Izaga 23
1 Nxa uhlalela ukudla lesiphathamandla, qaphelisa lokuqaphelisa okuphambi kwakho.
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider well him that 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; seeing they are deceitful food.
4 Ungatshikatshikeli ukunotha; pheza ekuqedisiseni kwakho.
Weary not thyself to be rich; cease from thine own wisdom.
5 Uzandizisa yini amehlo akho kokungekho? Ngoba kuzazenzela lokuzenzela izimpiko njengokhozi oluphaphela emazulwini.
Wilt thou set thine eyes upon it? it is gone; for riches certainly make themselves wings, like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.
6 Ungadli ukudla kolelihlo elibi, ungafisi izibondlo zakhe.
Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainties;
7 Ngoba njengoba ecabangile emphefumulweni wakhe, unjalo. Uzakuthi: Dlana unathe; kodwa inhliziyo yakhe kayilawe.
For as one that hath reckoned within himself, so is he: 'Eat and drink', saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
8 Ucezu oludlileyo uzaluhlanza, wone amazwi akho amnandi.
The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
9 Ungakhulumi endlebeni zoyisithutha, ngoba uzadelela inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
Speak not in the ears 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 with thee.
12 Beka inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni, lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
Apply thy heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Ungagodleli umntwana isijeziso; nxa umtshaya ngoswazi kayikufa.
Withhold not correction from the child; for though thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Thou beatest him with the rod, and wilt deliver his soul from the nether-world. (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 reins 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 in the fear of the LORD all the day;
18 Ngoba isibili kukhona umvuzo, lomlindelo wakho kawuyikuqunywa.
For surely there is a future; 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 shall clothe a man with rags.
22 Lalela uyihlo owakuzalayo, ungamdeleli unyoko esemdala.
Hearken unto thy father that begot thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
23 Thenga iqiniso, ungalithengisi; inhlakanipho, lemfundiso, lokuqedisisa.
Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24 Uyise wolungileyo uzathaba lokuthaba; lozala ohlakaniphileyo uzathokoza ngaye.
The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; and he that begetteth a wise child will have joy of him.
25 Uyihlo lonyoko kabathokoze, lokuzeleyo kathabe.
Let thy father and thy mother be glad, and let her that bore thee rejoice.
26 Ndodana yami, ngiphe inhliziyo yakho, lamehlo akho kawananzelele indlela zami.
My son, give me thy heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
27 Ngoba iwule lingumgodi otshonayo, lowesifazana owemzini ungumthombo ongumcingo.
For a harlot is a deep ditch; and an alien woman is a narrow pit.
28 Laye ucathama njengomphangi, andise abangathembekanga phakathi kwabantu.
She also lieth in wait as a robber, and increaseth the faithless among men.
29 Ngubani olo: Maye? Ngubani olo: Wo? Ngubani olenkani? Ngubani olesililo? Ngubani olamanxeba ngeze? Ngubani olamehlo abomvu?
Who crieth: 'Woe'? who: 'Alas'? who hath contentions? who hath raving? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30 Yilabo abalibala ewayinini, yilabo abazedinga iwayini elixutshanisiweyo.
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to try 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 giveth its colour in the cup, when it glideth down smoothly;
32 Ekucineni kwalo liluma njengenyoka, lilume njengebululu.
At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like a basilisk.
33 Amehlo akho azabona abesifazana bemzini, lenhliziyo yakho ikhulume izinto eziphambeneyo.
Thine eyes shall behold strange things, and thy heart shall utter confused things.
34 Yebo, uzakuba njengolala enhliziyweni yolwandle, lanjengolala esihlokweni sensika yomkhumbi.
Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
35 Bangitshayile, kangizwanga buhlungu; bangidutshuzile, kangikunanzanga. Ngizavuka nini? Ngiphinde ngilidinge futhi.
'They have struck me, and I felt it not, they have beaten me, and I knew it not; when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.'
