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.
For thou puttest a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man of a craving desire.
3 Ungafisi izibondlo zaso, ngoba ziyikudla kwamanga.
Do not long for his savory meats; they are deceitful food.
4 Ungatshikatshikeli ukunotha; pheza ekuqedisiseni kwakho.
Fatigue thyself not to become rich; because thou hast understanding, forbear.
5 Uzandizisa yini amehlo akho kokungekho? Ngoba kuzazenzela lokuzenzela izimpiko njengokhozi oluphaphela emazulwini.
When thou lettest merely thy eyes fly over it, it is no more: for it will ever make itself wings: like an eagle will it fly toward heaven.
6 Ungadli ukudla kolelihlo elibi, ungafisi izibondlo zakhe.
Eat not the bread of a man with an evil eye, and do not long for his savory meats;
7 Ngoba njengoba ecabangile emphefumulweni wakhe, unjalo. Uzakuthi: Dlana unathe; kodwa inhliziyo yakhe kayilawe.
For as though there were a division in his soul, so doth he act: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
8 Ucezu oludlileyo uzaluhlanza, wone amazwi akho amnandi.
Thy morsel which thou hast eaten must thou spit out, and thou hast wasted thy pleasant words.
9 Ungakhulumi endlebeni zoyisithutha, ngoba uzadelela inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
Speak not before the ears of a fool; for he will despise the intelligence of thy words.
10 Ungatshedisi isikhonkwane esidala somngcele; ungangeni emasimini ezintandane;
Remove not the ancient landmark, and into the fields of the fatherless must thou not enter;
11 ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; yena uzamela udaba lwazo kuwe.
For their redeemer is strong; he will indeed plead their cause with thee.
12 Beka inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni, lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
Apply thy heart unto instruction, and thy ears to the sayings of knowledge.
13 Ungagodleli umntwana isijeziso; nxa umtshaya ngoswazi kayikufa.
Withhold not from a lad correction; for if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Thou wilt indeed beat him with the rod; but thou wilt deliver his soul from perdition. (Sheol h7585)
15 Ndodana yami, uba inhliziyo yakho ihlakanipha, inhliziyo yami izathokoza, yebo eyami;
My son, If thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
16 lezinso zami zizajabula ekukhulumeni kwendebe zakho izinto eziqondileyo.
And my reins shall exult when thy lips speak what is equitable.
17 Inhliziyo yakho kayingahawukeli izoni; kodwa bana ekwesabeni iNkosi lonke usuku.
Let not thy heart be envious against sinners; but [remain] in the fear of the lord all the time.
18 Ngoba isibili kukhona umvuzo, lomlindelo wakho kawuyikuqunywa.
For surely there is a future, and thy hope will not be cut off.
19 Lalela wena, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, uqondise inhliziyo yakho endleleni.
Hear thou, my son, and become wise, and guide thy heart on the right way.
20 Ungabi phakathi kwabanathi bewayini, phakathi kwezihwaba zenyama.
Be not among those that drink wine immoderately, among those that over-indulge in eating flesh:
21 Ngoba isidakwa lesihwaba sizakuba ngumyanga, lokuwozela kugqokisa amadabudabu.
For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty; and drowsiness clotheth a man in rags.
22 Lalela uyihlo owakuzalayo, ungamdeleli unyoko esemdala.
Hearken unto thy father that hath begotten thee, and despise not thy mother although she be 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 be greatly glad, and he that begetteth a wise child will have joy through him.
25 Uyihlo lonyoko kabathokoze, lokuzeleyo kathabe.
Let [then] thy father and thy mother rejoice, and let her that hath born thee be glad.
26 Ndodana yami, ngiphe inhliziyo yakho, lamehlo akho kawananzelele indlela zami.
Give, my son, thy heart unto me, and let thy eyes watch my ways.
27 Ngoba iwule lingumgodi otshonayo, lowesifazana owemzini ungumthombo ongumcingo.
For a harlot is a deep ditch, and a strange woman is a narrow well.
28 Laye ucathama njengomphangi, andise abangathembekanga phakathi kwabantu.
She also lieth in wait like a robber, and she increaseth the treacherous 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 quarrels? who hath complaints? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30 Yilabo abalibala ewayinini, yilabo abazedinga iwayini elixutshanisiweyo.
They that tarry late over the wine: they that come to seek for mixed drink.
31 Ungakhangeli iwayini, lapho lizibonakalisa libomvu, nxa linika umbala walo enkomitshini, lihamba liqondile.
Do not look on the wine when it looketh red, when it giveth its color in the cup, when it glideth down so readily.
32 Ekucineni kwalo liluma njengenyoka, lilume njengebululu.
At the last it will bite like a serpent, and like a basilisk will it sting.
33 Amehlo akho azabona abesifazana bemzini, lenhliziyo yakho ikhulume izinto eziphambeneyo.
Thy eyes will see strange forms, and thy heart will speak perverse things.
34 Yebo, uzakuba njengolala enhliziyweni yolwandle, lanjengolala esihlokweni sensika yomkhumbi.
And thou wilt be like one that lieth down in the heart of the sea, or as he that lieth on the top of a mast.
35 Bangitshayile, kangizwanga buhlungu; bangidutshuzile, kangikunanzanga. Ngizavuka nini? Ngiphinde ngilidinge futhi.
“They smote me, [but] I suffered no pain; they struck me hard, [but] I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will continue to seek it again.”
