Izaga 23
1 Nxa uhlalela ukudla lesiphathamandla, qaphelisa lokuqaphelisa okuphambi kwakho.
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, thou shalt consider well, what is before thee;
2 Ubeke ingqamu emphinjeni wakho uba uyisiminzi.
And shalt put a knife to thy throat, if, of great appetite, thou art:
3 Ungafisi izibondlo zaso, ngoba ziyikudla kwamanga.
Do not crave his dainties, for, the same, are deceitful food.
4 Ungatshikatshikeli ukunotha; pheza ekuqedisiseni kwakho.
Do not toil to get wealth, of thine own understanding, forbear:
5 Uzandizisa yini amehlo akho kokungekho? Ngoba kuzazenzela lokuzenzela izimpiko njengokhozi oluphaphela emazulwini.
Wilt thou let thine eye fly thereupon, when it is nothing? for it will, surely make, itself wings, Like an eagle, will it wing its way across the heavens.
6 Ungadli ukudla kolelihlo elibi, ungafisi izibondlo zakhe.
Do not eat the food of him that hath a begrudging eye, neither crave thou his dainties;
7 Ngoba njengoba ecabangile emphefumulweni wakhe, unjalo. Uzakuthi: Dlana unathe; kodwa inhliziyo yakhe kayilawe.
For, just as he hath thought in his own mind, so, he is: Eat and drink! he may say to thee, but, his heart, is not with thee.
8 Ucezu oludlileyo uzaluhlanza, wone amazwi akho amnandi.
As for thy morsel thou hast eaten, thou shalt vomit it, so shalt thou waste thy things so sweet.
9 Ungakhulumi endlebeni zoyisithutha, ngoba uzadelela inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
In the ears of a dullard, do not speak, for he will despise the good sense of thy words.
10 Ungatshedisi isikhonkwane esidala somngcele; ungangeni emasimini ezintandane;
Do not move back the ancient boundary, and, into the fields of the fatherless, do not enter;
11 ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; yena uzamela udaba lwazo kuwe.
For, their near of kin, is strong, he, will plead their cause with thee.
12 Beka inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni, lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
Bring, to correction, thy heart, and thine ears, to the sayings of knowledge.
13 Ungagodleli umntwana isijeziso; nxa umtshaya ngoswazi kayikufa.
Do not withhold, from a child, correction, When thou smitest him with the rod, he shall not die:
Thou, with the rod, shalt smite him, and, his soul from hades, shalt thou deliver. (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.
So shall my reins exult, when thy lips speak the things that are right.
17 Inhliziyo yakho kayingahawukeli izoni; kodwa bana ekwesabeni iNkosi lonke usuku.
Let not thy heart be envious of sinners, only of the reverence of Yahweh, all day long;
18 Ngoba isibili kukhona umvuzo, lomlindelo wakho kawuyikuqunywa.
For surely there is a future, 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 lead forward, in duty, thy heart.
20 Ungabi phakathi kwabanathi bewayini, phakathi kwezihwaba zenyama.
Do not be among them who tipple with wine, —among them who are gluttons;
21 Ngoba isidakwa lesihwaba sizakuba ngumyanga, lokuwozela kugqokisa amadabudabu.
For, the tippler and the glutton, shall come to poverty, and, rags, shall Slumber put on!
22 Lalela uyihlo owakuzalayo, ungamdeleli unyoko esemdala.
Hearken to thy father here, who begat thee, and despise not, when she is old, thy mother.
23 Thenga iqiniso, ungalithengisi; inhlakanipho, lemfundiso, lokuqedisisa.
Truth, buy thou, but do not sell, wisdom, and correction, and understanding.
24 Uyise wolungileyo uzathaba lokuthaba; lozala ohlakaniphileyo uzathokoza ngaye.
Greatly shall exult, the father of a righteous man, and, he that begetteth a wise son, shall rejoice in him:
25 Uyihlo lonyoko kabathokoze, lokuzeleyo kathabe.
Rejoice shall thy father and thy mother, yea she, shall exult, who bare thee.
26 Ndodana yami, ngiphe inhliziyo yakho, lamehlo akho kawananzelele indlela zami.
Oh give, my son, thy mind unto me, and let, thine eyes, observe, my ways;
27 Ngoba iwule lingumgodi otshonayo, lowesifazana owemzini ungumthombo ongumcingo.
For, a deep chasm, is the unchaste woman, and, a narrow pit, the female unknown;
28 Laye ucathama njengomphangi, andise abangathembekanga phakathi kwabantu.
Yea, she, as for prey, lieth in wait, and, the treacherous among mankind, she causeth to abound.
29 Ngubani olo: Maye? Ngubani olo: Wo? Ngubani olenkani? Ngubani olesililo? Ngubani olamanxeba ngeze? Ngubani olamehlo abomvu?
Who hath woe? Who hath outcry of pain? Who hath contentions? Who hath complaining? Who hath needless wounds? Who hath dullness of eyes?
30 Yilabo abalibala ewayinini, yilabo abazedinga iwayini elixutshanisiweyo.
They who tarry over wine, they who go in to search for mixed wine.
31 Ungakhangeli iwayini, lapho lizibonakalisa libomvu, nxa linika umbala walo enkomitshini, lihamba liqondile.
Do not look on wine when it becometh red, when it giveth in the cup its sparkle, glideth down smoothly.
32 Ekucineni kwalo liluma njengenyoka, lilume njengebululu.
Its after effect, is that, like a serpent, it biteth, and, like a viper, it doth sting.
33 Amehlo akho azabona abesifazana bemzini, lenhliziyo yakho ikhulume izinto eziphambeneyo.
Thine eyes, will see strange women, and, thy heart, will speak perverse things:
34 Yebo, uzakuba njengolala enhliziyweni yolwandle, lanjengolala esihlokweni sensika yomkhumbi.
So shalt thou become, as one lying down in the heart of the sea, —or as one lying down on the top of the mastgear:
35 Bangitshayile, kangizwanga buhlungu; bangidutshuzile, kangikunanzanga. Ngizavuka nini? Ngiphinde ngilidinge futhi.
They smote me—I felt no pain, They struck me down—I noticed it not, —When shall I wake up? I will go on, I will seek it, again!
