Izaga 30
1 Amazwi kaAguri indodana kaJake umMasa. Umuntu wathi kuIthiyeli, kuIthiyeli loUkhali:
The words of Agur the son of Yakeh, even the prophecy: the man said unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ukkal,
2 Isibili, ngiyisithutha kulomuntu, kangilakuqedisisa komuntu.
“Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a common man.
3 Kangifundanga inhlakanipho, kangilwazi ulwazi lwabangcwele.
Nor have I learned wisdom, so that I should have knowledge of the Holy One.
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 was it that ascended into heaven, and came down again? who gathered the wind in his fists? who bound the waters in a garment? who set up all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest it?”
5 Lonke ilizwi likaNkulunkulu licwengekile; uyisihlangu kwabaphephela kuye.
Every saying of God is purified: he is a shield unto those that put their trust in him.
6 Ungengezeleli emazwini akhe, hlezi akukhuze, utholwe ungumqambimanga.
Do not add aught unto his words: lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Zimbili izinto engizicele kuwe; ungangigodleli zona ngingakafi.
Two things do I request 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.
Vanity and lying words do thou remove far from me: neither poverty nor riches give thou unto me; let me eat the bread appointed unto me:
9 Hlezi ngisuthe, ngikuphike ngithi: Ngubani iNkosi? Kumbe hlezi ngibe ngumyanga, ngintshontshe, ngithathe ngeze ibizo likaNkulunkulu wami.
Lest I become over-full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I become poor, and steal, and trespass against the name of my God.
10 Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, hlezi ikuthuke, ube lecala.
Do not calumniate a servant unto his master: lest he curse thee, and thou incur guilt.
11 Kulesizukulwana esithuka uyise, esingabusisi unina;
There is a generation that curseth its father, and doth not bless its mother.
12 isizukulwana esihlambulukileyo emehlweni aso, kodwa esingahlanjululwanga engcekezeni yaso;
There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, and yet is not washed [clean] of its filthiness.
13 isizukulwana omehlo aso aphakeme kangaka, lenkophe zaso ziphakanyisiwe;
There is a generation—O how lofty are its eyes! and its eyelids are so lifted up.
14 isizukulwana omazinyo aso zinkemba, lesimazinyo aso omhlathi zingqamu, zokudla abayanga emhlabeni, labaswelayo ebantwini.
There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and whose string teeth are as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
15 Umkhaza ulamadodakazi amabili athi: Phana, phana; lezizontathu kazisuthi; ezine kazitsho ukuthi: Kwanele.
Insatiability hath two daughters, [crying, ] Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things which never say, Enough:
16 Ingcwaba, lesizalo esiyinyumba, umhlaba ongasuthi amanzi, lomlilo ongathi: Kwanele. (Sheol h7585)
The nether world; and a barren womb; the earth which is not satisfied with water; and the fire which never saith, Enough. (Sheol h7585)
17 Ilihlo eliklolodela uyise, lelidelela ukulalela unina, amawabayi esihotsha azalikopola, labantwana bamanqe bazalidla.
The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, this shall the ravens of the valley pick out; and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 Lezizinto ezintathu ziyisimangaliso esikhulu kimi, yebo, ezine engingazaziyo:
Three things there are which are too wonderful for me; and four, which I know not:
19 Indlela yokhozi emazulwini, indlela yenyoka edwaleni, indlela yomkhumbi enhliziyweni yolwandle, lendlela yejaha entombini.
The way of the eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a young woman.
20 Injalo indlela yowesifazana oliwule; udla, esule umlomo wakhe, athi: Kangenzanga isiphambeko.
Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wrong.
21 Ngenxa yezinto ezintathu umhlaba uyazamazama, yebo, ngenxa yezine ongezithwale:
Under three things the earth trembleth, and under four which she cannot bear:
22 Ngenxa yesigqili nxa sibusa, lesithutha nxa sisuthi ukudla,
Under a servant when he becometh king, and a worthless fool when he hath eaten enough bread;
23 ngenxa yesaliwakazi nxa sendile, lencekukazi nxa iyindlalifa yenkosikazi yayo.
Under an odious woman when she is married, and a bond-woman when she dispossesseth her mistress.
24 Lezi ezine zingezincinyane zomhlaba, kanti zihlakaniphile zenziwe zihlakaniphe:
There are four which are the little ones of the earth, and they are nevertheless exceedingly wise:
25 Ubunyonyo buyisizwe esingelamandla, kanti bulungisa ukudla kwabo ehlobo.
The ants are a people not strong, therefore do they prepare in the summer their food;
26 Imbila ziyisizwe esingelamandla, kanti zimisa indlu yazo edwaleni.
The conies are but a feeble people, therefore do they place on the rocks their houses;
27 Intethe kazilankosi, kanti zonke ziphuma zehlukene ngamaviyo.
The locusts have no king, and yet they go forth in troops altogether;
28 Umbankwa ubambelela ngezandla ezimbili, njalo usezigodlweni zenkosi.
The spider thou canst catch with [thy] hands, and yet she is in the palaces of a king.
29 Lezi ezintathu zinyathela kuhle, yebo, ezine zihamba kuhle:
Three there are that have a stately step, and four, that are stately in going:
30 Isilwane esilamandla phakathi kwenyamazana, esingeyikubuyela emuva ngenxa yobuso loba ngobukabani;
The lion, the mightiest among beasts, who turneth not round from before any one;
31 inja ebhince okhalweni, kumbe impongo; lenkosi ileviyo lamabutho.
The light-legged greyhound, and the he-goat; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
32 Uba ube yisithutha ngokuziphakamisa, njalo uba ucebe okubi, beka isandla emlonyeni.
If thou hast become degraded by lifting up thyself, or if thou hast devised evil, put thy hand to thy mouth:
33 Ngoba ukuphehlwa kochago kuveza iphehla, lokucindezelwa kwempumulo kuveza igazi, lokucindezelwa kwentukuthelo kuveza ingxabano.
For the pressure of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressure of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the pressure of wrath bringeth forth strife.
