Izaga 15
1 Impendulo ethambileyo ibuyisela emuva ulaka, kodwa ilizwi elilukhuni livusa intukuthelo.
When people are angry with you, reply to them gently, and it will calm them; but if you reply harshly to them, it causes them to become more angry.
2 Ulimi lwabahlakaniphileyo lwenza ulwazi lube luhle, kodwa umlomo wezithutha uthulula ubuthutha.
When wise [people] speak [MTY], it causes those who hear what they say to want to know more; foolish people continually say [MTY] what is foolish.
3 Amehlo eNkosi akuyo yonke indawo, eqaphela ababi labalungileyo.
Yahweh sees [MTY] [what is happening] everywhere; he observes what bad [people do] as well as what good [people do].
4 Ukusilisa kolimi kuyisihlahla sempilo, kodwa ukuphambeka kulo kuyikwephuka emoyeni.
Those who speak [MTY] kindly to people are [like] [MET] trees [whose fruit gives] life; speaking what is false causes people to (despair/feel very discouraged).
5 Isithutha sidelela ukulaya kukayise, kodwa onanza ukukhuzwa uhlakaniphile.
Foolish children despise their parents when their parents correct/discipline them; wise children accept it.
6 Endlini yolungileyo kulenotho enengi, kodwa enzuzweni yomubi kulenkathazo.
There are many valuable things in the houses of righteous [people]; the wealth of wicked [people] causes them to have troubles/difficulties.
7 Indebe zabahlakaniphileyo ziyahlakaza ulwazi, kodwa inhliziyo yezithutha kayinjalo.
What wise [people] teach [MTY] causes others to know much more, [but] foolish people cannot teach others what is useful.
8 Umhlatshelo wabakhohlakeleyo uyisinengiso eNkosini, kodwa umkhuleko wabaqotho uyintokozo yayo.
Yahweh detests the sacrifices that are offered by wicked [people]; what delights/pleases him very much are the prayers of righteous/good [people].
9 Indlela yokhohlakeleyo iyisinengiso eNkosini, kodwa ithanda ozingela ukulunga.
Yahweh hates/detests the behavior of wicked [people], but he loves those who always do what is righteous/just/fair.
10 Ukujezisa kubi kotshiya indlela; ozonda ukukhuzwa uzakufa.
Those who do what is wrong will be severely punished; those who do not want to be corrected will die.
11 Isihogo lentshabalalo kuphambi kweNkosi; kakhulu kangakanani inhliziyo zabantwana babantu! (Sheol h7585)
Yahweh knows [what is happening in] the place where dead people [DOU] are, so he certainly knows [RHQ] what people are thinking. (Sheol h7585)
12 Isideleli kasithandi osikhuzayo, kasiyi kwabahlakaniphileyo.
Some people do not want to be corrected; they never go to wise [people to seek good advice from them].
13 Inhliziyo ethokozayo yenza ubuso bujabule, kodwa ngosizi lwenhliziyo umoya uyadabuka.
When people are happy, they have smiles on their faces; but when they are sad, [by looking at their faces we can see that] they are sad.
14 Inhliziyo yoqedisisayo idinga ulwazi, kodwa umlomo wezithutha udla ubuthutha.
Those who have good sense want to learn more; foolish people [MTY] are very satisfied with being foolish/ignorant.
15 Zonke insuku zohluphekayo zimbi, kodwa inhliziyo ethokozayo ilidili njalonjalo.
Those who are oppressed constantly have difficulties, but those who (OR, if they) are happy, [it is as though] [MET] they are having a big feast every day.
16 Kungcono okuncinyane kanye lokwesaba iNkosi kulenotho enengi lenkathazo kanye layo.
Being poor and revering Yahweh is better than being rich and having a lot of troubles.
17 Kungcono isidlo semibhida lapho okulothando khona kulenkabi enonileyo lenzondo kanye layo.
Eating meals with [people whom you] love and having only vegetables to eat is better than eating with [people who] hate [each other and] having lots of good meat [to eat].
18 Umuntu ololaka udungula ingxabano, kodwa ophuza ukuthukuthela uzathulisa ingxabano.
Those who quickly become angry cause arguments/quarreling, but those who do not quickly become angry cause people to act peacefully.
19 Indlela yevila injengothango lwameva, kodwa indlela yabaqotho ibuthelelwe.
Lazy people constantly [have difficulties] [MET]; [it is as though they are] walking through thorns; but those who are honest and hard-working [will have few difficulties; it is as though they are walking] on a level highway [MET].
20 Indodana ehlakaniphileyo ithokozisa uyise, kodwa umuntu oyisithutha weyisa unina.
Children who are wise cause their parents to be happy; it is foolish children who despise their parents.
21 Ubuthutha buyintokozo koswela ingqondo, kodwa umuntu oqedisisayo uyaqondisa ukuhamba kwakhe.
Foolish people are happy to [continually] act foolishly; those who have good sense do what is right.
22 Amaqhinga angelaseluleko ayachitheka, kodwa ngabeluleki abanengi ayakuma.
If there is no one to give us good advice, we will not accomplish what we are planning to do; but when we have many [good] advisors, we will succeed.
23 Umuntu ulentokozo ngempendulo yomlomo wakhe; lelizwi ngesikhathi salo, lihle kangakanani.
People rejoice when they are able to reply well to what others have asked them; [truly], it is very delightful to be able to say the right thing at the right time.
Wise people walk on a road that leads up to a long life; they do not walk on a road that leads down to the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
25 INkosi izadiliza indlu yozigqajayo, kodwa izamisa umngcele womfelokazi.
Yahweh tears down the houses of proud [people], but he protects the property of widows.
26 Imicabango yomubi iyisinengiso eNkosini, kodwa amazwi amnandi ahlambulukile.
Yahweh detests what wicked [people] are thinking [about doing]; [but] when people say what is kind, he considers those words to be pure.
27 Ophanga inzuzo ukhathaza indlu yakhe, kodwa ozonda izipho uzaphila.
Those who try hard to get money by acting dishonestly cause trouble for their family; those who refuse to accept bribes will live [for a long time].
28 Inhliziyo yolungileyo inakana ukuphendula, kodwa umlomo wababi uthulula izinto ezimbi.
Righteous/Good [people] think carefully before they answer [what others ask them]; wicked [people] very quickly say what is evil.
29 INkosi ikhatshana labakhohlakeleyo, kodwa iyezwa umkhuleko wabalungileyo.
Yahweh does not listen [MTY] to what wicked [people request him to do]; he listens to righteous [people] when they pray.
30 Ukukhanya kwamehlo kuthokozisa inhliziyo, lodaba oluhle lwenza amathambo akhuluphale.
If people have a smile on their faces, it makes them/others happy, and [when people hear] good news, it refreshes their spirits [MTY].
31 Indlebe elalela ukukhuzwa kwempilo izahlala phakathi kwabahlakaniphileyo.
If people pay attention when [people] correct/warn them, they will become wise.
32 Owala ukulaywa weyisa umphefumulo wakhe, kodwa olalela ukukhuzwa uzuza ukuqedisisa.
If people refuse to listen [when others try] to correct them, they are despising/hurting themselves; those who (pay attention/heed) when [others] warn them (become wiser/acquire good sense).
33 Ukuyesaba iNkosi kuyikufundiswa kwenhlakanipho, lokuthobeka kwandulela udumo.
If you revere Yahweh, you will learn how to become wise, but [only] after you become humble will [people] honor you.
