Izaga 30
1 Amazwi kaAguri indodana kaJake umMasa. Umuntu wathi kuIthiyeli, kuIthiyeli loUkhali:
The words of Agur son of Jakeh—the utterance: This man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
2 Isibili, ngiyisithutha kulomuntu, kangilakuqedisisa komuntu.
Surely I am more like an animal than any human and I do not have the understanding of a human being.
3 Kangifundanga inhlakanipho, kangilwazi ulwazi lwabangcwele.
I have not learned wisdom, nor do I 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 has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has gathered up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!
5 Lonke ilizwi likaNkulunkulu licwengekile; uyisihlangu kwabaphephela kuye.
Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Ungengezeleli emazwini akhe, hlezi akukhuze, utholwe ungumqambimanga.
Do not add to his words, or he will discipline you, and you will be proved to be a liar.
7 Zimbili izinto engizicele kuwe; ungangigodleli zona ngingakafi.
Two things I ask of you, do not withhold them from me before I die:
8 Susa khatshana lami ize lamazwi amanga; ungangiphi ubuyanga loba inotho; ungiphe ukudla kwesabelo sami.
Put vanity and lies far away from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches, just give me the food I need.
9 Hlezi ngisuthe, ngikuphike ngithi: Ngubani iNkosi? Kumbe hlezi ngibe ngumyanga, ngintshontshe, ngithathe ngeze ibizo likaNkulunkulu wami.
For if I have too much, I might deny you and say, “Who is Yahweh?” Or if I become poor, I might steal and profane the name of my God.
10 Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, hlezi ikuthuke, ube lecala.
Do not slander a slave before his master, or he will curse you and you will be held guilty.
11 Kulesizukulwana esithuka uyise, esingabusisi unina;
There is a generation that curses their father and does not bless their mother.
12 isizukulwana esihlambulukileyo emehlweni aso, kodwa esingahlanjululwanga engcekezeni yaso;
There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, and yet they are not washed of their filth.
13 isizukulwana omehlo aso aphakeme kangaka, lenkophe zaso ziphakanyisiwe;
There is a generation whose eyes are raised up, and how high are their eyelids lifted up!
14 isizukulwana omazinyo aso zinkemba, lesimazinyo aso omhlathi zingqamu, zokudla abayanga emhlabeni, labaswelayo ebantwini.
There is a generation whose teeth are swords, and their jawbones are like knives, so they may devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity.
15 Umkhaza ulamadodakazi amabili athi: Phana, phana; lezizontathu kazisuthi; ezine kazitsho ukuthi: Kwanele.
The leech has two daughters: “Give and give” they cry. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “Enough”:
16 Ingcwaba, lesizalo esiyinyumba, umhlaba ongasuthi amanzi, lomlilo ongathi: Kwanele. (Sheol h7585)
Sheol; the barren womb; land that is never satisfied with water; and the fire that never says, “Enough!” (Sheol h7585)
17 Ilihlo eliklolodela uyise, lelidelela ukulalela unina, amawabayi esihotsha azalikopola, labantwana bamanqe bazalidla.
The eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, his eyes will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, and he will be eaten by the vultures.
18 Lezizinto ezintathu ziyisimangaliso esikhulu kimi, yebo, ezine engingazaziyo:
There are three things that are too wonderful for me, four that I do not understand:
19 Indlela yokhozi emazulwini, indlela yenyoka edwaleni, indlela yomkhumbi enhliziyweni yolwandle, lendlela yejaha entombini.
the way of an eagle in the sky; the way of a snake on 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.
This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and she wipes her mouth and says, “I have done nothing wrong.”
21 Ngenxa yezinto ezintathu umhlaba uyazamazama, yebo, ngenxa yezine ongezithwale:
Under three things the earth trembles, and under four it cannot bear up:
22 Ngenxa yesigqili nxa sibusa, lesithutha nxa sisuthi ukudla,
a slave when he becomes king; a fool when he is filled with food;
23 ngenxa yesaliwakazi nxa sendile, lencekukazi nxa iyindlalifa yenkosikazi yayo.
a hated woman when she marries; and a maid when she takes the place of her mistress.
24 Lezi ezine zingezincinyane zomhlaba, kanti zihlakaniphile zenziwe zihlakaniphe:
Four things on earth are small and yet they are very wise:
25 Ubunyonyo buyisizwe esingelamandla, kanti bulungisa ukudla kwabo ehlobo.
the ants are creatures that are not strong, but they prepare their food in the summer;
26 Imbila ziyisizwe esingelamandla, kanti zimisa indlu yazo edwaleni.
the rock badgers are not mighty creatures, but they make their homes in the rocks.
27 Intethe kazilankosi, kanti zonke ziphuma zehlukene ngamaviyo.
Locusts have no king, but all of them march in rank.
28 Umbankwa ubambelela ngezandla ezimbili, njalo usezigodlweni zenkosi.
As for the lizard, you can hold it in your two hands, yet they are found in kings' palaces.
29 Lezi ezintathu zinyathela kuhle, yebo, ezine zihamba kuhle:
There are three things that are stately in their stride and four that are stately in how they walk:
30 Isilwane esilamandla phakathi kwenyamazana, esingeyikubuyela emuva ngenxa yobuso loba ngobukabani;
a lion, strongest among wild animals— it does not turn away from anything;
31 inja ebhince okhalweni, kumbe impongo; lenkosi ileviyo lamabutho.
a strutting rooster; a goat; and a king whose soldiers are beside him.
32 Uba ube yisithutha ngokuziphakamisa, njalo uba ucebe okubi, beka isandla emlonyeni.
If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil— put your hand over your mouth.
33 Ngoba ukuphehlwa kochago kuveza iphehla, lokucindezelwa kwempumulo kuveza igazi, lokucindezelwa kwentukuthelo kuveza ingxabano.
As churning milk makes butter and as one's nose will produce blood if it is twisted, so deeds done in anger produce conflict.
