The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way, And the folly of fools [is] deceit.
9 Izithutha ziyakloloda ngesono, kodwa phakathi kwabaqotho kulomusa.
Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright — a pleasing thing.
10 Inhliziyo iyazi ukubaba kwayo ngokwayo, lowemzini kahlanganyeli lentokozo yayo.
The heart knoweth its own bitterness, And with its joy a stranger doth not intermeddle.
11 Indlu yabakhohlakeleyo izachithwa, kodwa ithente labaqotho lizahluma.
The house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourisheth.
12 Kukhona indlela ebonakala ilungile emuntwini, kodwa ukuphela kwayo zindlela zokufa.
There is a way — right before a man, And its latter end [are] ways of death.
13 Lekuhlekeni inhliziyo isebuhlungwini, lokuphela kwaleyontokozo lusizi.
Even in laughter is the heart pained, And the latter end of joy [is] affliction.
14 Ohlehlela nyovane ngenhliziyo uzasutha ngezindlela zakhe, kodwa umuntu olungileyo uzasutha ngaye ngokwakhe.
From his ways is the backslider in heart filled, And a good man — from his fruits.
15 Ongelalwazi ukholwa lonke ilizwi, kodwa olengqondo unanzelela ukuhamba kwakhe.
The simple giveth credence to everything, And the prudent attendeth to his step.
16 Ohlakaniphileyo uyesaba, asuke ebubini, kodwa isithutha siyathukuthela, silitshapha.
The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
17 Ophangisa ukuthukuthela wenza ubuthutha, lomuntu wamacebo amabi uzazondwa.
Whoso is short of temper doth folly, And a man of wicked devices is hated.
18 Abangelalwazi badla ilifa lobuthutha, kodwa abakhaliphileyo bazathwala umqhele wolwazi.
The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge.
19 Ababi bakhothama phambi kwabalungileyo, labakhohlakeleyo emasangweni abalungileyo.
The evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 Umyanga uzondwa langumakhelwane wakhe, kodwa abathanda onothileyo banengi.
Even of his neighbour is the poor hated, And those loving the rich [are] many.
21 Odelela umakhelwane wakhe uyona, kodwa olomusa kubayanga ubusisiwe.
Whoso is despising his neighbour sinneth, Whoso is favouring the humble, O his happiness.
22 Kabaduhi yini abaceba okubi? Kodwa umusa leqiniso ngokwalabo abaceba okuhle.
Do not they err who are devising evil? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good,
23 Kumtshikatshika wonke kulenzuzo, kodwa inkulumo yendebe ibanga inswelo kuphela.
In all labour there is advantage, And a thing of the lips [is] only to want.
24 Umqhele wabahlakaniphileyo uyinotho yabo; ubuthutha bezithutha buyibuthutha.
The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools [is] folly.
25 Umfakazi oqinisileyo uyophula imiphefumulo, kodwa ophafuza amanga ungumkhohlisi.
A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breatheth out lies.
26 Ekuyesabeni iNkosi kulethemba eliqinileyo, labantwana bakhe bazakuba lesiphephelo.
In the fear of Jehovah [is] strong confidence, And to His sons there is a refuge.
27 Ukuyesaba iNkosi kungumthombo wempilo, ukusuka emijibileni yokufa.
The fear of Jehovah [is] a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death.
28 Lusebunengini babantu udumo lwenkosi, kodwa kusekuswelekeni kwabantu ukuchitheka kombusi.
In the multitude of a people [is] the honour of a king, And in lack of people the ruin of a prince.
29 Ophuza ukuthukuthela ulokuqedisisa okukhulu, kodwa ophangisa ukuzonda ukhulisa ubuthutha.
Whoso is slow to anger [is] of great understanding, And whoso is short in temper is exalting folly.
30 Inhliziyo ephilileyo iyimpilo yenyama, kodwa umhawu uyikubola kwamathambo.
A healed heart [is] life to the flesh, And rottenness to the bones [is] envy.
31 Ocindezela umyanga uthuka uMenzi wakhe, kodwa olomusa koswelayo uyamdumisa.
An oppressor of the poor reproacheth his Maker, And whoso is honouring Him Is favouring the needy.
32 Okhohlakeleyo uwiswa ebubini bakhe, kodwa olungileyo ulethemba ekufeni kwakhe.
In his wickedness is the wicked driven away, And trustful in his death [is] the righteous.
33 Inhlakanipho ihlala enhliziyweni yoqedisisayo, kodwa okuphakathi kwezithutha kuyaziwa.
In the heart of the intelligent wisdom doth rest. And in the midst of fools it is known.
34 Ukulunga kuphakamisa isizwe, kodwa isono silihlazo ebantwini.
Righteousness exalteth a nation, And the goodliness of peoples [is] a sin-offering.
35 Umusa wenkosi usencekwini ehlakaniphileyo, kodwa intukuthelo yayo izakuba kwethela ihlazo.
The favour of a king [is] to a wise servant, And an object of his wrath is one causing shame!
