Izaga 27
1 Ungazincomi ngosuku lwakusasa, ngoba kawazi ukuthi usuku luzazalani.
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
2 Owemzini kakudumise, njalo hatshi umlomo wakho; owezizwe, njalo hatshi indebe zakho.
Let someone else praise you and not your own mouth; a stranger and not your own lips.
3 Ilitshe linzima, letshebetshebe liyasinda, kodwa ulaka lwesithutha lunzima kulakho kokubili.
Consider the heaviness of a stone and the weight of sand— the provocation of a fool is heavier than both.
4 Ulaka lulolunya, lentukuthelo iyisikhukhula; kodwa ngubani ongema phambi komona?
There is the cruelty of rage and the flood of anger, but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Kungcono ukukhuzwa ngokusobala kulothando lwensitha.
Better is an open rebuke than hidden love.
6 Amanxeba omngane athembekile, kodwa ukwanga kwesitha kuyakhohlisa.
Faithful are the wounds caused by a friend, but an enemy may kiss you profusely.
7 Umphefumulo osuthiyo unyathelela phansi uhlanga loluju, kodwa kumphefumulo olambileyo konke okubabayo kumnandi.
A person who has eaten to the full rejects even a honeycomb, but to the hungry person, every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Njengenyoni eduha isuka esidlekeni sayo unjalo umuntu oduha esuka endaweni yakhe.
Like a bird that wanders from its nest is a man who strays from where he lives.
9 Amafutha lempepha kuthokozisa inhliziyo; kunjalo ubumnandi bomngane womuntu ngenxa yeseluleko somphefumulo.
Perfume and incense make the heart rejoice, but the sweetness of a friend comes from his sincere counsel.
10 Ungadeli umngane wakho lomngane kayihlo; njalo ungangeni endlini yomfowenu ngosuku lwencithakalo yakho; kungcono umakhelwane oseduze kulomfowenu okhatshana.
Do not forsake your friend and your friend's father, and do not go to your brother's house on the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is nearby than a brother who is far away.
11 Hlakanipha, ndodana yami, uthokozise inhliziyo yami, ukuze ngibe lempendulo kongisolayo.
Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice; then I will give back an answer to the one who mocks me.
12 Okhaliphileyo uyabona ububi acatshe, kodwa abangelalwazi bayaqhubeka bajeziswe.
A prudent man sees trouble and hides himself, but the naive people go on and suffer because of it.
13 Thatha isigqoko soyisibambiso ngenxa yowemzini, umthathele isibambiso ngenxa yowesifazana wezizwe.
Take a garment of one who has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an immoral woman.
14 Obusisa umngane wakhe ngelizwi elikhulu evuka ekuseni kakhulu, kuzathiwa yisiqalekiso kuye.
Whoever gives his neighbor a blessing with a loud voice early in the morning, that blessing will be considered to be a curse!
15 Ukuchophelela ngosuku lwezulu eliqhubekayo lowesifazana oxabanayo kuyafanana.
A quarreling wife is like the constant dripping on a rainy day;
16 Omfihlayo ufihla umoya, lamagcobo ahlangana lesandla sakhe sokunene.
restraining her is like restraining the wind, or trying to catch oil in your right hand.
17 Insimbi ilolwa ngensimbi; ngokunjalo umuntu ulola ubuso bomngane wakhe.
Iron sharpens iron; in the same way, a man sharpens his friend.
18 Olondoloza isihlahla somkhiwa uzakudla isithelo saso; lolinda inkosi yakhe uzadunyiswa.
The one who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and the one who protects his master will be honored.
19 Njengemanzini ubuso busebusweni, ngokunjalo inhliziyo yomuntu isemuntwini.
Just as water reflects a person's face, so a person's heart reflects the person.
Just as Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, so a man's eyes are never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 Imbiza yokucenga ngeyesiliva, lesithando ngesegolide; kunjalo umuntu ngokokudunyiswa kwakhe.
A crucible is for silver and a furnace is for gold; and a person is tested when he is praised.
22 Lanxa ugiga isithutha ngomgigo engigeni phakathi kwengqoloyi, ubuthutha baso kabuyikusuka kuso.
Even if you crush a fool with the pestle—along with the grain— yet his foolishness will not leave him.
23 Yazi lokwazi isimo sezimvu zakho, beka inhliziyo yakho kumihlambi yakho,
Be sure you know the condition of your flocks and be concerned about your herds,
24 ngoba inotho kayisiyaphakade; kumbe umqhele ube sesizukulwaneni lesizukulwana yini?
for wealth is not forever. Does a crown endure for all generations?
25 Utshani buyasuswa, lohlaza lubonakale, kubuthwe lemibhida yezintaba.
You should know when the hay is gone and the new growth appears, and the time when the grass from the hills is gathered in.
26 Amawundlu angawezigqoko zakho, lezimpongo ziyintengo yesiqinti.
Those lambs will provide your clothing and the goats will provide the price of the field.
27 Kuzakuba lochago lwezimbuzi olwanele ukudla kwakho lokudla kwendlu yakho lempilo yencekukazi zakho.
There will be goats' milk for your food—the food for your household— and nourishment for your servant girls.
