Izaga 23
1 Nxa uhlalela ukudla lesiphathamandla, qaphelisa lokuqaphelisa okuphambi kwakho.
When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you:
2 Ubeke ingqamu emphinjeni wakho uba uyisiminzi.
And put a knife to your throat, if you be a man given to appetite.
3 Ungafisi izibondlo zaso, ngoba ziyikudla kwamanga.
Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
4 Ungatshikatshikeli ukunotha; pheza ekuqedisiseni kwakho.
Labor not to be rich: cease from your own wisdom.
5 Uzandizisa yini amehlo akho kokungekho? Ngoba kuzazenzela lokuzenzela izimpiko njengokhozi oluphaphela emazulwini.
Will you set your eyes on that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
6 Ungadli ukudla kolelihlo elibi, ungafisi izibondlo zakhe.
Eat you not the bread of him that has an evil eye, neither desire you his dainty meats:
7 Ngoba njengoba ecabangile emphefumulweni wakhe, unjalo. Uzakuthi: Dlana unathe; kodwa inhliziyo yakhe kayilawe.
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, says he to you; but his heart is not with you.
8 Ucezu oludlileyo uzaluhlanza, wone amazwi akho amnandi.
The morsel which you have eaten shall you vomit up, and lose your 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 your words.
10 Ungatshedisi isikhonkwane esidala somngcele; ungangeni emasimini ezintandane;
Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
11 ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; yena uzamela udaba lwazo kuwe.
For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with you.
12 Beka inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni, lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Ungagodleli umntwana isijeziso; nxa umtshaya ngoswazi kayikufa.
Withhold not correction from the child: for if you beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
You shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from hell. (Sheol h7585)
15 Ndodana yami, uba inhliziyo yakho ihlakanipha, inhliziyo yami izathokoza, yebo eyami;
My son, if your heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
16 lezinso zami zizajabula ekukhulumeni kwendebe zakho izinto eziqondileyo.
Yes, my reins shall rejoice, when your lips speak right things.
17 Inhliziyo yakho kayingahawukeli izoni; kodwa bana ekwesabeni iNkosi lonke usuku.
Let not your heart envy sinners: but be you in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
18 Ngoba isibili kukhona umvuzo, lomlindelo wakho kawuyikuqunywa.
For surely there is an end; and your expectation shall not be cut off.
19 Lalela wena, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, uqondise inhliziyo yakho endleleni.
Hear you, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the way.
20 Ungabi phakathi kwabanathi bewayini, phakathi kwezihwaba zenyama.
Be not among winebibbers; among riotous 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.
Listen to your father that begat you, and despise not your 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 shall greatly rejoice: and he that begets a wise child shall have joy of him.
25 Uyihlo lonyoko kabathokoze, lokuzeleyo kathabe.
Your father and your mother shall be glad, and she that bore you shall rejoice.
26 Ndodana yami, ngiphe inhliziyo yakho, lamehlo akho kawananzelele indlela zami.
My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 Ngoba iwule lingumgodi otshonayo, lowesifazana owemzini ungumthombo ongumcingo.
For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28 Laye ucathama njengomphangi, andise abangathembekanga phakathi kwabantu.
She also lies in wait as for a prey, and increases the transgressors 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 babbling? who has wounds without cause? who has redness of eyes?
30 Yilabo abalibala ewayinini, yilabo abazedinga iwayini elixutshanisiweyo.
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
31 Ungakhangeli iwayini, lapho lizibonakalisa libomvu, nxa linika umbala walo enkomitshini, lihamba liqondile.
Look not you on the wine when it is red, when it gives his color in the cup, when it moves itself aright.
32 Ekucineni kwalo liluma njengenyoka, lilume njengebululu.
At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.
33 Amehlo akho azabona abesifazana bemzini, lenhliziyo yakho ikhulume izinto eziphambeneyo.
Your eyes shall behold strange women, and your heart shall utter perverse things.
34 Yebo, uzakuba njengolala enhliziyweni yolwandle, lanjengolala esihlokweni sensika yomkhumbi.
Yes, you shall be as he that lies down in the middle of the sea, or as he that lies on the top of a mast.
35 Bangitshayile, kangizwanga buhlungu; bangidutshuzile, kangikunanzanga. Ngizavuka nini? Ngiphinde ngilidinge futhi.
They have stricken me, shall you say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
