Izaga 27
1 Ungazincomi ngosuku lwakusasa, ngoba kawazi ukuthi usuku luzazalani.
Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2 Owemzini kakudumise, njalo hatshi umlomo wakho; owezizwe, njalo hatshi indebe zakho.
Let another man 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 wrath is heavier than them both.
4 Ulaka lulolunya, lentukuthelo iyisikhukhula; kodwa ngubani ongema phambi komona?
Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
5 Kungcono ukukhuzwa ngokusobala kulothando lwensitha.
Open rebuke is better than secret love.
6 Amanxeba omngane athembekile, kodwa ukwanga kwesitha kuyakhohlisa.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
7 Umphefumulo osuthiyo unyathelela phansi uhlanga loluju, kodwa kumphefumulo olambileyo konke okubabayo kumnandi.
The full soul loatheth an 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: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by 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; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
11 Hlakanipha, ndodana yami, uthokozise inhliziyo yami, ukuze ngibe lempendulo kongisolayo.
My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.
12 Okhaliphileyo uyabona ububi acatshe, kodwa abangelalwazi bayaqhubeka bajeziswe.
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
13 Thatha isigqoko soyisibambiso ngenxa yowemzini, umthathele isibambiso ngenxa yowesifazana wezizwe.
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him 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 counted a curse to him.
15 Ukuchophelela ngosuku lwezulu eliqhubekayo lowesifazana oxabanayo kuyafanana.
A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.
16 Omfihlayo ufihla umoya, lamagcobo ahlangana lesandla sakhe sokunene.
Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.
17 Insimbi ilolwa ngensimbi; ngokunjalo umuntu ulola ubuso bomngane wakhe.
Iron sharpeneth 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: so he that waiteth on 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.
Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 Imbiza yokucenga ngeyesiliva, lesithando ngesegolide; kunjalo umuntu ngokokudunyiswa kwakhe.
As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
22 Lanxa ugiga isithutha ngomgigo engigeni phakathi kwengqoloyi, ubuthutha baso kabuyikusuka kuso.
Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
23 Yazi lokwazi isimo sezimvu zakho, beka inhliziyo yakho kumihlambi yakho,
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.
24 ngoba inotho kayisiyaphakade; kumbe umqhele ube sesizukulwaneni lesizukulwana yini?
For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?
25 Utshani buyasuswa, lohlaza lubonakale, kubuthwe lemibhida yezintaba.
The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.
26 Amawundlu angawezigqoko zakho, lezimpongo ziyintengo yesiqinti.
The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.
27 Kuzakuba lochago lwezimbuzi olwanele ukudla kwakho lokudla kwendlu yakho lempilo yencekukazi zakho.
And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.
