Izaga 16
1 Umuntu ulamacebo enhliziyo, kodwa impendulo yolimi ivela eNkosini.
People plan what they want to do, but Yahweh is the one who decides [MTY] what really will happen.
2 Zonke indlela zomuntu zihlanzekile emehlweni akhe, kodwa iNkosi ilinganisa imimoya.
People may think that their actions are right, but Yahweh really knows why people do what they do.
3 Giqela eNkosini imisebenzi yakho, lamacebo akho azaqiniswa.
(Request/Rely on) Yahweh to direct what you plan to do; [if you do that], you will succeed in what you plan.
4 INkosi izenzele konke, lomubi laye usuku lobubi.
Yahweh knows why he does everything that he does; he has even prepared the wicked for the time that he will punish them.
5 Wonke ozigqajayo ngenhliziyo uyisinengiso eNkosini; isandla esandleni, kayikuyekelwa engajeziswanga.
Yahweh hates/detests everyone who is proud [IDM]; you can be certain [IDM] that they will be punished [LIT].
6 Ngomusa leqiniso isono siyahlawulelwa, langokuyesaba iNkosi umuntu uyasuka ebubini.
Be loyal to Yahweh and faithfully [obey] him; if you do that, he will forgive you for having sinned. If we revere him, nothing evil will happen to us (OR, he will prevent evil things from happening to us).
7 Nxa indlela zomuntu zithokozisa iNkosi, iyenza lezitha zakhe zibe lokuthula laye.
When our behavior pleases Yahweh, he even causes our enemies to act peacefully toward us.
8 Okulutshwana kanye lokulunga kungcono kulobunengi benzuzo engelakulunga.
It is better to have a small amount of money that is earned honestly than to have a lot of money that is acquired dishonestly.
9 Inhliziyo yomuntu iceba indlela yakhe, kodwa iNkosi iqondisa inyathelo lakhe.
People plan what they want to do, but Yahweh directs/determines what they will [really] be able to do.
10 Isinqumo sikaNkulunkulu sisendebeni zenkosi; umlomo wayo kawuyikuphambeka kusahlulelo.
[If] God directs what a king says, what he decides is [always] right/fair.
11 Isikali lesilinganiso esilungileyo kungokweNkosi; wonke amatshe okulinganisa omgodla angumsebenzi wayo.
Yahweh wants us to use scales that are correct; the weights in his bag are correct, [because] he made them.
12 Kuyisinengiso emakhosini ukwenza okubi, ngoba isihlalo sobukhosi simiswa ngokulunga.
Kings detest those who do evil, because [it is people doing what] is fair/right that causes their governments to be [MTY] strong.
13 Indebe zokulunga ziyintokozo yamakhosi; iyathanda okhuluma izinto eziqondileyo.
Kings are delighted to hear people say [MTY] what is true; they love those who say what is right/honest.
14 Ulaka lombusi luyizithunywa zokufa, kodwa umuntu ohlakaniphileyo uzaluthulisa.
If a king becomes angry, he [may] command that someone be executed, [so] wise people will [try to] cause him to be calm.
15 Ekukhanyeni kobuso benkosi kulempilo, lomusa wayo unjengeyezi lezulu lamuva.
If a king has a smile [MTY] on his face, he will enable people to have a [long] life (OR, he will not order people to be executed); his being pleased [with people] is [as delightful] as rain in the springtime [when seeds are planted].
16 Kungcono kangakanani ukuzuza inhlakanipho kulegolide; lokuzuza ukuqedisisa kukhethwa kulesiliva.
Becoming wise is better than aquiring gold; getting good understanding/insight is better than acquiring silver.
17 Umgwaqo omkhulu wabaqotho yikusuka ebubini; olondoloza umphefumulo wakhe unanzelela indlela yakhe.
Those whose behavior [MET] is good/right turn away from doing evil; those who guard their conduct [MTY] protect their lives.
18 Ukuzigqaja kuqalela ukubhujiswa, lokuziphakamisa komoya kuqalela ukuwa.
Being proud will (lead to your having/cause you to have) disasters; despising others will result in your being ruined.
19 Kungcono ukuthobeka ngomoya kanye labamnene, kulokwabelana impango labazigqajayo.
It is better to be humble and poor than [to associate with] proud [people] and [to become rich by] dividing with them (plunder/goods captured in a battle).
20 Ophatha udaba ngenhlakanipho uzathola okuhle; lothemba eNkosini uyathaba.
Those who heed good teaching/instruction will prosper; happy are those who trust in Yahweh.
21 Ohlakaniphileyo ngenhliziyo kuthiwa ngoqedisisayo; lobumnandi bendebe bandisa imfundiso.
People say that those who are wise learn what is right/good behavior, and those who talk pleasantly [are able to] influence others [to do what is right].
22 Ukuqedisisa kwabalakho kungumthombo wempilo, kodwa ukulaya kwezithutha kuyibuthutha.
Being wise is [like having] a fountain that gives life [MET], but foolish people are punished as a result of their acting foolishly.
23 Ingqondo yohlakaniphileyo yenza umlomo wakhe uhlakaniphe, izakwandisa imfundiso endebeni zakhe.
Those who are wise think carefully before they talk, and as a result they are able to influence/persuade others [to do what is right].
24 Amazwi amnandi aluhlanga loluju, amnandi emphefumulweni, ayimpiliso emathanjeni.
Kind words are like honey [SIM]: We enjoy them both, and both cause our bodies to be healthy/strong.
25 Kukhona indlela ebonakala iqondile emuntwini, kodwa ukuphela kwayo zindlela zokufa.
There are some kinds of behavior [MET] that people think are right, but (walking on those roads [MET]/continually doing those things) causes those people to die.
26 Indlala yomtshikatshiki iyazitshikatshikela, ngoba umlomo wakhe uyamkhuthaza.
If a worker (has an appetite/is hungry), that urges him to work hard because he [SYN] wants to [earn money to buy things to] eat.
27 Umuntu omubi ugebha ububi; lendebeni zakhe kulokunjengomlilo otshisayo.
Worthless people plan [ways to cause] trouble [for others], and [even] what they say [injures people] like a hot fire does [SIM].
28 Umuntu ophambeneyo ungenisa ingxabano, lonyeyayo wehlukanisa umngane oseduze.
Deceitful people cause strife/quarreling among other people; those who say false things about other people cause people who are friends to become enemies.
29 Umuntu wobudlwangudlwangu uhuga umakhelwane wakhe, amhambise ngendlela engalunganga.
Those who act violently entice/encourage others [to also act violently] and lead them along a road that will end in disaster.
30 Uvala amehlo akhe ukuceba izinto eziphambeneyo, eluma indebe zakhe aqede ububi.
People [sometimes] show with [one of] their eyes [to signal to their friends that they are] planning to do something to harm [others]; they smirk when they are about to do something evil.
31 Izimvu zekhanda zingumqhele wodumo; zitholakala endleleni yokulunga.
Gray hair is [like] a glorious crown [MET] that is given to people who have always behaved righteously.
32 Ophuza ukuthukuthela ungcono kuleqhawe, lobusa umoya wakhe kulothumba umuzi.
Those who do not become angry quickly are better than those who are powerful; it is better to (control your temper/keep yourself from becoming very angry) than to conquer a city.
33 Inkatho iphoselwa ethangazini, kodwa isinqumo sayo sonke sivela eNkosini.
People (cast lots/throw marked stones) [to decide what should be done], but God is the one who truly decides what will happen.
