Izaga 19
1 Umyanga ohamba ngobuqotho bakhe ungcono kulophambeneyo endebeni zakhe, njalo oyisithutha.
Conducting our lives as we should [even though] we are poor is better than being foolish and telling lies.
2 Futhi umphefumulo ongelalwazi kawulunganga, lophangisayo ngezinyawo uyona.
Being enthusiastic but not thinking carefully [about what we are about to do] is not good; doing things hastily can cause us a lot of trouble [IDM].
3 Ubuthutha bomuntu buphambula indlela yakhe, lenhliziyo yakhe iyayithukuthelela iNkosi.
Some people are ruined as a result of their [own] foolish actions, and when that happens, they [SYN] angrily say that it is Yahweh’s fault.
4 Inotho yengeza abangane abanengi, kodwa umyanga wehlukaniswa lomngane wakhe.
Those who are rich easily find people who want to be their friends, but when [people become] poor, their friends [often] desert them.
5 Umfakazi wamanga kayikuyekelwa engajeziswanga, lophafuza amanga kayikuphunyuka.
Those who tell lies in court will surely be punished [LIT]; they will not escape it.
6 Banengi abancenga umusa weziphathamandla; njalo wonke ungumngane womuntu wezipho.
Many [people] try to persuade important people to do favors for them; everyone [wants to] be a friend of those who give gifts.
7 Bonke abazalwane bomyanga bayamzonda; kakhulu kangakanani abangane bakhe besiya khatshana laye; uxotshana labongamazwi kodwa kabatholakali.
[Even] the relatives of someone who becomes poor hate him, and his friends certainly stay away from him, too; [even] if he tries to talk with them, they will not be his friends [again].
8 Ozuza ingqondo uthanda umphefumulo wakhe; unanzelela ukuqedisisa uzathola okuhle.
Those who become wise [IDM] are doing a favor for themselves; those who get good sense will prosper.
9 Umfakazi wamanga kayikuyekelwa engajeziswanga, lophafuza amanga uzabhubha.
Those who tell lies in court will certainly be punished [LIT]; they will be ruined.
10 Ukutamasa kakusifanele isiwula; kakhulu kangakanani ukuthi inceku ibuse phezu kweziphathamandla.
It is not appropriate for foolish people to live (luxuriously/like rich people), and it is even less appropriate for slaves to rule important officials.
11 Ukuqedisisa komuntu kuphuzisa ukuthukuthela kwakhe; lodumo lwakhe yikwedlula isiphambeko.
Those who have good sense do not quickly become angry; people respect those who ignore offensive [things that people say to them].
12 Ulaka lwenkosi lunjengokubhonga kwebhongo lesilwane, kodwa umusa wayo unjengamazolo etshanini.
When a king is angry, [that causes people to be afraid of him], like the roar of a lion [causes people to be afraid] [SIM], but if he acts kindly toward people, [they like it just] like [they like] dew on the grass [in the morning].
13 Indodana eyisithutha iyincithakalo kayise; lengxabano zomfazi ziyikuthonta njalonjalo.
Foolish children [can] cause disasters to happen to their parents. A wife who constantly (nags/quarrels with) [her husband is as annoying as] water that continually drips [MET].
14 Umuzi lenotho kuyilifa labobaba, kodwa umfazi ohlakaniphileyo uvela eNkosini.
We [can] inherit a house or money from our parents [when they die], but only Yahweh [can] give someone a sensible wife.
15 Ubuvila buphosela ebuthongweni obukhulu, lomphefumulo olivila uzalamba.
Those who are lazy sleep soundly, but if they are lazy, they will be hungry [because of not earning money to buy food].
16 Ogcina umlayo ugcina umphefumulo wakhe; odelela indlela zakhe uzakufa.
Those who obey [God’s] commandments will remain alive [for a long time]; those who despise/disobey them (OR, those who do not control their own conduct) will die [while they are still young].
17 Ozwela umyanga weboleka iNkosi; izambhadala ngesenzo sakhe.
When we give things to poor [people], [it is as though] we are lending to Yahweh, and he will (pay us back/reward us for what we did).
18 Laya indodana yakho kuselethemba, kodwa ungaloyisi ukufa kwayo.
Discipline your children while [they are young], while you still hope that [they will learn to behave as they should]; [if you do not discipline them], you are helping them to destroy [themselves].
19 Ololaka olukhulu uzathwala inhlawulo; ngoba nxa umophula uzabe lokhu uqhubeka ukwenza.
Those who (do not control their temper/quickly become very angry) will have to endure what happens as a result; [but] if we rescue them [from those troubles once], we will have to continue rescuing them.
20 Lalela izeluleko, wemukele imfundiso, ukuze uhlakaniphe ekucineni kwakho.
Pay attention when [people give you good] advice and learn from them, in order that you will become wise for the rest of your life.
21 Kulamacebo amanengi enhliziyweni yomuntu, kodwa iseluleko seNkosi sona sizakuma.
People plan to do many [kinds of things], but what will happen is what Yahweh has decided will happen.
22 Isiloyiso somuntu ngumusa wakhe, njalo umyanga ungcono kulomuntu wamanga.
People want others to be loyal to them; it is better to be poor than to tell a lie [to a judge in court in order to get money].
23 Ukuyesaba iNkosi kungokwempilo; ngoba olakho uzalala ebusuku esuthi; kayikwethekelelwa yibubi.
[Those who have] an awesome respect for Yahweh will live [a long life]; they rest peacefully and are not harmed [during the night].
24 Ivila lifihla isandla salo emganwini, njalo kaliyikusibuyisela emlonyeni walo.
Some people are extremely lazy; they put their hand in a dish [to take some food] but do not even lift the food up to their mouths.
25 Tshaya isideleli ongelalwazi abesekhalipha; njalo khuza oqedisisayo, uzaqedisisa ulwazi.
If you punish someone who makes fun of those who are wise, those who (are naive/need to be instructed) will learn to do what is smart; if you rebuke those who are wise, they will [listen to what you say and] become wiser.
26 Ochitha uyise, axotshe unina, uyindodana ethelela inhloni ilethe ihlazo.
Anyone who mistreats/abuses his father or forces his mother to leave the home is a child who is acting shamefully and disgracefully.
27 Yekela, ndodana yami, ukulalela ukulaywa, ukuphambuka emazwini olwazi.
My son, if you stop learning things, you will [soon] forget what [you already] know.
28 Umfakazi omubi udelela isahlulelo, lomlomo wabakhohlakeleyo uginya ububi.
Worthless witnesses [in court] make fun of [judges who try to] make fair decisions, and wicked people [enjoy] doing evil [like] they enjoy eating [good food] [MET].
29 Izahlulelo zilungiselwe izideleli, lemivimvinya umhlana wezithutha.
[God] is ready to punish those who make fun [of him/religion]; those who do foolish things deserve to be flogged/whipped.
