Izaga 28
1 Ababi babaleka kungekho umzingeli, kodwa abalungileyo balesibindi njengebhongo lesilwane.
Wicked [people] run away [even] when no one is pursuing them, but righteous/good [people are not afraid]; they are as brave as lions.
2 Ngesiphambeko sesizwe ababusi baso banengi; kodwa ngomuntu olokuqedisisa ololwazi ukuqonda kwaso kuyelulwa.
When [the people of] a nation sin, they will have one ruler after another; but when their leaders are wise and have good sense, their government will last for a long time.
3 Umuntu ongumyanga ocindezela abayanga ulizulu elikhukhulayo ukuze kungabi lokudla.
A poor person who oppresses [other] poor [people] is [like] [MET] a very heavy/hard rain that [destroys the crops], with the result that there is no food [for people to eat].
4 Abadela umlayo badumisa ababi, kodwa labo abagcina umlayo balwa labo.
Those who reject/disobey [God’s] laws always speak well of wicked [people]; but those who obey [God’s] laws [always] oppose what wicked people do.
5 Abantu ababi kabaqedisisi ukulunga, kodwa abadinga iNkosi baqedisisa konke.
Evil people do not understand what it means to act justly, but those who try to obey/worship Yahweh understand that very well.
6 Kungcono umyanga ohamba ngobuqotho bakhe kulophambene ngezindlela lanxa enothile.
It is better to be honest [even] though you are poor than to be dishonest [even] though you are rich.
7 Ogcina umlayo uyindodana eqedisisayo, kodwa ozihlanganisa lezigangi uyangisa uyise.
Young people who obey the laws are wise [IDM]; parents whose children associate with those who (carouse/go to wild parties) are humiliated/disgraced because of what their children do.
8 Owandisa inotho yakhe ngenzalo langenzuzo uyibuthela olomusa kubayanga.
When people become very rich by charging very high interest [DOU], their money will [eventually] go to someone who does kind things for the poor.
9 Ophambula indlebe yakhe ekulaleleni umlayo, lomkhuleko wakhe uzakuba yisinengiso.
If people do not obey [MTY] [God’s] laws, [God] (detests their prayers/considers that their prayers stink).
10 Oduhisela abaqotho endleleni embi yena uzawela emgodini wakhe, kodwa abaqotho bazakudla ilifa lokuhle.
Those who cause honest/good [people] to do what is evil will fall into their own pits/traps, but good things will happen to those who (are innocent/have not done what is wrong).
11 Indoda enothileyo ihlakaniphile emehlweni ayo, kodwa umyanga oqedisisayo uzayihlola.
[Many] rich people think that they are wise, but poor people who have good sense will find out whether rich people really are wise or not.
12 Lapho abalungileyo bethokoza, kulenkazimulo enkulu; kodwa nxa ababi bephakama, umuntu uyadingwa.
When righteous/good [people] (succeed/win [elections]), everyone (celebrates/is happy); but when wicked [people win], everyone hides [because they are afraid of what the wicked people will do].
13 Osibekela iziphambeko zakhe kayikuphumelela, kodwa ozivumayo azitshiye, uzahawukelwa.
Those who refuse to confess/admit their sins will not prosper, but [God] acts mercifully/kindly toward those who confess their sins and turn away from their sinful behavior.
14 Ubusisiwe umuntu owesaba njalonjalo, kodwa owenza inhliziyo yakhe ibe lukhuni uzawela ebubini.
[God] is pleased with those who always revere him, but those who are stubborn [IDM] will experience disasters.
15 Umbusi okhohlakeleyo phezu kwabantu abangabayanga uyisilwane esibhongayo lebhere elizingelayo.
Wicked people who [mistreat] poor people whom they rule are [as dangerous to them as] [SIM] a lion roaring [at them] or a bear springing up [to attack them].
16 Umbusi oswele ukuqedisisa konke wandisa lencindezelo; ozonda inzuzo embi uzakwelula insuku.
Rulers who do not have good sense cruelly oppress [the people they rule], but rulers who do not want to become rich by cheating/deceiving [people] will live (OR, rule) for a long time.
17 Umuntu ocindezelwe ligazi lomphefumulo uzabalekela emgodini; kabangamsekeli.
Those who are guilty of murdering [MTY] another person will (be fugitives/keep running away) until they die; do not help them to escape.
18 Ohamba ngobuqotho uzasindiswa, kodwa ophambene ngendlela ezimbili uzahle awe.
Those who [continually] do what is right will be safe/protected, but those who are dishonest will [suddenly] be ruined.
19 Olima umhlaba wakhe uzasutha ukudla, kodwa olandela abayize uzasutha ubuyanga.
Farmers who work [hard] in their fields will [produce good crops and always] have plenty of food [to eat], but those who spend all their time (on useless projects/doing things that do not benefit anyone) will become very poor.
20 Umuntu wothembeko lonke uzavama ngezibusiso, kodwa ophangisa ukunotha kayikuba msulwa.
[God] will greatly bless those who (are trustworthy/always do what they say that they will do), but he will certainly punish [LIT] those who try to become rich quickly.
21 Ukuhlonipha ubuso kakulunganga, ngoba umuntu uzakona ngenxa yocezu lwesinkwa.
It is not good [for judges] to decide matters unfairly/unjustly, but [some] people will do what is wrong [even] if they receive [only] a very small bribe [HYP] [for doing it].
22 Ophangisa ukunotha ungumuntu olelihlo elibi, njalo engazi ukuthi ubuyanga buzamehlela.
Selfish people [IDM] are very eager to become rich quickly; they do not realize that they will [soon] become poor.
23 Okhuza umuntu uzathola umusa emuva okwedlula okhohlisayo ngolimi.
Those who rebuke someone will be appreciated/thanked more than those who [say nice things to others merely] to (flatter them/cause them to feel good).
24 Ophanga uyise kumbe unina, athi: Akusiso isiphambeko; ungumngane womchithi.
Anyone who steals things from his father or his mother and says “That is not sinful” is as bad as a bandit.
25 Ongasuthisekiyo udunga ingxabano, kodwa othemba eNkosini uzakhuluphaliswa.
Greedy people cause trouble/strife; those who trust in Yahweh will prosper [IDM].
26 Othemba enhliziyweni yakhe uyisithutha, kodwa ohamba ngenhlakanipho uzakhululwa.
Those who believe that what they think [is always right] are foolish; those who act wisely will (escape danger/be safe).
27 Opha umyanga kayikuswela, kodwa ofihla amehlo akhe uzakuba leziqalekiso ezinengi.
Those who give things to poor [people] will not become poor, but many [people] will curse those who refuse to help [IDM] poor people.
28 Nxa abakhohlakeleyo bephakanyiswa, umuntu uyacatsha, kodwa nxa bebhubha, abalungileyo bayanda.
When wicked [people] become rulers, people hide [because they are afraid of what those wicked people will do]; but when wicked people are no longer rulers, good/righteous [people will] become the rulers.
