Izaga 27
1 Ungazincomi ngosuku lwakusasa, ngoba kawazi ukuthi usuku luzazalani.
Boast not thyself of to-morrow, For thou knowest not what a day bringeth 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 [is] heavy, And the anger of a fool Is heavier than they both.
4 Ulaka lulolunya, lentukuthelo iyisikhukhula; kodwa ngubani ongema phambi komona?
Fury [is] fierce, and anger [is] overflowing, And who standeth before jealousy?
5 Kungcono ukukhuzwa ngokusobala kulothando lwensitha.
Better [is] open reproof than hidden love.
6 Amanxeba omngane athembekile, kodwa ukwanga kwesitha kuyakhohlisa.
Faithful are the wounds of a lover, And abundant the kisses of an enemy.
7 Umphefumulo osuthiyo unyathelela phansi uhlanga loluju, kodwa kumphefumulo olambileyo konke okubabayo kumnandi.
A satiated soul treadeth down a honeycomb, And [to] a hungry soul every bitter thing [is] sweet.
8 Njengenyoni eduha isuka esidlekeni sayo unjalo umuntu oduha esuka endaweni yakhe.
As a bird wandering from her nest, So [is] a man wandering 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 — from counsel of the soul.
10 Ungadeli umngane wakho lomngane kayihlo; njalo ungangeni endlini yomfowenu ngosuku lwencithakalo yakho; kungcono umakhelwane oseduze kulomfowenu okhatshana.
Thine own friend, and the friend of thy father, forsake not, And the house of thy brother enter not In a day of thy calamity, Better [is] a near neighbour than a brother afar off.
11 Hlakanipha, ndodana yami, uthokozise inhliziyo yami, ukuze ngibe lempendulo kongisolayo.
Be wise, my son, and rejoice my heart. And I return my reproacher a word.
12 Okhaliphileyo uyabona ububi acatshe, kodwa abangelalwazi bayaqhubeka bajeziswe.
The prudent hath seen the evil, he is hidden, The simple have passed on, they are punished.
13 Thatha isigqoko soyisibambiso ngenxa yowemzini, umthathele isibambiso ngenxa yowesifazana wezizwe.
Take his garment, when a stranger hath been surety, And for a strange woman pledge it.
14 Obusisa umngane wakhe ngelizwi elikhulu evuka ekuseni kakhulu, kuzathiwa yisiqalekiso kuye.
Whoso is saluting his friend with a loud voice, In the morning rising early, A light thing it is reckoned to him.
15 Ukuchophelela ngosuku lwezulu eliqhubekayo lowesifazana oxabanayo kuyafanana.
A continual dropping in a day of rain, And a woman of contentions are alike,
16 Omfihlayo ufihla umoya, lamagcobo ahlangana lesandla sakhe sokunene.
Whoso is hiding her hath hidden the wind, And the ointment of his right hand calleth out.
17 Insimbi ilolwa ngensimbi; ngokunjalo umuntu ulola ubuso bomngane wakhe.
Iron by iron is sharpened, And a man sharpens the face of his friend.
18 Olondoloza isihlahla somkhiwa uzakudla isithelo saso; lolinda inkosi yakhe uzadunyiswa.
The keeper of a fig-tree eateth its fruit, And the preserver of his master is honoured.
19 Njengemanzini ubuso busebusweni, ngokunjalo inhliziyo yomuntu isemuntwini.
As [in] water the face [is] to face, So the heart of man to man.
Sheol and destruction are not satisfied, And the eyes of man are not satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 Imbiza yokucenga ngeyesiliva, lesithando ngesegolide; kunjalo umuntu ngokokudunyiswa kwakhe.
A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And a man according to his praise.
22 Lanxa ugiga isithutha ngomgigo engigeni phakathi kwengqoloyi, ubuthutha baso kabuyikusuka kuso.
If thou dost beat the foolish in a mortar, Among washed things — with a pestle, His folly turneth not aside from off him.
23 Yazi lokwazi isimo sezimvu zakho, beka inhliziyo yakho kumihlambi yakho,
Know well the face of thy flock, Set thy heart to the droves,
24 ngoba inotho kayisiyaphakade; kumbe umqhele ube sesizukulwaneni lesizukulwana yini?
For riches [are] not to the age, Nor a crown to generation and generation.
25 Utshani buyasuswa, lohlaza lubonakale, kubuthwe lemibhida yezintaba.
Revealed was the hay, and seen the tender grass, And gathered the herbs of mountains.
26 Amawundlu angawezigqoko zakho, lezimpongo ziyintengo yesiqinti.
Lambs [are] for thy clothing, And the price of the field [are] he-goats,
27 Kuzakuba lochago lwezimbuzi olwanele ukudla kwakho lokudla kwendlu yakho lempilo yencekukazi zakho.
And a sufficiency of goats' milk [is] for thy bread, For bread to thy house, and life to thy damsels!
