Izaga 23
1 Nxa uhlalela ukudla lesiphathamandla, qaphelisa lokuqaphelisa okuphambi kwakho.
When you sit down to eat a meal with a (government official/king), think carefully about what (OR, who) is in front of you.
2 Ubeke ingqamu emphinjeni wakho uba uyisiminzi.
[Even] if you (have a big appetite/want to eat a lot of food), restrain yourself.
3 Ungafisi izibondlo zaso, ngoba ziyikudla kwamanga.
Do not want to eat [a lot of] his fine food, because he may be trying to trick you.
4 Ungatshikatshikeli ukunotha; pheza ekuqedisiseni kwakho.
Do not [cause yourself to become very tired by] working very hard to become rich; be wise and stop doing that,
5 Uzandizisa yini amehlo akho kokungekho? Ngoba kuzazenzela lokuzenzela izimpiko njengokhozi oluphaphela emazulwini.
because as soon as you look [MTY] at [all the money that you have acquired], it will be gone; it will [disappear as if it] suddenly grew wings [SIM] and flew up into the sky like an eagle.
6 Ungadli ukudla kolelihlo elibi, ungafisi izibondlo zakhe.
[If] someone who is stingy [invites you to a meal], do not eat [a lot of] his fine food,
7 Ngoba njengoba ecabangile emphefumulweni wakhe, unjalo. Uzakuthi: Dlana unathe; kodwa inhliziyo yakhe kayilawe.
because he will be thinking about how much [the food cost that you are eating]. He [will] say to you, “Eat and drink all that you want!”, but that is not what he [will] really be thinking.
8 Ucezu oludlileyo uzaluhlanza, wone amazwi akho amnandi.
[When you realize what he is really thinking, it will cause you to want to] vomit what you have eaten; and your kind words [telling him that you are enjoying the meal] will be wasted.
9 Ungakhulumi endlebeni zoyisithutha, ngoba uzadelela inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
(Do not [waste time by]/It is useless) talking to foolish people; they will [only] despise the wise things that you say.
10 Ungatshedisi isikhonkwane esidala somngcele; ungangeni emasimini ezintandane;
Do not [steal someone’s property by] removing a boundary marker that has been there for a long time, and do not take for yourself the land that belongs to orphans,
11 ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; yena uzamela udaba lwazo kuwe.
because Yahweh is strong, and he is [like] a relative that has the responsibility to defend them, he will [stand up in court and] argue for them and against you.
12 Beka inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni, lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
Pay attention to what [your teachers] teach you, and try to learn from the wise things that they say.
13 Ungagodleli umntwana isijeziso; nxa umtshaya ngoswazi kayikufa.
Do not refuse to discipline your children; if you punish/spank them, it will not cause them to die,
and it may save them from [going to] the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
15 Ndodana yami, uba inhliziyo yakho ihlakanipha, inhliziyo yami izathokoza, yebo eyami;
My son/child, if you [SYN] become wise, I [SYN] will be very happy.
16 lezinso zami zizajabula ekukhulumeni kwendebe zakho izinto eziqondileyo.
I [SYN] will rejoice when I hear you [SYN] say what is right/wise.
17 Inhliziyo yakho kayingahawukeli izoni; kodwa bana ekwesabeni iNkosi lonke usuku.
Do not envy sinful people; instead, revere Yahweh all of your life.
18 Ngoba isibili kukhona umvuzo, lomlindelo wakho kawuyikuqunywa.
[If you do that], you will be happy in the future, and [God] will certainly [do for you what you are] confidently expecting him to do.
19 Lalela wena, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, uqondise inhliziyo yakho endleleni.
My son/child, listen carefully to me and become wise, and think about (all that you do/your behavior).
20 Ungabi phakathi kwabanathi bewayini, phakathi kwezihwaba zenyama.
Do not associate with those who drink a lot of (wine/strong drink) or with those who (are gluttons/eat more than they should),
21 Ngoba isidakwa lesihwaba sizakuba ngumyanga, lokuwozela kugqokisa amadabudabu.
because drunkards and gluttons will become poor; and if all that you do is eat and sleep, you will [soon] (be wearing rags/not have any money to buy clothes).
22 Lalela uyihlo owakuzalayo, ungamdeleli unyoko esemdala.
Pay attention to what your father tells you, and (do not neglect/take care of) [LIT] your mother when she is old.
23 Thenga iqiniso, ungalithengisi; inhlakanipho, lemfundiso, lokuqedisisa.
Try to know/learn what is wise, and get good instruction and understanding; and do not throw those things away.
24 Uyise wolungileyo uzathaba lokuthaba; lozala ohlakaniphileyo uzathokoza ngaye.
Righteous [children] will cause their parents to be very happy; those whose children are wise are proud of them.
25 Uyihlo lonyoko kabathokoze, lokuzeleyo kathabe.
[Do what will] cause your father to be glad and enable your mother [also] to be happy.
26 Ndodana yami, ngiphe inhliziyo yakho, lamehlo akho kawananzelele indlela zami.
My son, heed what I say to you, and allow what I do to be an example for you.
27 Ngoba iwule lingumgodi otshonayo, lowesifazana owemzini ungumthombo ongumcingo.
Prostitutes and immoral women [DOU] are [like] [MET] a deep pit or a well [that you may fall into].
28 Laye ucathama njengomphangi, andise abangathembekanga phakathi kwabantu.
They wait [for you] like robbers [SIM], and they cause many men to (be unfaithful to/have sex with women who are not) their wives.
29 Ngubani olo: Maye? Ngubani olo: Wo? Ngubani olenkani? Ngubani olesililo? Ngubani olamanxeba ngeze? Ngubani olamehlo abomvu?
I will tell you [RHQ] what kind of people are always miserable and sad. I will tell you [RHQ] which people are always causing arguments/quarrels and who are always complaining. I will tell you [RHQ] who are injured in fights and whose eyes are always red/bloodshot.
30 Yilabo abalibala ewayinini, yilabo abazedinga iwayini elixutshanisiweyo.
[It is] those who drink a lot of wine, who try drinking other kinds of strong drinks.
31 Ungakhangeli iwayini, lapho lizibonakalisa libomvu, nxa linika umbala walo enkomitshini, lihamba liqondile.
Do not look with pleasure at red wine that looks nice, and which sparkles when it is [poured out] into cups, and which tastes good as you drink it,
32 Ekucineni kwalo liluma njengenyoka, lilume njengebululu.
because the next morning [you will feel like] you have been bitten by a poisonous snake [DOU].
33 Amehlo akho azabona abesifazana bemzini, lenhliziyo yakho ikhulume izinto eziphambeneyo.
You [SYN] will [think that you are] seeing strange/weird things, and you [SYN] will not be able to think clearly or speak clearly.
34 Yebo, uzakuba njengolala enhliziyweni yolwandle, lanjengolala esihlokweni sensika yomkhumbi.
You will think you are in a ship that is tossing on the sea; you be like [SIM] someone who is trying to sleep when the ship is rolling from one side to the other.
35 Bangitshayile, kangizwanga buhlungu; bangidutshuzile, kangikunanzanga. Ngizavuka nini? Ngiphinde ngilidinge futhi.
You will say, “[I think that] someone struck me, but he did not hurt me; he hit me, but I did not feel it. When will I (wake up/feel normal again) in order that I can drink some more wine?”
