Izaga 27
1 Ungazincomi ngosuku lwakusasa, ngoba kawazi ukuthi usuku luzazalani.
Make no boast for thyself of the coming day; 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 thy own mouth; a stranger, and not thy own lips.
3 Ilitshe linzima, letshebetshebe liyasinda, kodwa ulaka lwesithutha lunzima kulakho kokubili.
A stone hath heaviness, and the sand, weight; but a fool's wrath is heavier than both of them.
4 Ulaka lulolunya, lentukuthelo iyisikhukhula; kodwa ngubani ongema phambi komona?
Fury hath its cruelty, and anger its overwhelming power; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Kungcono ukukhuzwa ngokusobala kulothando lwensitha.
Better is open reproof than concealed love.
6 Amanxeba omngane athembekile, kodwa ukwanga kwesitha kuyakhohlisa.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but deceptive are the kisses of an enemy.
7 Umphefumulo osuthiyo unyathelela phansi uhlanga loluju, kodwa kumphefumulo olambileyo konke okubabayo kumnandi.
The satisfied soul treadeth under foot fine honey; 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 away from her nest, so is a man that wandereth away from his place.
9 Amafutha lempepha kuthokozisa inhliziyo; kunjalo ubumnandi bomngane womuntu ngenxa yeseluleko somphefumulo.
Oil and perfume cause the heart to rejoice, and so do the sweet words of a friend more than one's own counsel.
10 Ungadeli umngane wakho lomngane kayihlo; njalo ungangeni endlini yomfowenu ngosuku lwencithakalo yakho; kungcono umakhelwane oseduze kulomfowenu okhatshana.
Thy own friend, and thy father's friend, thou must not forsake; but into thy brother's house enter not on the day of thy calamity: better is a near neighbor than a distant brother.
11 Hlakanipha, ndodana yami, uthokozise inhliziyo yami, ukuze ngibe lempendulo kongisolayo.
Become wise, my son, and cause my heart to rejoice, that I may give an answer to him that reproacheth me.
12 Okhaliphileyo uyabona ububi acatshe, kodwa abangelalwazi bayaqhubeka bajeziswe.
The prudent 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, for he became surety for a stranger; and on account of an alien woman take a pledge of him.
14 Obusisa umngane wakhe ngelizwi elikhulu evuka ekuseni kakhulu, kuzathiwa yisiqalekiso kuye.
When one saluteth his friend with a loud voice, when rising early in the morning, it will be counted 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.
He that would conceal her might conceal the wind, and as [fragrant] oil on his right hand, which would betray itself.
17 Insimbi ilolwa ngensimbi; ngokunjalo umuntu ulola ubuso bomngane wakhe.
Iron is sharpened by iron: so doth a man sharpen himself on the countenance of his friend.
18 Olondoloza isihlahla somkhiwa uzakudla isithelo saso; lolinda inkosi yakhe uzadunyiswa.
Whoso guardeth the fig-tree will eat its fruit: so he that watcheth over his master will be honored.
19 Njengemanzini ubuso busebusweni, ngokunjalo inhliziyo yomuntu isemuntwini.
As the water [showeth] to the face the [reflected] face: so doth the heart of man show itself to man.
The nether world and the place of corruption are never satisfied: so are the eyes of man never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 Imbiza yokucenga ngeyesiliva, lesithando ngesegolide; kunjalo umuntu ngokokudunyiswa kwakhe.
[As] the fining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: so is a man [proved] according to his praise.
22 Lanxa ugiga isithutha ngomgigo engigeni phakathi kwengqoloyi, ubuthutha baso kabuyikusuka kuso.
Though thou shouldst pound the fool in a mortar, in the midst of grains of wheat with a pestle: still would his folly not depart from him.
23 Yazi lokwazi isimo sezimvu zakho, beka inhliziyo yakho kumihlambi yakho,
Endeavor to know well the appearance of thy flocks, direct thy attention to thy herds;
24 ngoba inotho kayisiyaphakade; kumbe umqhele ube sesizukulwaneni lesizukulwana yini?
For property endureth not for ever, nor doth the crown remain for all generations.
25 Utshani buyasuswa, lohlaza lubonakale, kubuthwe lemibhida yezintaba.
When the grass is past, young verdure showeth itself, and then are gathered the herbs of the mountains.
26 Amawundlu angawezigqoko zakho, lezimpongo ziyintengo yesiqinti.
The sheep are for thy clothing, and he-goats are the purchase-price of a field.
27 Kuzakuba lochago lwezimbuzi olwanele ukudla kwakho lokudla kwendlu yakho lempilo yencekukazi zakho.
And thou wilt have enough of goats' milk for thy food, for the food of thy household, and the support for thy maidens.
