Izaga 19
1 Umyanga ohamba ngobuqotho bakhe ungcono kulophambeneyo endebeni zakhe, njalo oyisithutha.
Better to be poor but honest than stupid and tell lies.
2 Futhi umphefumulo ongelalwazi kawulunganga, lophangisayo ngezinyawo uyona.
It's not good to be someone who doesn't think. If you rush, things go wrong.
3 Ubuthutha bomuntu buphambula indlela yakhe, lenhliziyo yakhe iyayithukuthelela iNkosi.
People mess up their lives by their own stupidity, and then get angry with the Lord.
4 Inotho yengeza abangane abanengi, kodwa umyanga wehlukaniswa lomngane wakhe.
If you're rich, you get a lot of friends, but if you're poor, you lose any friends you had.
5 Umfakazi wamanga kayikuyekelwa engajeziswanga, lophafuza amanga kayikuphunyuka.
A false witness will be punished; liars won't get away with their lies.
6 Banengi abancenga umusa weziphathamandla; njalo wonke ungumngane womuntu wezipho.
Many ask favors from important people, and everyone's a friend of the generous.
7 Bonke abazalwane bomyanga bayamzonda; kakhulu kangakanani abangane bakhe besiya khatshana laye; uxotshana labongamazwi kodwa kabatholakali.
If a poor man's relatives can't stand him, how much more will his friends avoid him! He tries to talk with them but they don't listen.
8 Ozuza ingqondo uthanda umphefumulo wakhe; unanzelela ukuqedisisa uzathola okuhle.
If you become wise, you have good self-esteem; if you learn good sense you'll be successful.
9 Umfakazi wamanga kayikuyekelwa engajeziswanga, lophafuza amanga uzabhubha.
A false witness will be punished; people who tell lies will perish.
10 Ukutamasa kakusifanele isiwula; kakhulu kangakanani ukuthi inceku ibuse phezu kweziphathamandla.
It's not right for stupid people to live in luxury, and it's even worse for a slave to rule over leaders.
11 Ukuqedisisa komuntu kuphuzisa ukuthukuthela kwakhe; lodumo lwakhe yikwedlula isiphambeko.
If you have good sense you'll be slow to get angry; you gain respect by forgiving wrongs.
12 Ulaka lwenkosi lunjengokubhonga kwebhongo lesilwane, kodwa umusa wayo unjengamazolo etshanini.
When a king gets angry, he sounds like a roaring lion; but his kindness is as soft as dew on the grass.
13 Indodana eyisithutha iyincithakalo kayise; lengxabano zomfazi ziyikuthonta njalonjalo.
A stupid son makes his father miserable, and an argumentative wife is like dripping that never stops.
14 Umuzi lenotho kuyilifa labobaba, kodwa umfazi ohlakaniphileyo uvela eNkosini.
You inherit a house and wealth from your father, but a sensible wife is a gift from the Lord.
15 Ubuvila buphosela ebuthongweni obukhulu, lomphefumulo olivila uzalamba.
Lazy people are often fast asleep, but idleness means they're hungry.
16 Ogcina umlayo ugcina umphefumulo wakhe; odelela indlela zakhe uzakufa.
Keep the commandments, and you'll live; despise them and you'll die.
17 Ozwela umyanga weboleka iNkosi; izambhadala ngesenzo sakhe.
If you're kind to the poor, you're lending to the Lord, and he will repay you well for what you've done.
18 Laya indodana yakho kuselethemba, kodwa ungaloyisi ukufa kwayo.
Discipline your son while there's still hope, but don't kill him.
19 Ololaka olukhulu uzathwala inhlawulo; ngoba nxa umophula uzabe lokhu uqhubeka ukwenza.
People who often get angry have to pay the penalty; if you help them, you'll have to do it again.
20 Lalela izeluleko, wemukele imfundiso, ukuze uhlakaniphe ekucineni kwakho.
Listen to advice and accept instruction so that you'll eventually become wise.
21 Kulamacebo amanengi enhliziyweni yomuntu, kodwa iseluleko seNkosi sona sizakuma.
Human beings make many plans in their minds, but the final decision is the Lord's.
22 Isiloyiso somuntu ngumusa wakhe, njalo umyanga ungcono kulomuntu wamanga.
The most desirable thing in anyone is trustworthy love; it is better to be poor than a liar.
23 Ukuyesaba iNkosi kungokwempilo; ngoba olakho uzalala ebusuku esuthi; kayikwethekelelwa yibubi.
Honoring the Lord is life, and you will rest contentedly, safe from harm.
24 Ivila lifihla isandla salo emganwini, njalo kaliyikusibuyisela emlonyeni walo.
Lazy people put their hands in a dish, and won't even lift the food to their mouths.
25 Tshaya isideleli ongelalwazi abesekhalipha; njalo khuza oqedisisayo, uzaqedisisa ulwazi.
If you punish someone who mocks, you may help an immature person to learn. Correct the wise, and they become wiser.
26 Ochitha uyise, axotshe unina, uyindodana ethelela inhloni ilethe ihlazo.
A son who abuses his father and chases away his mother brings shame and disgrace.
27 Yekela, ndodana yami, ukulalela ukulaywa, ukuphambuka emazwini olwazi.
My son, stop listening to my instruction and you'll soon give up following wisdom.
28 Umfakazi omubi udelela isahlulelo, lomlomo wabakhohlakeleyo uginya ububi.
A crooked witness makes a mockery of justice; and the wicked wolf down evil.
29 Izahlulelo zilungiselwe izideleli, lemivimvinya umhlana wezithutha.
Punishment is ready for those who mock; flogging is ready for the backs of the stupid.
