Izaga 24
1 Ungabi lamhawu ngabantu ababi, ungaloyisi ukuba labo.
Don’t be envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;
2 Ngoba inhliziyo yabo iceba udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma uhlupho.
for their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about mischief.
3 Ngenhlakanipho indlu iyakhiwa, langokuqedisisa iqiniswe.
Through wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established;
4 Langolwazi amakamelo agcwaliswa ngempahla zonke eziligugu lezimnandi.
by knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure.
5 Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla, lomuntu ololwazi uqinisa amandla.
A wise man has great power. A knowledgeable man increases strength,
6 Ngoba ngezeluleko ezihlakaniphileyo ungalawula impi yakho, lokukhululwa kusebunengini babeluleki.
for by wise guidance you wage your war, and victory is in many advisors.
7 Inhlakanipho enkulu iphakeme esiwuleni; esangweni kasivuli umlomo waso.
Wisdom is too high for a fool. He doesn’t open his mouth in the gate.
8 Oceba ukwenza okubi, bazambiza ngokuthi ngumnikazi wamacebo amabi.
One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.
9 Umcabango wobuwula yisono, lesideleli siyisinengiso emuntwini.
The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.
10 Uba uzitshengisa uxega ngosuku lokuhlupheka, amandla akho mancinyane.
If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small.
11 Bophule abasiwa ekufeni, labatatalikela ekubulaweni, kungathi ungabanqanda.
Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, 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 didn’t know this,” doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn’t he know it? Shall he not render to every man according to his work?
13 Dlana uluju, ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile, lohlanga loluju lumnandi elwangeni lwakho.
My son, eat honey, for it is good, the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste;
14 Lunjalo ulwazi lwenhlakanipho emphefumulweni wakho; uba uluthola, kuzakuba lomvuzo, lethemba lakho kaliyikuqunywa.
so you shall know wisdom to be to your soul. If you have found it, then there will be a reward: Your hope will not be cut off.
15 Wena okhohlakeleyo, ungacathameli umuzi wolungileyo; ungachithi indawo yakhe yokuphumula.
Don’t lay in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Don’t destroy his resting place;
16 Ngoba olungileyo uzakuwa kasikhombisa, avuke futhi; kodwa abakhohlakeleyo bazakhubeka ebubini.
for a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
17 Ungathokozi ngokuwa kwesitha sakho, lekukhubekeni kwaso inhliziyo yakho kayingajabuli;
Don’t rejoice when your enemy falls. Don’t let your heart be glad when he is overthrown,
18 hlezi iNkosi ikubone, kube kubi emehlweni ayo, iphendule ulaka lwayo ilususe kuso.
lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabenzi bobubi, ungabi lamhawu ngabakhohlakeleyo;
Don’t fret yourself because of evildoers, neither be envious of the wicked;
20 ngoba omubi kayikuba lomvuzo; isibane sabakhohlakeleyo sizacitshwa.
for there will be no reward to the evil man. The lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
21 Ndodana yami, yesaba uJehova lenkosi; ungahlanganyeli labaguquguqukayo;
My son, fear the LORD and the king. Don’t join those who are rebellious,
22 ngoba incithakalo yabo izavuka masinyane; njalo ngubani owazi ukuchitheka kwabo bobabili?
for their calamity will rise suddenly. Who knows what destruction may come from them both?
23 Lala ngawabahlakaniphileyo. Ukunaka ubuso kusahlulelo kakulunganga.
These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgement is not good.
24 Othi kokhohlakeleyo: Wena ulungile; abantu bazamqalekisa, izizwe zizamthukuthelela.
He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” peoples will curse him, and nations will abhor him—
25 Kodwa kulabo abamkhuzayo kuzakuba lentokozo, lesibusiso esihle sizabehlela.
but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.
26 Ophendula ngamazwi aqondileyo uzakwanga indebe.
An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
27 Lungisa umsebenzi wakho ngaphandle, uzilungiselele wona ensimini, emva kwalokho wakhe indlu yakho.
Prepare your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.
28 Ungabi ngumfakazi umelene lomakhelwane wakho kungelasizatho, kumbe ukhohlise ngendebe zakho.
Don’t be a witness against your neighbour without cause. Don’t deceive with your lips.
29 Ungathi: Njengokwenza kwakhe kimi ngizakwenza njalo kuye; ngizaphindisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe.
Don’t say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”
30 Ngedlula ensimini yevila, lesivinini somuntu oswele ingqondo;
I went by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man void of understanding.
31 khangela-ke, konke kwakumile ameva, imbabazane yayisibekele ubuso bakho, lomthangala wakho wamatshe udilikile.
Behold, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface 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 well. I saw, 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 sleep,
34 besebusiza ubuyanga bakho njengesihambi, lenswelo zakho njengomuntu ohlomileyo.
so your poverty will come as a robber and your want as an armed man.
