Izaga 23
1 Nxa uhlalela ukudla lesiphathamandla, qaphelisa lokuqaphelisa okuphambi kwakho.
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what 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: for they are deceitful meat.
4 Ungatshikatshikeli ukunotha; pheza ekuqedisiseni kwakho.
Labour not 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 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 thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:
7 Ngoba njengoba ecabangile emphefumulweni wakhe, unjalo. Uzakuthi: Dlana unathe; kodwa inhliziyo yakhe kayilawe.
For as he thinketh in his heart, 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 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 thee.
12 Beka inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni, lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
Apply thine 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 if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. (Sheol h7585)
15 Ndodana yami, uba inhliziyo yakho ihlakanipha, inhliziyo yami izathokoza, yebo eyami;
My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
16 lezinso zami zizajabula ekukhulumeni kwendebe zakho izinto eziqondileyo.
Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
17 Inhliziyo yakho kayingahawukeli izoni; kodwa bana ekwesabeni iNkosi lonke usuku.
Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of Yhwh all the day long.
18 Ngoba isibili kukhona umvuzo, lomlindelo wakho kawuyikuqunywa.
For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
19 Lalela wena, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, uqondise inhliziyo yakho endleleni.
Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine 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.
Hearken unto thy father that begat 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 shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
25 Uyihlo lonyoko kabathokoze, lokuzeleyo kathabe.
Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
26 Ndodana yami, ngiphe inhliziyo yakho, lamehlo akho kawananzelele indlela zami.
My son, give me thine heart, and let thine 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 lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.
29 Ngubani olo: Maye? Ngubani olo: Wo? Ngubani olenkani? Ngubani olesililo? Ngubani olamanxeba ngeze? Ngubani olamehlo abomvu?
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? 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 seek 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 his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
32 Ekucineni kwalo liluma njengenyoka, lilume njengebululu.
At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
33 Amehlo akho azabona abesifazana bemzini, lenhliziyo yakho ikhulume izinto eziphambeneyo.
Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse 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 stricken me, shalt thou 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.
