Izaga 22
1 Ibizo elihle likhethekile kulenotho enengi; isisa esihle kulesiliva njalo kulegolide.
More choice, is a name, than great riches, beyond silver and gold, is pleasant grace.
2 Onothileyo lomyanga bayahlangana; iNkosi yabenza bonke.
The rich and the poor, meet together, the maker of them all, is Yahweh.
3 Ohlakaniphileyo ubona ububi acatshe, kodwa abangelalwazi bayaqhubeka babesebejeziswa.
A prudent man, seeth calamity, and hideth himself, but, the simple, pass on, and suffer.
4 Umvuzo wokuthobeka lokwesaba iNkosi kuyinotho lodumo lempilo.
The reward of humility, is the reverence of Yahweh, riches, and honour, and life.
5 Ameva lemijibila kusendleleni yabaphambeneyo; ogcina umphefumulo wakhe uzakuba khatshana labo.
Thorns and snares, are in the way of the perverse, —he that guardeth his soul, shall be far from them.
6 Fundisa umntwana endleleni angahamba ngayo; ngitsho esemdala kayikuphambuka kuyo.
Train up a youth, in the direction of his duty, even when he becometh old, he will not depart from it.
7 Onothileyo ubusa abayanga, lomeboleki uyisigqili somebolekisi.
The rich, over the poor, beareth rule, —and, slave, is the borrower to the lender.
8 Ohlanyela ukonakala uzavuna ukuhlupheka, lentonga yolaka lwakhe izaphela.
He that soweth perversity, shall reap trouble, and, the rod of his wrath, shall be ready.
9 Olelihlo elilokuhle yena uzabusiswa, ngoba unikile okwesinkwa sakhe kumyanga.
A benevolent eye, the same, shall be blessed, —because he hath given of his bread to the poor.
10 Xotsha isideleli, kuzaphuma lenkani, yebo, ingxabano lehlazo kuzaphela.
Drive away the scoffer, that strife may depart, and quarrel, and contempt may cease.
11 Othanda ukuhlanzeka kwenhliziyo, ngenxa yesisa sendebe zakhe, inkosi ingumgane wakhe.
Yahweh loveth the pure in heart, gracious are his lips, his friend is the king!
12 Amehlo eNkosi alondoloza ulwazi, kodwa izachitha amazwi abangathembekanga.
The eyes of Yahweh, watch over knowledge, therefore hath he overturned the words of the treacherous.
13 Ivila lithi: Kulesilwane ngaphandle; ngizabulawa phakathi kwezitalada.
Saith the sluggard, A lion outside! Amidst the broadways, shall I be slain.
14 Umlomo wabesifazana bemzini ungumgodi otshonayo; lowo iNkosi emthukutheleleyo uzawela khona.
A deep chasm, is the mouth of strange women, he with whom Yahweh is indignant, falleth there.
15 Ubuthutha bubotshelwe enhliziyweni yomntwana; uswazi lokuqondisa luzabususela khatshana laye.
Foolishness, is bound up in the heart of a youth, the rod of correction, shall drive it far from him.
16 Ocindezela umyanga ukwandisa alakho, opha onothileyo, isibili uzakuba ngoswelayo.
He that oppresseth the poor, to make increase for himself, giving to the rich, shall surely come to want.
17 Beka indlebe yakho, uzwe amazwi abahlakaniphileyo, umise inhliziyo yakho elwazini lami.
Incline thine ear and hear the words of wise men, then, thy heart, wilt thou apply to my teaching;
18 Ngoba kumnandi uba uwalondoloza emibilini yakho; azahlala elungile kanyekanye endebeni zakho.
For sweet shall they be, when thou shalt keep them in thine inmost mind, they shall fit well together, upon thy lips.
19 Ukuze ithemba lakho libe seNkosini, ngikwazisile wona lamuhla, ngitsho wena.
That in Yahweh may be thy trust, I have made them known to thee to-day, even to thee.
20 Kangikubhalelanga yini izinto ezinhle kakhulu kuzeluleko lelwazini?
Have I not written for thee noble things, with counsels and knowledge:
21 Ukukwazisa ukuqiniseka kwamazwi eqiniso, ukuze ubuyisele amazwi eqiniso kulabo abakuthumileyo.
To cause thee to know the meaning of faithful sayings, that thou mayest give back faithful sayings to them who ask thee.
22 Ungamphangi umyanga ngoba engumyanga, njalo ungamchobozi oswelayo esangweni.
Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, neither crush thou the oppressed in the gate;
23 Ngoba iNkosi izamela udaba lwabo, iphange umphefumulo wababaphangayo.
For, Yahweh, will plead their cause, and will despoil their despoilers of life.
24 Ungahlanganyeli lomuntu ololaka, ungahambisani lomuntu othukuthelayo,
Do not have friendship with one given to anger, and, with a wrathful man, shall thou not enter in:
25 hlezi ufunde indlela zakhe, wemukele umjibila emphefumulweni wakho.
Lest thou learn his ways, and take a snare to thy soul.
26 Ungabi phakathi kwababambana izandla, phakathi kwabayizibambiso ngezikwelede.
Be not of them who strike hands, of them who are sureties for debts:
27 Uba ungelakho okokuhlawula, kungani ezathatha umbheda wakho ngaphansi kwakho?
If thou hast nothing to pay, why should one take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Ungatshedisi isikhonkwane esidala somngcele, oyihlo abasenzayo.
Do not move back the ancient boundary, which thy father’s made.
29 Uyambona yini umuntu oyingcitshi emsebenzini wakhe? Uzazimisa phambi kwamakhosi; kayikuzimisa phambi kwabantukazana.
Seest thou a man prompt in his business? before kings, shall he stand, he shall not stand before men who are obscure.
