Izaga 24
1 Ungabi lamhawu ngabantu ababi, ungaloyisi ukuba labo.
Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;
2 Ngoba inhliziyo yabo iceba udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma uhlupho.
for their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 Ngenhlakanipho indlu iyakhiwa, langokuqedisisa iqiniswe.
Through wisdom is a house built, and by understanding it is established;
4 Langolwazi amakamelo agcwaliswa ngempahla zonke eziligugu lezimnandi.
and by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant substance.
5 Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla, lomuntu ololwazi uqinisa amandla.
A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
6 Ngoba ngezeluleko ezihlakaniphileyo ungalawula impi yakho, lokukhululwa kusebunengini babeluleki.
For with good advice shalt thou make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7 Inhlakanipho enkulu iphakeme esiwuleni; esangweni kasivuli umlomo waso.
Wisdom is too high for a fool: he will not open his mouth in the gate.
8 Oceba ukwenza okubi, bazambiza ngokuthi ngumnikazi wamacebo amabi.
He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a master of intrigues.
9 Umcabango wobuwula yisono, lesideleli siyisinengiso emuntwini.
The purpose of folly is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10 Uba uzitshengisa uxega ngosuku lokuhlupheka, amandla akho mancinyane.
[If] thou losest courage in the day of trouble, thy strength is small.
11 Bophule abasiwa ekufeni, labatatalikela ekubulaweni, kungathi ungabanqanda.
Deliver them that are taken forth unto death, and withdraw not from them that stagger to slaughter.
12 Uba usithi: Khangela besingakwazi lokhu; ohlola izinhliziyo yena kayikukunanzelela yini? Olondoloza umphefumulo wakho yena kakwazi yini? ngitsho ubuyisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe?
If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not, will not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that preserveth thy soul, he knoweth it; and he rendereth to man according to his work.
13 Dlana uluju, ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile, lohlanga loluju lumnandi elwangeni lwakho.
Eat honey, my son, for it is good; and a honeycomb is sweet to thy taste:
14 Lunjalo ulwazi lwenhlakanipho emphefumulweni wakho; uba uluthola, kuzakuba lomvuzo, lethemba lakho kaliyikuqunywa.
so consider wisdom for thy soul; if thou hast found it, there shall be a result, and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
15 Wena okhohlakeleyo, ungacathameli umuzi wolungileyo; ungachithi indawo yakhe yokuphumula.
Lay not wait, O wicked [man], against the dwelling of the righteous; lay not waste his resting-place.
16 Ngoba olungileyo uzakuwa kasikhombisa, avuke futhi; kodwa abakhohlakeleyo bazakhubeka ebubini.
For the righteous falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked stumble into disaster.
17 Ungathokozi ngokuwa kwesitha sakho, lekukhubekeni kwaso inhliziyo yakho kayingajabuli;
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
18 hlezi iNkosi ikubone, kube kubi emehlweni ayo, iphendule ulaka lwayo ilususe kuso.
lest Jehovah see it, and it be evil in his sight, and he turn away his anger from him.
19 Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabenzi bobubi, ungabi lamhawu ngabakhohlakeleyo;
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, [and] be not envious of the wicked:
20 ngoba omubi kayikuba lomvuzo; isibane sabakhohlakeleyo sizacitshwa.
for there shall be no future to the evil [man]; the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 Ndodana yami, yesaba uJehova lenkosi; ungahlanganyeli labaguquguqukayo;
My son, fear Jehovah and the king: meddle not with them that are given to change.
22 ngoba incithakalo yabo izavuka masinyane; njalo ngubani owazi ukuchitheka kwabo bobabili?
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
23 Lala ngawabahlakaniphileyo. Ukunaka ubuso kusahlulelo kakulunganga.
These things also come from the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 Othi kokhohlakeleyo: Wena ulungile; abantu bazamqalekisa, izizwe zizamthukuthelela.
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him;
25 Kodwa kulabo abamkhuzayo kuzakuba lentokozo, lesibusiso esihle sizabehlela.
but to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, and a good blessing cometh upon them.
26 Ophendula ngamazwi aqondileyo uzakwanga indebe.
He kisseth the lips who giveth a right answer.
27 Lungisa umsebenzi wakho ngaphandle, uzilungiselele wona ensimini, emva kwalokho wakhe indlu yakho.
Prepare thy work without, and put thy field in order, and afterwards build thy house.
28 Ungabi ngumfakazi umelene lomakhelwane wakho kungelasizatho, kumbe ukhohlise ngendebe zakho.
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and wouldest thou deceive with thy lips?
29 Ungathi: Njengokwenza kwakhe kimi ngizakwenza njalo kuye; ngizaphindisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe.
Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me, I will render to the man according to his work.
30 Ngedlula ensimini yevila, lesivinini somuntu oswele ingqondo;
I went by the field of a sluggard, and by the vineyard of a man void of understanding;
31 khangela-ke, konke kwakumile ameva, imbabazane yayisibekele ubuso bakho, lomthangala wakho wamatshe udilikile.
and lo, it was all grown over with thistles, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Mina-ke ngakukhangela, ngakubeka enhliziyweni yami; ngakubona, ngemukela imfundiso.
Then I looked, I took it to heart; I saw, I received instruction:
33 Ubuthongo obuncinyane, ukuwozela okuncinyane, ukusonga izandla okuncinyane ukuthi kulalwe,
— A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest!
34 besebusiza ubuyanga bakho njengesihambi, lenswelo zakho njengomuntu ohlomileyo.
So shall thy poverty come [as] a roving plunderer, and thy penury as an armed man.
