Izaga 23
1 Nxa uhlalela ukudla lesiphathamandla, qaphelisa lokuqaphelisa okuphambi kwakho.
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, Thou considerest diligently that which [is] before thee,
2 Ubeke ingqamu emphinjeni wakho uba uyisiminzi.
And thou hast put a knife to thy throat, If thou [art] a man of appetite.
3 Ungafisi izibondlo zaso, ngoba ziyikudla kwamanga.
Have no desire to his dainties, seeing it [is] lying food.
4 Ungatshikatshikeli ukunotha; pheza ekuqedisiseni kwakho.
Labour not to make wealth, From thine own understanding cease, Dost thou cause thine eyes to fly upon it? Then it is not.
5 Uzandizisa yini amehlo akho kokungekho? Ngoba kuzazenzela lokuzenzela izimpiko njengokhozi oluphaphela emazulwini.
For wealth maketh to itself wings, As an eagle it flieth to the heavens.
6 Ungadli ukudla kolelihlo elibi, ungafisi izibondlo zakhe.
Eat not the bread of an evil eye, And have no desire to his dainties,
7 Ngoba njengoba ecabangile emphefumulweni wakhe, unjalo. Uzakuthi: Dlana unathe; kodwa inhliziyo yakhe kayilawe.
For as he hath thought in his soul, so [is] he, 'Eat and drink,' saith he to thee, And his heart [is] not with thee.
8 Ucezu oludlileyo uzaluhlanza, wone amazwi akho amnandi.
Thy morsel thou hast eaten thou dost vomit up, And hast marred thy words that [are] sweet.
9 Ungakhulumi endlebeni zoyisithutha, ngoba uzadelela inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.
In the ears of a fool speak not, For he treadeth on the wisdom of thy words.
10 Ungatshedisi isikhonkwane esidala somngcele; ungangeni emasimini ezintandane;
Remove not a border of olden times, And into fields of the fatherless enter not,
11 ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; yena uzamela udaba lwazo kuwe.
For their Redeemer [is] strong, He doth plead their cause with thee.
12 Beka inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni, lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.
Bring in to instruction thy heart, And thine ear to sayings of knowledge.
13 Ungagodleli umntwana isijeziso; nxa umtshaya ngoswazi kayikufa.
Withhold not from a youth chastisement, When thou smitest him with a rod he dieth not.
Thou with a rod smitest him, And his soul from Sheol thou deliverest. (Sheol h7585)
15 Ndodana yami, uba inhliziyo yakho ihlakanipha, inhliziyo yami izathokoza, yebo eyami;
My son, if thy heart hath been wise, My heart rejoiceth, even mine,
16 lezinso zami zizajabula ekukhulumeni kwendebe zakho izinto eziqondileyo.
And my reins exult when thy lips speak uprightly.
17 Inhliziyo yakho kayingahawukeli izoni; kodwa bana ekwesabeni iNkosi lonke usuku.
Let not thy heart be envious at sinners, But — in the fear of Jehovah all the day.
18 Ngoba isibili kukhona umvuzo, lomlindelo wakho kawuyikuqunywa.
For, is there a posterity? Then thy hope is not cut off.
19 Lalela wena, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, uqondise inhliziyo yakho endleleni.
Hear thou, my son, and be wise, And make happy in the way thy heart,
20 Ungabi phakathi kwabanathi bewayini, phakathi kwezihwaba zenyama.
Be not thou among quaffers of wine, Among gluttonous ones of flesh,
21 Ngoba isidakwa lesihwaba sizakuba ngumyanga, lokuwozela kugqokisa amadabudabu.
For the quaffer and glutton become poor, And drowsiness clotheth with rags.
22 Lalela uyihlo owakuzalayo, ungamdeleli unyoko esemdala.
Hearken to thy father, who begat thee, And despise not thy mother when she hath become old.
23 Thenga iqiniso, ungalithengisi; inhlakanipho, lemfundiso, lokuqedisisa.
Truth buy, and sell not, Wisdom, and instruction, and understanding,
24 Uyise wolungileyo uzathaba lokuthaba; lozala ohlakaniphileyo uzathokoza ngaye.
The father of the righteous rejoiceth greatly, The begetter of the wise rejoiceth in him.
25 Uyihlo lonyoko kabathokoze, lokuzeleyo kathabe.
Rejoice doth thy father and thy mother, Yea, she that bare thee is joyful.
26 Ndodana yami, ngiphe inhliziyo yakho, lamehlo akho kawananzelele indlela zami.
Give, my son, thy heart to me, And let thine 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 strait pit.
28 Laye ucathama njengomphangi, andise abangathembekanga phakathi kwabantu.
She also, as catching prey, lieth in wait, And the treacherous among men she increaseth.
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 plaint? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes?
30 Yilabo abalibala ewayinini, yilabo abazedinga iwayini elixutshanisiweyo.
Those tarrying by the wine, Those going in to search out mixed wine.
31 Ungakhangeli iwayini, lapho lizibonakalisa libomvu, nxa linika umbala walo enkomitshini, lihamba liqondile.
See not wine when it showeth itself red, When it giveth in the cup its colour, It goeth up and down through the upright.
32 Ekucineni kwalo liluma njengenyoka, lilume njengebululu.
Its latter end — as a serpent it biteth, And as a basilisk it stingeth.
33 Amehlo akho azabona abesifazana bemzini, lenhliziyo yakho ikhulume izinto eziphambeneyo.
Thine eyes see strange women, And thy heart speaketh perverse things.
34 Yebo, uzakuba njengolala enhliziyweni yolwandle, lanjengolala esihlokweni sensika yomkhumbi.
And thou hast been as one lying down in the heart of the sea, And as one lying down on the top of a mast.
35 Bangitshayile, kangizwanga buhlungu; bangidutshuzile, kangikunanzanga. Ngizavuka nini? Ngiphinde ngilidinge futhi.
'They smote me, I have not been sick, They beat me, I have not known. When I awake — I seek it yet again!'
