Izaga 24
1 Ungabi lamhawu ngabantu ababi, ungaloyisi ukuba labo.
Do not be envious of those who are evil, nor desire to associate with them,
2 Ngoba inhliziyo yabo iceba udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma uhlupho.
because their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about trouble.
3 Ngenhlakanipho indlu iyakhiwa, langokuqedisisa iqiniswe.
Through wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established.
4 Langolwazi amakamelo agcwaliswa ngempahla zonke eziligugu lezimnandi.
By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla, lomuntu ololwazi uqinisa amandla.
A warrior of wisdom is strong, and a man of knowledge increases his strength;
6 Ngoba ngezeluleko ezihlakaniphileyo ungalawula impi yakho, lokukhululwa kusebunengini babeluleki.
for by wise direction you can wage your war and with many advisors there is victory.
7 Inhlakanipho enkulu iphakeme esiwuleni; esangweni kasivuli umlomo waso.
Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth.
8 Oceba ukwenza okubi, bazambiza ngokuthi ngumnikazi wamacebo amabi.
There is one who plans to do evil— people call him a master of schemes.
9 Umcabango wobuwula yisono, lesideleli siyisinengiso emuntwini.
A foolish plan is sin and men despise a mocker.
10 Uba uzitshengisa uxega ngosuku lokuhlupheka, amandla akho mancinyane.
If you become weak with fear in the day of trouble, then your strength is small.
11 Bophule abasiwa ekufeni, labatatalikela ekubulaweni, kungathi ungabanqanda.
Rescue those who are being taken away to death and hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter.
12 Uba usithi: Khangela besingakwazi lokhu; ohlola izinhliziyo yena kayikukunanzelela yini? Olondoloza umphefumulo wakho yena kakwazi yini? ngitsho ubuyisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe?
If you say, “Behold, we knew nothing about this,” does not the one who weighs the heart understand what you are saying? The one who guards your life, does he not know it? Will God not give to each one what he deserves?
13 Dlana uluju, ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile, lohlanga loluju lumnandi elwangeni lwakho.
My son, eat honey because it is good, because the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
14 Lunjalo ulwazi lwenhlakanipho emphefumulweni wakho; uba uluthola, kuzakuba lomvuzo, lethemba lakho kaliyikuqunywa.
Such is wisdom for your soul— if you find it, there will be a future and your hope will not be cut off.
15 Wena okhohlakeleyo, ungacathameli umuzi wolungileyo; ungachithi indawo yakhe yokuphumula.
Do not lie in wait like the wicked person who attacks the house of the righteous person. Do not destroy his home!
16 Ngoba olungileyo uzakuwa kasikhombisa, avuke futhi; kodwa abakhohlakeleyo bazakhubeka ebubini.
For the righteous person falls down seven times and rises again, but wicked people are brought down by calamity.
17 Ungathokozi ngokuwa kwesitha sakho, lekukhubekeni kwaso inhliziyo yakho kayingajabuli;
Do not celebrate when your enemy falls and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18 hlezi iNkosi ikubone, kube kubi emehlweni ayo, iphendule ulaka lwayo ilususe kuso.
or Yahweh will see and disapprove and turn away his wrath from him.
19 Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabenzi bobubi, ungabi lamhawu ngabakhohlakeleyo;
Do not worry because of evildoers, and do not envy wicked people,
20 ngoba omubi kayikuba lomvuzo; isibane sabakhohlakeleyo sizacitshwa.
for the evil person has no future and the lamp of wicked people will go out.
21 Ndodana yami, yesaba uJehova lenkosi; ungahlanganyeli labaguquguqukayo;
Fear Yahweh, and fear the king, my son; do not associate with those who rebel against them,
22 ngoba incithakalo yabo izavuka masinyane; njalo ngubani owazi ukuchitheka kwabo bobabili?
for suddenly their disaster will come and who knows the extent of the destruction that will come from both of them?
23 Lala ngawabahlakaniphileyo. Ukunaka ubuso kusahlulelo kakulunganga.
These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging a case at law is not good.
24 Othi kokhohlakeleyo: Wena ulungile; abantu bazamqalekisa, izizwe zizamthukuthelela.
Whoever says to the wicked person, “You are a righteous person,” will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.
25 Kodwa kulabo abamkhuzayo kuzakuba lentokozo, lesibusiso esihle sizabehlela.
But those who discipline the wicked will have delight and gifts of goodness will come to them.
26 Ophendula ngamazwi aqondileyo uzakwanga indebe.
The one who gives an honest answer gives a kiss on the lips.
27 Lungisa umsebenzi wakho ngaphandle, uzilungiselele wona ensimini, emva kwalokho wakhe indlu yakho.
Prepare your outdoor work, and make everything ready for yourself in the field; after that, build your house.
28 Ungabi ngumfakazi umelene lomakhelwane wakho kungelasizatho, kumbe ukhohlise ngendebe zakho.
Do not bear witness against your neighbor without cause and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Ungathi: Njengokwenza kwakhe kimi ngizakwenza njalo kuye; ngizaphindisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe.
Do not say, “I will do to him what he has done to me; I will pay him back for what he has done.”
30 Ngedlula ensimini yevila, lesivinini somuntu oswele ingqondo;
I went by the field of a lazy man, past the vineyard of the man having no sense.
31 khangela-ke, konke kwakumile ameva, imbabazane yayisibekele ubuso bakho, lomthangala wakho wamatshe udilikile.
Thorns had grown up everywhere, the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Mina-ke ngakukhangela, ngakubeka enhliziyweni yami; ngakubona, ngemukela imfundiso.
Then I saw and considered it; I looked 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.
and poverty comes marching upon you, and your needs like an armed soldier.
