Izaga 23
1 Nxa uhlalela ukudla lesiphathamandla, qaphelisa lokuqaphelisa okuphambi kwakho.
When thou sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently him who is before thee,
2 Ubeke ingqamu emphinjeni wakho uba uyisiminzi.
and put a knife to thy throat if thou be a man given to appetite.
3 Ungafisi izibondlo zaso, ngoba ziyikudla kwamanga.
Be not desirous of his dainties, since they are deceitful food.
4 Ungatshikatshikeli ukunotha; pheza ekuqedisiseni kwakho.
Weary not thyself to be rich. Out of thine own wisdom, cease.
5 Uzandizisa yini amehlo akho kokungekho? Ngoba kuzazenzela lokuzenzela izimpiko njengokhozi oluphaphela emazulwini.
Will thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For it certainly makes itself wings, like an eagle that flies toward heaven.
6 Ungadli ukudla kolelihlo elibi, ungafisi izibondlo zakhe.
Eat thou not the bread of an evil eye, nor desire thou his dainties.
7 Ngoba njengoba ecabangile emphefumulweni wakhe, unjalo. Uzakuthi: Dlana unathe; kodwa inhliziyo yakhe kayilawe.
For as he thinks within himself, so is he. Eat and drink, he says to thee, but his heart is not with thee.
8 Ucezu oludlileyo uzaluhlanza, wone amazwi akho amnandi.
The morsel which thou have eaten thou shall vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
9 Ungakhulumi endlebeni zoyisithutha, ngoba uzadelela inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
Speak not in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
10 Ungatshedisi isikhonkwane esidala somngcele; ungangeni emasimini ezintandane;
Remove not the ancient landmark. And enter not into the fields of the fatherless,
11 ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; yena uzamela udaba lwazo kuwe.
for their Redeemer is strong. He will plead their cause against thee.
12 Beka inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni, lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
Apply thy heart to instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Ungagodleli umntwana isijeziso; nxa umtshaya ngoswazi kayikufa.
Withhold not correction from the child, for if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Thou shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
15 Ndodana yami, uba inhliziyo yakho ihlakanipha, inhliziyo yami izathokoza, yebo eyami;
My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart will be glad, even mine.
16 lezinso zami zizajabula ekukhulumeni kwendebe zakho izinto eziqondileyo.
Yea, my heart will rejoice when thy lips speak right things.
17 Inhliziyo yakho kayingahawukeli izoni; kodwa bana ekwesabeni iNkosi lonke usuku.
Let not thy heart envy sinners, but be thou in the fear of Jehovah all the day long.
18 Ngoba isibili kukhona umvuzo, lomlindelo wakho kawuyikuqunywa.
For surely there is a reward, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
19 Lalela wena, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, uqondise inhliziyo yakho endleleni.
Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thy heart in the way.
20 Ungabi phakathi kwabanathi bewayini, phakathi kwezihwaba zenyama.
Be not among winebibbers, among gluttonous eaters of flesh.
21 Ngoba isidakwa lesihwaba sizakuba ngumyanga, lokuwozela kugqokisa amadabudabu.
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.
22 Lalela uyihlo owakuzalayo, ungamdeleli unyoko esemdala.
Hearken to thy father who begot thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
23 Thenga iqiniso, ungalithengisi; inhlakanipho, lemfundiso, lokuqedisisa.
Buy the truth, and do not sell it, yea, wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24 Uyise wolungileyo uzathaba lokuthaba; lozala ohlakaniphileyo uzathokoza ngaye.
The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise son will have joy of him.
25 Uyihlo lonyoko kabathokoze, lokuzeleyo kathabe.
Let thy father and thy mother be glad, and let her who bore thee rejoice.
26 Ndodana yami, ngiphe inhliziyo yakho, lamehlo akho kawananzelele indlela zami.
My son, give me thy heart, and let thine eyes delight in my ways.
27 Ngoba iwule lingumgodi otshonayo, lowesifazana owemzini ungumthombo ongumcingo.
For a harlot is a deep ditch, and an interloping woman is a narrow pit.
28 Laye ucathama njengomphangi, andise abangathembekanga phakathi kwabantu.
Yea, she lies in wait as a robber, and increases the treacherous among men.
29 Ngubani olo: Maye? Ngubani olo: Wo? Ngubani olenkani? Ngubani olesililo? Ngubani olamanxeba ngeze? Ngubani olamehlo abomvu?
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?
30 Yilabo abalibala ewayinini, yilabo abazedinga iwayini elixutshanisiweyo.
Those who tarry long at the wine. Those who go to seek out mixed wine.
31 Ungakhangeli iwayini, lapho lizibonakalisa libomvu, nxa linika umbala walo enkomitshini, lihamba liqondile.
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.
32 Ekucineni kwalo liluma njengenyoka, lilume njengebululu.
At the end it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.
33 Amehlo akho azabona abesifazana bemzini, lenhliziyo yakho ikhulume izinto eziphambeneyo.
Thine eyes shall behold strange things, and thy heart shall utter perverse things.
34 Yebo, uzakuba njengolala enhliziyweni yolwandle, lanjengolala esihlokweni sensika yomkhumbi.
Yea, thou shall be as he who lies down in the midst of the sea, or as he who lies upon the top of a mast.
35 Bangitshayile, kangizwanga buhlungu; bangidutshuzile, kangikunanzanga. Ngizavuka nini? Ngiphinde ngilidinge futhi.
They have stricken me, thou shall say, and I was not hurt. They have beaten me, and I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
