Izaga 27
1 Ungazincomi ngosuku lwakusasa, ngoba kawazi ukuthi usuku luzazalani.
Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day will bring forth.
2 Owemzini kakudumise, njalo hatshi umlomo wakho; owezizwe, njalo hatshi indebe zakho.
Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
3 Ilitshe linzima, letshebetshebe liyasinda, kodwa ulaka lwesithutha lunzima kulakho kokubili.
A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's vexation is heavier than them both.
4 Ulaka lulolunya, lentukuthelo iyisikhukhula; kodwa ngubani ongema phambi komona?
Fury is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Kungcono ukukhuzwa ngokusobala kulothando lwensitha.
Open rebuke is better than hidden love.
6 Amanxeba omngane athembekile, kodwa ukwanga kwesitha kuyakhohlisa.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
7 Umphefumulo osuthiyo unyathelela phansi uhlanga loluju, kodwa kumphefumulo olambileyo konke okubabayo kumnandi.
The full soul trampleth on a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Njengenyoni eduha isuka esidlekeni sayo unjalo umuntu oduha esuka endaweni yakhe.
As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
9 Amafutha lempepha kuthokozisa inhliziyo; kunjalo ubumnandi bomngane womuntu ngenxa yeseluleko somphefumulo.
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart; and the sweetness of one's friend is [the fruit] of hearty counsel.
10 Ungadeli umngane wakho lomngane kayihlo; njalo ungangeni endlini yomfowenu ngosuku lwencithakalo yakho; kungcono umakhelwane oseduze kulomfowenu okhatshana.
Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; and go not into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
11 Hlakanipha, ndodana yami, uthokozise inhliziyo yami, ukuze ngibe lempendulo kongisolayo.
Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, that I may have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me.
12 Okhaliphileyo uyabona ububi acatshe, kodwa abangelalwazi bayaqhubeka bajeziswe.
A prudent [man] seeth the evil, [and] hideth himself; the simple pass on, [and] are punished.
13 Thatha isigqoko soyisibambiso ngenxa yowemzini, umthathele isibambiso ngenxa yowesifazana wezizwe.
Take his garment that is become surety [for] another, and hold him in pledge for a strange woman.
14 Obusisa umngane wakhe ngelizwi elikhulu evuka ekuseni kakhulu, kuzathiwa yisiqalekiso kuye.
He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be reckoned a curse to him.
15 Ukuchophelela ngosuku lwezulu eliqhubekayo lowesifazana oxabanayo kuyafanana.
A continual dropping on a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike:
16 Omfihlayo ufihla umoya, lamagcobo ahlangana lesandla sakhe sokunene.
whosoever will restrain her restraineth the wind, and his right hand encountereth oil.
17 Insimbi ilolwa ngensimbi; ngokunjalo umuntu ulola ubuso bomngane wakhe.
Iron is sharpened by iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18 Olondoloza isihlahla somkhiwa uzakudla isithelo saso; lolinda inkosi yakhe uzadunyiswa.
Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof; and he that guardeth his master shall be honoured.
19 Njengemanzini ubuso busebusweni, ngokunjalo inhliziyo yomuntu isemuntwini.
As [in] water face [answereth] to face, so the heart of man to man.
Sheol and destruction are insatiable; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 Imbiza yokucenga ngeyesiliva, lesithando ngesegolide; kunjalo umuntu ngokokudunyiswa kwakhe.
The fining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; so let a man be to the mouth that praiseth him.
22 Lanxa ugiga isithutha ngomgigo engigeni phakathi kwengqoloyi, ubuthutha baso kabuyikusuka kuso.
If thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his folly depart from him.
23 Yazi lokwazi isimo sezimvu zakho, beka inhliziyo yakho kumihlambi yakho,
Be well acquainted with the appearance of thy flocks; look well to thy herds:
24 ngoba inotho kayisiyaphakade; kumbe umqhele ube sesizukulwaneni lesizukulwana yini?
for wealth is not for ever; and doth the crown [endure] from generation to generation?
25 Utshani buyasuswa, lohlaza lubonakale, kubuthwe lemibhida yezintaba.
The hay is removed, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered in.
26 Amawundlu angawezigqoko zakho, lezimpongo ziyintengo yesiqinti.
The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of a field;
27 Kuzakuba lochago lwezimbuzi olwanele ukudla kwakho lokudla kwendlu yakho lempilo yencekukazi zakho.
and there is goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and sustenance for thy maidens.
