Izaga 17
1 Ucezu olomileyo lokuthula kanye lalo lungcono kulendlu egcwele imihlatshelo lengxabano.
Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 Inceku ehlakaniphileyo izabusa phezu kwendodana eyangisayo, yehlukanise ilifa phakathi kwezelamani.
A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 Imbiza yokuncibilikisa ngeyesiliva, lesithando ngesegolide, kodwa iNkosi ihlola izinhliziyo.
A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
4 Umenzi wobubi ulalela indebe ekhohlakeleyo; umqambimanga ubeka indlebe olimini oluchithayo.
A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
5 Oklolodela umyanga uthuka uMenzi wakhe; othokoza encithakalweni kayikuba msulwa.
He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
6 Abantwana babantwana bangumqhele wabadala, lodumo lwabantwana ngoyise.
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.
7 Indebe elobungcwethi kayisifanelanga isithutha; kakhulu kangakanani indebe yamanga isiphathamandla.
Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
8 Isipho siyilitshe eliligugu emehlweni abaniniso; loba ngaphi esiphendukela khona sizaphumelela.
A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
9 Osibekela isiphambeko udinga uthando, kodwa ophindaphinda udaba wehlukanisa umngane oseduze.
Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
10 Ukukhuza kuyajula koqedisisayo kulokutshaya isithutha ngokulikhulu.
A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
11 Omubi udinga ububi kuphela, kodwa isithunywa esilesihluku sizathunyelwa kuye.
An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Kakuthi ibhere elifelwe yimidlwane lihlangane lomuntu, kodwa hatshi isithutha ebuthutheni baso.
It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
13 Ophindisela okubi esikhundleni sokuhle, ububi kabuyikusuka endlini yakhe.
If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
14 Ukuqala kwenkani kunjengokuvulela amanzi; ngakho yekela ingxabano ingakazivezi.
To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
15 Olungisisa omubi lolahla olungileyo bayisinengiso eNkosini, ngitsho bobabili.
Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD.
16 Kungani kulemali yokuthenga inhlakanipho esandleni sesithutha, lokhu singelangqondo?
Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
17 Umngane uyathanda ngaso sonke isikhathi, lomzalwane uzalelwa inhlupheko.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18 Umuntu oswela ingqondo uyabambana ngezandla ukuba yisibambiso phambi kukamakhelwane wakhe.
A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
19 Othanda isiphambeko uthanda inkani; ophakamisa umnyango wakhe udinga ukubhujiswa.
He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
20 Olenhliziyo ephambeneyo katholi okuhle, lophambene ngolimi uwela ebubini.
The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
21 Ozala isithutha, sizakuba lusizi kuye; loyise wesithutha kathokozi.
A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
22 Inhliziyo ethokozayo yenza kuhle njengomuthi, kodwa umoya owephukileyo womisa amathambo.
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
23 Omubi uthatha isipho esifubeni ukuphambula izindlela zesahlulelo.
A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
24 Inhlakanipho iphambi koqedisisayo, kodwa amehlo esithutha asekucineni komhlaba.
Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
25 Indodana eyisiwula ilusizi kuyise, iyikubaba kowayizalayo.
A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
26 Ukuhlawulisa olungileyo lakho kakulunganga, lokutshaya iziphathamandla ngenxa yobuqotho.
It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
27 Owazi ulwazi ugodla amazwi akhe; umuntu oqedisisayo ulomoya opholileyo.
A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
28 Isithutha esithuleyo laso sithiwa sihlakaniphile; ovala indebe zakhe uthiwa uyaqedisisa.
Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.
