Izaga 24
1 Ungabi lamhawu ngabantu ababi, ungaloyisi ukuba labo.
Be not thou envious of wicked men, And desire not to be with them!
2 Ngoba inhliziyo yabo iceba udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma uhlupho.
For their heart studieth destruction, And their lips speak mischief.
3 Ngenhlakanipho indlu iyakhiwa, langokuqedisisa iqiniswe.
Through wisdom is a house builded, And by understanding is it established;
4 Langolwazi amakamelo agcwaliswa ngempahla zonke eziligugu lezimnandi.
Yea, by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and goodly substance.
5 Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla, lomuntu ololwazi uqinisa amandla.
The wise man is strong; Yea, the man of understanding establisheth his strength.
6 Ngoba ngezeluleko ezihlakaniphileyo ungalawula impi yakho, lokukhululwa kusebunengini babeluleki.
For by wise counsel shalt thou make war, And by the multitude of counsellors cometh success.
7 Inhlakanipho enkulu iphakeme esiwuleni; esangweni kasivuli umlomo waso.
Wisdom is too high for the fool; He openeth not his mouth at the gate.
8 Oceba ukwenza okubi, bazambiza ngokuthi ngumnikazi wamacebo amabi.
He that deviseth to do evil Shall be called mischief-master.
9 Umcabango wobuwula yisono, lesideleli siyisinengiso emuntwini.
The purpose of folly is sin; And a scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 Uba uzitshengisa uxega ngosuku lokuhlupheka, amandla akho mancinyane.
If thy spirit faint in the day of adversity, Faint will be thy strength.
11 Bophule abasiwa ekufeni, labatatalikela ekubulaweni, kungathi ungabanqanda.
Deliver thou those who are dragged to death, And those who totter to the slaughter, —O keep them back!
12 Uba usithi: Khangela besingakwazi lokhu; ohlola izinhliziyo yena kayikukunanzelela yini? Olondoloza umphefumulo wakho yena kakwazi yini? ngitsho ubuyisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe?
If thou sayst, “Behold, we knew it not!” Doth not he that weigheth the heart observe it? Yea, he that keepeth thy soul knoweth it. And he will render to every man according to his works.
13 Dlana uluju, ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile, lohlanga loluju lumnandi elwangeni lwakho.
Eat honey, my son, for it is good, And the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste;
14 Lunjalo ulwazi lwenhlakanipho emphefumulweni wakho; uba uluthola, kuzakuba lomvuzo, lethemba lakho kaliyikuqunywa.
So learn thou wisdom for thy soul! When thou hast found it, there shall be a reward, And thy expectation shall not be cut off.
15 Wena okhohlakeleyo, ungacathameli umuzi wolungileyo; ungachithi indawo yakhe yokuphumula.
Plot not, O wicked man! against the habitation of the righteous; Spoil not his resting-place!
16 Ngoba olungileyo uzakuwa kasikhombisa, avuke futhi; kodwa abakhohlakeleyo bazakhubeka ebubini.
For though the righteous fall seven times, yet shall he rise up again; But the wicked shall fall into mischief.
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 the LORD see, and it displease him, And he turn away his anger from him.
19 Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabenzi bobubi, ungabi lamhawu ngabakhohlakeleyo;
Fret not thyself on account of evil men, Neither be thou envious of the wicked;
20 ngoba omubi kayikuba lomvuzo; isibane sabakhohlakeleyo sizacitshwa.
For there shall be no posterity to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 Ndodana yami, yesaba uJehova lenkosi; ungahlanganyeli labaguquguqukayo;
My son, fear thou the LORD and the king; And mingle 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 up suddenly, And their ruin, coming from them both, in a moment.
23 Lala ngawabahlakaniphileyo. Ukunaka ubuso kusahlulelo kakulunganga.
These also are words of 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 to the wicked, “Thou art righteous,” Him shall the people curse; Nations shall abhor him.
25 Kodwa kulabo abamkhuzayo kuzakuba lentokozo, lesibusiso esihle sizabehlela.
But it shall be well with them that punish him, And the blessing of prosperity shall come upon them.
26 Ophendula ngamazwi aqondileyo uzakwanga indebe.
He that giveth a right answer Kisseth the lips.
27 Lungisa umsebenzi wakho ngaphandle, uzilungiselele wona ensimini, emva kwalokho wakhe indlu yakho.
Arrange thy work without, And prepare it in thy field: Afterwards thou mayst build thy house.
28 Ungabi ngumfakazi umelene lomakhelwane wakho kungelasizatho, kumbe ukhohlise ngendebe zakho.
Be not a witness without cause against thy neighbor, And deceive not with thy lips.
29 Ungathi: Njengokwenza kwakhe kimi ngizakwenza njalo kuye; ngizaphindisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe.
Say not, “As he hath done to me, So will I do to him; I will render to the man according to his doings.”
30 Ngedlula ensimini yevila, lesivinini somuntu oswele ingqondo;
I passed by the field of the slothful, And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding,
31 khangela-ke, konke kwakumile ameva, imbabazane yayisibekele ubuso bakho, lomthangala wakho wamatshe udilikile.
And, lo! it was all overgrown with thorns, And the face thereof was covered with nettles, And the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 Mina-ke ngakukhangela, ngakubeka enhliziyweni yami; ngakubona, ngemukela imfundiso.
Then I saw, and considered it well; I looked upon it. and 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 poverty come upon thee like a highwayman; Yea, want like an armed man.
