Izaga 18
1 Ozehlukanisayo udinga okuloyisekayo kwakhe; ufohlela inhlakanipho yonke.
Those who separate themselves [from other people] think [only] about those things that they are interested in; [if they would continually associate with] those who have good judgment/sense, they would constantly disagree/quarrel with them.
2 Isithutha kasithokozi ekuqedisiseni, kodwa ukuze inhliziyo yaso iziveze.
Foolish people do not want to understand [anything]; they only want to (express their [own] opinions/say what they think) [IDM].
3 Lapho okhohlakeleyo esiza, kuza lokudelela, njalo kanye lenhloni, ihlazo.
Whenever people do wicked things, others will despise them; when people do things that cause themselves to no [longer] be honored, they will be disgraced [also].
4 Amazwi omlomo womuntu angamanzi azikileyo; umthombo wenhlakanipho uyisifula esigobhozayo.
What wise people say is [like] a deep ocean [that you can never get to the bottom of] [MET], and it [refreshes us like water from] a rapidly flowing stream.
5 Kakulunganga ukwemukela ubuso bokhohlakeleyo, ukuphambula olungileyo kusahlulelo.
It is not good [for a judge] to decide matters in favor of those who (are guilty/have done wicked things) and to not do what is just for those who (are innocent/have not done what is wrong).
6 Indebe zesithutha zingena enkanini, lomlomo waso ubiza imivimvinya.
When foolish people [SYN] start arguments, [it is as though] they [SYN] are requesting/inviting someone to flog/whip them.
7 Umlomo wesithutha uyintshabalalo yaso, lendebe zaso zingumjibila womphefumulo waso.
What foolish people [MTY] say causes them to be ruined; their [own] words are [like] a trap [MET] [that catches/seizes] them.
8 Amazwi onyeyayo anjengezibondlo ezehlela kokungaphakathi kwesisu.
[People enjoy listening to] what gossips say like [SIM] [they enjoy] tasty food; they [accept what gossips tell them like] [MET] they swallow tasty food.
9 Lolivila emsebenzini wakhe ungumfowabo womchithi.
People who are lazy while they work are [just as bad] as [IDM] those who destroy things.
10 Ibizo leNkosi lingumphotshongo oqinileyo; olungileyo uzagijimela kuwo amiswe phezulu evikelekile.
Yahweh [MTY] is [like] a strong tower [MET]; righteous people [can] go to him and be safe [like they can run to a tower to be safe].
11 Inotho yesinothi ingumuzi waso oqinileyo, lanjengomthangala ophakemeyo ekucabangeni kwaso.
Rich people [are protected because they have] a lot of money [PRS] like a city is protected because it has a high wall surrounding it [SIM].
12 Mandulo kokubhujiswa inhliziyo yomuntu iyaziphakamisa, njalo mandulo kodumo kulokuthobeka.
Proud people are on the road to being ruined, but being humble leads to being honored.
13 Ophendula indaba engakezwa, kuyibuwula kuye, lehlazo.
Those who reply to someone before that person has finished speaking are foolish; doing that is disgraceful.
14 Umoya womuntu uzasekela ukugula kwakhe, kodwa umoya owephukileyo, ngubani ongawuthwala?
A desire to [continue to] live can sustain someone when he is sick; if he loses that desire, he (cannot endure it/will become very discouraged) when he is sick [RHQ].
15 Inhliziyo yoqedisisayo izuza ulwazi, lendlebe yabahlakaniphileyo idinga ulwazi.
Intelligent people [are always wanting to] learn more; wise people [SYN] are not content with what they already know.
16 Isipho somuntu siyamvulela ngokubanzi, simkhokhelela phambi kwabakhulu.
If you take a gift to an important person, that will open the way to allow you to talk to him.
17 Ongowokuqala ecaleni lakhe ubonakala elungile, kodwa umakhelwane wakhe ufika amhlole.
The first person to present his case in court seems right, but when (someone else/his opponent) begins to ask him questions, [it may become clear that what he said was not true].
18 Inkatho iqeda izingxabano, yehlukanise phakathi kwabalamandla.
If two influential/important people are arguing, [someone can] settle the matter by (casting lots/throwing marked stones to decide who is right).
19 Umzalwane owoniweyo wedlula umuzi oqinileyo, lengxabano zinjengomgoqo wenqaba.
If you help relatives, they will [protect you] like [SIM] a strong wall [protects a city], but if you quarrel with them, [that will separate you from them] like bars on a city gate [separate the city from those who want to enter it] [MET].
20 Isisu somuntu siyasuthiswa yizithelo zomlomo wakhe, uzasuthiswa yinzuzo yendebe zakhe.
People are happy when they hear others say [MTY] something that is good, [like] they are happy when they eat food that is good [MET].
21 Ukufa lempilo kusesandleni solimi; labaluthandayo bazakudla isithelo salo.
What you say can cause others to be killed or it can cause them to [continue to] live; [so] those who like [to talk a lot] must (accept the consequences/realize that what they say can cause much harm).
22 Othole umfazi uthole okuhle, uzuze umusa eNkosini.
If you marry a [good] woman, that is [like] finding a wonderful thing; [it shows that] Yahweh is pleased with you.
23 Umyanga uyakhuluma ngokuncenga, kodwa isinothi siphendula izinto ezilukhuni.
[It is necessary for] poor [people] to speak politely when they request [rich people to do something for them], but rich [people] reply very impolitely when poor people speak to them.
24 Umuntu wabangane abanengi uzachitheka, kodwa kulomngane onamathela kuleselamani.
There are [some] people who [only] pretend to be friends [with us], but there are [some] friends who are more loyal than members of our families.
