Izaga 26
1 Njengeliqhwa elikhithikileyo ehlobo lanjengezulu ngesikhathi sokuvuna, ngokunjalo udumo kalusifanelanga isithutha.
Just [like] [SIM] [it is not appropriate for] snow [to fall] in summer time, or rain [to fall] at harvest time, it is not appropriate to praise/honor foolish people.
2 Njengenyoni ekuzulazuleni, njengenkonjane ekuphapheni, ngokunjalo isiqalekiso kungelasizatho kasiyikufika.
Like [SIM] birds that fly by [and do not alight/land on anything], if someone curses you, it cannot hurt you if you (do not deserve them/have not done to him what is wrong).
3 Isiswepu ngesebhiza, itomu ngelikababhemi, loswazi ngolomhlana wezithutha.
It is necessary to whip a horse and to put a bridle on a donkey [to force them to go where we want them to go], and similarly [SIM] [it is often necessary to strike] foolish people with a stick [to cause them to do what is right].
4 Ungaphenduli isithutha ngokobuthutha baso, hlezi lawe ufanane laso.
If a foolish person asks a foolish question, [do not answer him], because [if you answer his question], you are just as foolish as he is.
5 Phendula isithutha ngokobuthutha baso, hlezi sibe ngesihlakaniphileyo emehlweni aso.
If you give a foolish answer to someone who asks a foolish question, he will realize that he is (not very wise/foolish).
6 Othumela amazwi ngesandla sesithutha, uquma inyawo, unatha isihluku.
Anyone who asks a foolish person to take a message to someone [is himself doing something as foolish as] cutting off his own feet or drinking poison.
7 Imilenze yesiqhuli iyalengalenga; sinjalo isaga emlonyeni wezithutha.
A lame man cannot use his legs, and similarly [SIM] [it is useless for] a foolish person to speak [MTY] (proverbs/wise sayings).
8 Njengokubophela ilitshe esavutheni, unjalo onika udumo esithutheni.
Tying a stone in a sling [so that it cannot be thrown at a target] is [as foolish as] [SIM] honoring a foolish person.
9 Njengameva enyuka esandleni sesidakwa sinjalo isaga emlonyeni wezithutha.
If a drunk person waves some thorns/brambles with his hand, [he is not able to accomplish anything useful by doing that] (OR, [he does not feel it when a thorn sticks in his hand]); similarly, if foolish people speak [MTY] proverbs, [they do not help anyone who hears them].
10 Omkhulu owabumba konke uvuza isithutha, avuze abadlulayo.
A man who shoots arrows [to try] to wound everybody who is near [is foolish]; similarly, anyone who hires a foolish person [who passes by is very foolish].
11 Njengenja ebuyela emahlanzweni ayongokunjalo isithutha siphinda ubuthutha baso.
A foolish person will foolishly do something stupid a second time; it is [like] [SIM] a dog returning to [eat] what it has vomited.
12 Uyabona yini umuntu ohlakaniphileyo emehlweni akhe? Kulethemba elikhulu esithutheni kulaye.
[God] can help/bless foolish people more easily than he can help/bless people who are not wise [RHQ], but think that they are wise.
13 Olivila uthi: Kulesilwane endleleni; isilwane sisezitaladeni.
Lazy people [just stay inside their houses and do nothing]; [they keep] saying “[I think] there is a lion in the street!”
14 Isivalo siphenduka ngamabhanti aso, ngokunjalo ivila embhedeni walo.
A door [continually] swings back and forth on its hinges [and does not go anywhere]; similarly [SIM], lazy people [just continually turn over] in their beds [and never do anything].
15 Ivila lifihla isandla salo emganwini, liyavilapha ukusibuyisela emlonyeni walo.
Some people are extremely lazy; they put their hand in a dish [to get some food] but do not [even] lift the food up to their mouths.
16 Ivila lihlakaniphile emehlweni alo okwedlula abayisikhombisa abangaphendula ngenhlakanipho.
Lazy people think that they are wiser than seven/several people who can answer [others’ questions] with good sense.
17 Odlulayo engenela ingxabano engeyisiyo eyakhe ungobamba indlebe zenja.
Anyone who (meddles/involves himself) in a quarrel that does not concern him is [as foolish as] [SIM] someone who tries to grab a passing dog by its ears.
18 Njengohlanya oluphosa izikhuni ezivuthayo, imitshoko, lokufa,
Crazy people who shoot burning arrows to kill people
19 unjalo umuntu okhohlisa umakhelwane wakhe, abesesithi: Kangisomi yini?
are as foolish as those who deceive someone else and [then] say, “I was only joking.”
20 Uba kungelankuni umlilo uyacitsha; njalo uba kungelakunyeya, ukuxabana kuyathula.
If there is no [more] firewood [to put on the fire], the fire will go out; similarly [SIM], if there are no people who (gossip/tell people things that are not true), quarreling will end.
21 Njengamalahle emalahleni avuthayo, lenkuni emlilweni, unjalo umuntu wenkani ngowokubasa ingxabano.
[Putting] charcoal on burning coals or [putting] wood on a fire [causes the fire to keep burning]; similarly, people who like to quarrel cause people to keep arguing.
22 Amazwi onyeyayo anjengezibondlo ezehlela kokungaphakathi kwesisu.
People [enjoy listening to what gossips say about others just like] [SIM] they enjoy tasty food; they [enjoy listening to what gossips tell them like] they enjoy swallowing tasty food.
23 Indebe ezivuthayo lenhliziyo embi kungamanyele esiliva ahuqa ukhamba.
People who say nice things when they are thinking about doing evil things are like a nice glaze/covering on a [cheap] clay pot.
24 Ozondayo uyazenzisa ngezindebe zakhe, kodwa ufaka inkohliso ngaphakathi kwakhe.
Those who hate someone and are saying [MTY] something very different from what they are thinking are hypocrites; they are only planning [to harm that person].
25 Lapho esenza ilizwi lakhe libe ngelomusa, ungamkholwa, ngoba izinengiso eziyisikhombisa zisenhliziyweni yakhe.
When they say nice things, do not believe them, because in their inner beings are many things that [Yahweh] hates.
26 Inzondo isibekelwa ngenkohliso; ububi bakhe buzakwembulwa ebandleni.
They try to deceive people to cause them to think that they do not hate [that person], but in a public meeting, the people will find out the evil things [that they have done].
27 Ogebhayo umgodi uzawela kuwo, logiqa ilitshe, lizabuyela kuye.
Those who dig a deep pit [for other people to fall into] will fall into it themselves; rocks will roll down on those who start to cause rocks to roll down [to crush someone].
28 Ulimi lwamanga luzonda olubachobozayo, lomlomo obutshelezi usebenza incithakalo.
Those [MTY] who tell lies to others [really] hate them, and those who deceive [others] ruin them.
