Izaga 24
1 Ungabi lamhawu ngabantu ababi, ungaloyisi ukuba labo.
Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:
2 Ngoba inhliziyo yabo iceba udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma uhlupho.
Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.
3 Ngenhlakanipho indlu iyakhiwa, langokuqedisisa iqiniswe.
By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.
4 Langolwazi amakamelo agcwaliswa ngempahla zonke eziligugu lezimnandi.
By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.
5 Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla, lomuntu ololwazi uqinisa amandla.
A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.
6 Ngoba ngezeluleko ezihlakaniphileyo ungalawula impi yakho, lokukhululwa kusebunengini babeluleki.
Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.
7 Inhlakanipho enkulu iphakeme esiwuleni; esangweni kasivuli umlomo waso.
Wisdom is too high for a fool, in the gate he shall not open his mouth.
8 Oceba ukwenza okubi, bazambiza ngokuthi ngumnikazi wamacebo amabi.
He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.
9 Umcabango wobuwula yisono, lesideleli siyisinengiso emuntwini.
The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.
10 Uba uzitshengisa uxega ngosuku lokuhlupheka, amandla akho mancinyane.
If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.
11 Bophule abasiwa ekufeni, labatatalikela ekubulaweni, kungathi ungabanqanda.
Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.
12 Uba usithi: Khangela besingakwazi lokhu; ohlola izinhliziyo yena kayikukunanzelela yini? Olondoloza umphefumulo wakho yena kakwazi yini? ngitsho ubuyisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe?
If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.
13 Dlana uluju, ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile, lohlanga loluju lumnandi elwangeni lwakho.
Fat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat:
14 Lunjalo ulwazi lwenhlakanipho emphefumulweni wakho; uba uluthola, kuzakuba lomvuzo, lethemba lakho kaliyikuqunywa.
So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.
15 Wena okhohlakeleyo, ungacathameli umuzi wolungileyo; ungachithi indawo yakhe yokuphumula.
Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
16 Ngoba olungileyo uzakuwa kasikhombisa, avuke futhi; kodwa abakhohlakeleyo bazakhubeka ebubini.
For a just mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.
17 Ungathokozi ngokuwa kwesitha sakho, lekukhubekeni kwaso inhliziyo yakho kayingajabuli;
When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:
18 hlezi iNkosi ikubone, kube kubi emehlweni ayo, iphendule ulaka lwayo ilususe kuso.
Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabenzi bobubi, ungabi lamhawu ngabakhohlakeleyo;
Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:
20 ngoba omubi kayikuba lomvuzo; isibane sabakhohlakeleyo sizacitshwa.
For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 Ndodana yami, yesaba uJehova lenkosi; ungahlanganyeli labaguquguqukayo;
My son, fear the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters.
22 ngoba incithakalo yabo izavuka masinyane; njalo ngubani owazi ukuchitheka kwabo bobabili?
For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?
23 Lala ngawabahlakaniphileyo. Ukunaka ubuso kusahlulelo kakulunganga.
These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.
24 Othi kokhohlakeleyo: Wena ulungile; abantu bazamqalekisa, izizwe zizamthukuthelela.
They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.
25 Kodwa kulabo abamkhuzayo kuzakuba lentokozo, lesibusiso esihle sizabehlela.
They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.
26 Ophendula ngamazwi aqondileyo uzakwanga indebe.
He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.
27 Lungisa umsebenzi wakho ngaphandle, uzilungiselele wona ensimini, emva kwalokho wakhe indlu yakho.
Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.
28 Ungabi ngumfakazi umelene lomakhelwane wakho kungelasizatho, kumbe ukhohlise ngendebe zakho.
Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.
29 Ungathi: Njengokwenza kwakhe kimi ngizakwenza njalo kuye; ngizaphindisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe.
Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.
30 Ngedlula ensimini yevila, lesivinini somuntu oswele ingqondo;
I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:
31 khangela-ke, konke kwakumile ameva, imbabazane yayisibekele ubuso bakho, lomthangala wakho wamatshe udilikile.
And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.
32 Mina-ke ngakukhangela, ngakubeka enhliziyweni yami; ngakubona, ngemukela imfundiso.
Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.
33 Ubuthongo obuncinyane, ukuwozela okuncinyane, ukusonga izandla okuncinyane ukuthi kulalwe,
Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest:
34 besebusiza ubuyanga bakho njengesihambi, lenswelo zakho njengomuntu ohlomileyo.
And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.
