Izaga 24
1 Ungabi lamhawu ngabantu ababi, ungaloyisi ukuba labo.
Be not thou envious of wicked men, neither crave to be with them;
2 Ngoba inhliziyo yabo iceba udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma uhlupho.
For, violence, their heart muttereth, and, mischief, their lips do speak.
3 Ngenhlakanipho indlu iyakhiwa, langokuqedisisa iqiniswe.
In wisdom, is a house builded, and, in understanding, is it established;
4 Langolwazi amakamelo agcwaliswa ngempahla zonke eziligugu lezimnandi.
And, in knowledge, chambers are filled, with all acquisitions, costly and fair.
5 Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla, lomuntu ololwazi uqinisa amandla.
A wise man, is mighty, and, a man of knowledge, becometh alert in vigour.
6 Ngoba ngezeluleko ezihlakaniphileyo ungalawula impi yakho, lokukhululwa kusebunengini babeluleki.
Surely, with concerted measures, shalt thou make for thyself war, and, success, lieth in the greatness of the counsellor.
7 Inhlakanipho enkulu iphakeme esiwuleni; esangweni kasivuli umlomo waso.
Unattainable to a foolish man, are the dictates of wisdom, in the gate, he openeth not his mouth.
8 Oceba ukwenza okubi, bazambiza ngokuthi ngumnikazi wamacebo amabi.
He that deviseth to do mischief, him, shall men call, a master of plots.
9 Umcabango wobuwula yisono, lesideleli siyisinengiso emuntwini.
The purpose of folly, is sin, and, an abomination to mankind, is a buffoon.
10 Uba uzitshengisa uxega ngosuku lokuhlupheka, amandla akho mancinyane.
Thou hast been slothful in the day of straitness, Strait, is thy strength.
11 Bophule abasiwa ekufeni, labatatalikela ekubulaweni, kungathi ungabanqanda.
Deliver thou such as are being led forth to death, and, them who are tottering to slaughter, oh that thou wouldst hold back!
12 Uba usithi: Khangela besingakwazi lokhu; ohlola izinhliziyo yena kayikukunanzelela yini? Olondoloza umphefumulo wakho yena kakwazi yini? ngitsho ubuyisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe?
Though thou say, Lo! we knew not this, Shall not, he that proveth hearts, himself, discern? And, he that formeth thy soul, himself, know? and bring back to a son of earth according to his deed?
13 Dlana uluju, ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile, lohlanga loluju lumnandi elwangeni lwakho.
My son, eat thou honey, because it is good, —and droppings from the comb [because they are] sweet to thy palate:
14 Lunjalo ulwazi lwenhlakanipho emphefumulweni wakho; uba uluthola, kuzakuba lomvuzo, lethemba lakho kaliyikuqunywa.
Thus, take knowledge of wisdom, for thine own soul; If thou find it, then there is a future, and, thine expectation, shall not be cut off.
15 Wena okhohlakeleyo, ungacathameli umuzi wolungileyo; ungachithi indawo yakhe yokuphumula.
Do not lie in wait, thou lawless man, against the home of the righteous, —neither destroy thou his place of rest;
16 Ngoba olungileyo uzakuwa kasikhombisa, avuke futhi; kodwa abakhohlakeleyo bazakhubeka ebubini.
For, seven times, may the righteous fall and yet arise, but, lawless men, shall stumble into calamity.
17 Ungathokozi ngokuwa kwesitha sakho, lekukhubekeni kwaso inhliziyo yakho kayingajabuli;
When thine enemy falleth, do not thou rejoice, and, when he stumbleth, let not thy heart exult:
18 hlezi iNkosi ikubone, kube kubi emehlweni ayo, iphendule ulaka lwayo ilususe kuso.
Lest Yahweh see it, and it be wicked in his eyes, and he turn away from him his anger.
19 Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabenzi bobubi, ungabi lamhawu ngabakhohlakeleyo;
Burn not with vexation against evil doers, be not envious of lawless men;
20 ngoba omubi kayikuba lomvuzo; isibane sabakhohlakeleyo sizacitshwa.
For there shall be no future for the wicked, The lamp of the lawless, shall go out.
21 Ndodana yami, yesaba uJehova lenkosi; ungahlanganyeli labaguquguqukayo;
Revere thou Yahweh, my son, and the king, and, with the fickle, have thou no fellowship;
22 ngoba incithakalo yabo izavuka masinyane; njalo ngubani owazi ukuchitheka kwabo bobabili?
For, suddenly, shall arise their calamity; and, the misfortune of their years, who knoweth?
23 Lala ngawabahlakaniphileyo. Ukunaka ubuso kusahlulelo kakulunganga.
These things also, concern the wise, To take note of faces in judgment, is not good.
24 Othi kokhohlakeleyo: Wena ulungile; abantu bazamqalekisa, izizwe zizamthukuthelela.
He that saith to the lawless man, Righteous, thou art, peoples shall denounce him, populations shall curse him;
25 Kodwa kulabo abamkhuzayo kuzakuba lentokozo, lesibusiso esihle sizabehlela.
But, to reprovers, one should be pleasant, and, upon them, should come an excellent blessing:
26 Ophendula ngamazwi aqondileyo uzakwanga indebe.
Lips, should one kiss with one who answereth in right words.
27 Lungisa umsebenzi wakho ngaphandle, uzilungiselele wona ensimini, emva kwalokho wakhe indlu yakho.
Prepare, in the open, thy work, and make ready, in the field, for thyself, Afterwards, shalt thou build thy house.
28 Ungabi ngumfakazi umelene lomakhelwane wakho kungelasizatho, kumbe ukhohlise ngendebe zakho.
Do not become a needless witness against thy neighbour, so mightest thou open too wide thy lips:
29 Ungathi: Njengokwenza kwakhe kimi ngizakwenza njalo kuye; ngizaphindisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe.
Do not say—According to what he hath done to me, so, will I do to him, I will repay every one according to his work.
30 Ngedlula ensimini yevila, lesivinini somuntu oswele ingqondo;
By the field of the sluggard, I passed, and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense;
31 khangela-ke, konke kwakumile ameva, imbabazane yayisibekele ubuso bakho, lomthangala wakho wamatshe udilikile.
And lo! there had come up all over it—thorns, there had covered the face thereof—thistles, and, the stone fence thereof, had been thrown down.
32 Mina-ke ngakukhangela, ngakubeka enhliziyweni yami; ngakubona, ngemukela imfundiso.
So I observed it, for myself, I applied my heart, I looked—I accepted correction:
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 come in, as a highwayman, thy poverty, and, thy want, as one armed with a shield.
