Izaga 30
1 Amazwi kaAguri indodana kaJake umMasa. Umuntu wathi kuIthiyeli, kuIthiyeli loUkhali:
The words of Gatherer the son of Vomiter. The vision which the man spoke with whom God is, and who being strengthened by God, abiding with him, said:
2 Isibili, ngiyisithutha kulomuntu, kangilakuqedisisa komuntu.
I am the most foolish of men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.
3 Kangifundanga inhlakanipho, kangilwazi ulwazi lwabangcwele.
I have not learned wisdom, and have not known the science of saints.
4 Ngubani owenyukela emazulwini njalo wehla? Ngubani oqoqe wafumbatha umoya ezandleni zakhe? Ngubani ogoqele amanzi esembathweni? Ngubani omise yonke imikhawulo yomhlaba? Lingubani ibizo lakhe, lebizo lendodana yakhe lingubani, uba usazi?
Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? who hath held the wind in his hands? who hath bound up the waters together as in a garment? who hath raised up all the borders of the earth? what is his name, and what is the name of his son, if thou knowest?
5 Lonke ilizwi likaNkulunkulu licwengekile; uyisihlangu kwabaphephela kuye.
Every word of God is fire tried: he is a buckler to them that hope in him.
6 Ungengezeleli emazwini akhe, hlezi akukhuze, utholwe ungumqambimanga.
Add not any thing to his words, lest thou be reproved, and found a liar:
7 Zimbili izinto engizicele kuwe; ungangigodleli zona ngingakafi.
Two things I have asked of thee, deny them not to me before I die.
8 Susa khatshana lami ize lamazwi amanga; ungangiphi ubuyanga loba inotho; ungiphe ukudla kwesabelo sami.
Remove far from me vanity, and lying words. Give me neither beggary, nor riches: give me only the necessaries of life:
9 Hlezi ngisuthe, ngikuphike ngithi: Ngubani iNkosi? Kumbe hlezi ngibe ngumyanga, ngintshontshe, ngithathe ngeze ibizo likaNkulunkulu wami.
Lest perhaps being filled, I should be tempted to deny, and say: Who is the Lord? or being compelled by poverty, I should steal, and forswear the name of my God.
10 Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, hlezi ikuthuke, ube lecala.
Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou fall.
11 Kulesizukulwana esithuka uyise, esingabusisi unina;
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
12 isizukulwana esihlambulukileyo emehlweni aso, kodwa esingahlanjululwanga engcekezeni yaso;
A generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.
13 isizukulwana omehlo aso aphakeme kangaka, lenkophe zaso ziphakanyisiwe;
A generation, whose eyes are lofty, and their eyelids lifted up on high.
14 isizukulwana omazinyo aso zinkemba, lesimazinyo aso omhlathi zingqamu, zokudla abayanga emhlabeni, labaswelayo ebantwini.
A generation, that for teeth hath swords, and grindeth with their jaw teeth, to devour the needy from off the earth, and the poor from among men.
15 Umkhaza ulamadodakazi amabili athi: Phana, phana; lezizontathu kazisuthi; ezine kazitsho ukuthi: Kwanele.
The horseleech hath two daughters that say: Bring, bring. There are three things that never are satisfied, and the fourth never saith: It is enough.
16 Ingcwaba, lesizalo esiyinyumba, umhlaba ongasuthi amanzi, lomlilo ongathi: Kwanele. (Sheol h7585)
Hell, and the mouth of the womb, and the earth which is not satisfied with water: and the fire never saith: It is enough. (Sheol h7585)
17 Ilihlo eliklolodela uyise, lelidelela ukulalela unina, amawabayi esihotsha azalikopola, labantwana bamanqe bazalidla.
The eye that mocketh at his father, and that despiseth the labour of his mother in bearing him, let the ravens of the brooks pick it out, and the young eagles eat it.
18 Lezizinto ezintathu ziyisimangaliso esikhulu kimi, yebo, ezine engingazaziyo:
Three things are hard to me, and the fourth I am utterly ignorant of.
19 Indlela yokhozi emazulwini, indlela yenyoka edwaleni, indlela yomkhumbi enhliziyweni yolwandle, lendlela yejaha entombini.
The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man in youth.
20 Injalo indlela yowesifazana oliwule; udla, esule umlomo wakhe, athi: Kangenzanga isiphambeko.
Such is also the way of an adulterous woman, who eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith: I have done no evil.
21 Ngenxa yezinto ezintathu umhlaba uyazamazama, yebo, ngenxa yezine ongezithwale:
By three things the earth is disturbed, and the fourth it cannot bear:
22 Ngenxa yesigqili nxa sibusa, lesithutha nxa sisuthi ukudla,
By a slave when he reigneth: by a fool when he is filled with meat:
23 ngenxa yesaliwakazi nxa sendile, lencekukazi nxa iyindlalifa yenkosikazi yayo.
By an odious woman when she is married: and by a bondwoman when she is heir to her mistress.
24 Lezi ezine zingezincinyane zomhlaba, kanti zihlakaniphile zenziwe zihlakaniphe:
There are four very little things of the earth, and they are wiser than the wise:
25 Ubunyonyo buyisizwe esingelamandla, kanti bulungisa ukudla kwabo ehlobo.
The ants, a feeble people, which provide themselves food in the harvest:
26 Imbila ziyisizwe esingelamandla, kanti zimisa indlu yazo edwaleni.
The rabbit, a weak people, which maketh its bed in the rock:
27 Intethe kazilankosi, kanti zonke ziphuma zehlukene ngamaviyo.
The locust hath no king, yet they all go out by their bands.
28 Umbankwa ubambelela ngezandla ezimbili, njalo usezigodlweni zenkosi.
The stellio supporteth itself on hands, and dwelleth in kings’ houses.
29 Lezi ezintathu zinyathela kuhle, yebo, ezine zihamba kuhle:
There are three things, which go well, and the fourth that walketh happily:
30 Isilwane esilamandla phakathi kwenyamazana, esingeyikubuyela emuva ngenxa yobuso loba ngobukabani;
A lion, the strongest of beasts, who hath no fear of any thing he meeteth:
31 inja ebhince okhalweni, kumbe impongo; lenkosi ileviyo lamabutho.
A cock girded about the loins: and a ram: and a king, whom none can resist.
32 Uba ube yisithutha ngokuziphakamisa, njalo uba ucebe okubi, beka isandla emlonyeni.
There is that hath appeared a fool after he was lifted up on high: for if he had understood, he would have laid his hand upon his mouth.
33 Ngoba ukuphehlwa kochago kuveza iphehla, lokucindezelwa kwempumulo kuveza igazi, lokucindezelwa kwentukuthelo kuveza ingxabano.
And he that strongly squeezeth the papa to bring out milk, straineth out butter: and he that violently bloweth his nose, bringeth out blood: and he that provoketh wrath bringeth forth strife.
