Izaga 30
1 Amazwi kaAguri indodana kaJake umMasa. Umuntu wathi kuIthiyeli, kuIthiyeli loUkhali:
Words of a Gatherer, son of an obedient one, the declaration, an affirmation of the man: — I have wearied myself [for] God, I have wearied myself [for] God, and am consumed.
2 Isibili, ngiyisithutha kulomuntu, kangilakuqedisisa komuntu.
For I am more brutish than any one, And have not the understanding of a man.
3 Kangifundanga inhlakanipho, kangilwazi ulwazi lwabangcwele.
Nor have I learned wisdom, Yet the knowledge of Holy Ones I know.
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 went up to heaven, and cometh down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound waters in a garment? Who established all ends of the earth? What [is] His name? and what His son's name? Surely thou knowest!
5 Lonke ilizwi likaNkulunkulu licwengekile; uyisihlangu kwabaphephela kuye.
Every saying of God [is] tried, A shield He [is] to those trusting in Him.
6 Ungengezeleli emazwini akhe, hlezi akukhuze, utholwe ungumqambimanga.
Add not to His words, lest He reason with thee, And thou hast been found false.
7 Zimbili izinto engizicele kuwe; ungangigodleli zona ngingakafi.
Two things I have asked from Thee, Withhold not from me before I die.
8 Susa khatshana lami ize lamazwi amanga; ungangiphi ubuyanga loba inotho; ungiphe ukudla kwesabelo sami.
Vanity and a lying word put far from me, Poverty or wealth give not to me, Cause me to eat the bread of my portion,
9 Hlezi ngisuthe, ngikuphike ngithi: Ngubani iNkosi? Kumbe hlezi ngibe ngumyanga, ngintshontshe, ngithathe ngeze ibizo likaNkulunkulu wami.
Lest I become satiated, and have denied, And have said, 'Who [is] Jehovah?' And lest I be poor, and have stolen, And have laid hold of the name of my God.
10 Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, hlezi ikuthuke, ube lecala.
Accuse not a servant unto his lord, Lest he disesteem thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 Kulesizukulwana esithuka uyise, esingabusisi unina;
A generation [is], that lightly esteemeth their father, And their mother doth not bless.
12 isizukulwana esihlambulukileyo emehlweni aso, kodwa esingahlanjululwanga engcekezeni yaso;
A generation — pure in their own eyes, But from their own filth not washed.
13 isizukulwana omehlo aso aphakeme kangaka, lenkophe zaso ziphakanyisiwe;
A generation — how high are their eyes, Yea, their eyelids are lifted up.
14 isizukulwana omazinyo aso zinkemba, lesimazinyo aso omhlathi zingqamu, zokudla abayanga emhlabeni, labaswelayo ebantwini.
A generation — swords [are] their teeth, And knives — their jaw-teeth, To consume the poor from earth, And the needy from [among] men.
15 Umkhaza ulamadodakazi amabili athi: Phana, phana; lezizontathu kazisuthi; ezine kazitsho ukuthi: Kwanele.
To the leech [are] two daughters, 'Give, give, Lo, three things are not satisfied, Four have not said 'Sufficiency;'
16 Ingcwaba, lesizalo esiyinyumba, umhlaba ongasuthi amanzi, lomlilo ongathi: Kwanele. (Sheol h7585)
Sheol, and a restrained womb, Earth — it [is] not satisfied [with] water, And fire — it hath not said, 'Sufficiency,' (Sheol h7585)
17 Ilihlo eliklolodela uyise, lelidelela ukulalela unina, amawabayi esihotsha azalikopola, labantwana bamanqe bazalidla.
An eye that mocketh at a father, And despiseth to obey a mother, Dig it out do ravens of the valley, And eat it do young eagles.
18 Lezizinto ezintathu ziyisimangaliso esikhulu kimi, yebo, ezine engingazaziyo:
Three things have been too wonderful for me, Yea, four that I have not known:
19 Indlela yokhozi emazulwini, indlela yenyoka edwaleni, indlela yomkhumbi enhliziyweni yolwandle, lendlela yejaha entombini.
The way of the eagle in the heavens, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the heart of the sea, And the way of a man in youth.
20 Injalo indlela yowesifazana oliwule; udla, esule umlomo wakhe, athi: Kangenzanga isiphambeko.
So — the way of an adulterous woman, She hath eaten and hath wiped her mouth, And hath said, 'I have not done iniquity.'
21 Ngenxa yezinto ezintathu umhlaba uyazamazama, yebo, ngenxa yezine ongezithwale:
For three things hath earth been troubled, And for four — it is not able to bear:
22 Ngenxa yesigqili nxa sibusa, lesithutha nxa sisuthi ukudla,
For a servant when he reigneth, And a fool when he is satisfied with bread,
23 ngenxa yesaliwakazi nxa sendile, lencekukazi nxa iyindlalifa yenkosikazi yayo.
For a hated one when she ruleth, And a maid-servant when she succeedeth her mistress.
24 Lezi ezine zingezincinyane zomhlaba, kanti zihlakaniphile zenziwe zihlakaniphe:
Four [are] little ones of earth, And they are made wiser than the wise:
25 Ubunyonyo buyisizwe esingelamandla, kanti bulungisa ukudla kwabo ehlobo.
The ants [are] a people not strong, And they prepare in summer their food,
26 Imbila ziyisizwe esingelamandla, kanti zimisa indlu yazo edwaleni.
Conies [are] a people not strong, And they place in a rock their house,
27 Intethe kazilankosi, kanti zonke ziphuma zehlukene ngamaviyo.
A king there is not to the locust, And it goeth out — each one shouting,
28 Umbankwa ubambelela ngezandla ezimbili, njalo usezigodlweni zenkosi.
A spider with two hands taketh hold, And is in the palaces of a king.
29 Lezi ezintathu zinyathela kuhle, yebo, ezine zihamba kuhle:
Three there are going well, Yea, four are good in going:
30 Isilwane esilamandla phakathi kwenyamazana, esingeyikubuyela emuva ngenxa yobuso loba ngobukabani;
An old lion — mighty among beasts, That turneth not back from the face of any,
31 inja ebhince okhalweni, kumbe impongo; lenkosi ileviyo lamabutho.
A girt one of the loins, or a he-goat, And a king — no rising up with him.
32 Uba ube yisithutha ngokuziphakamisa, njalo uba ucebe okubi, beka isandla emlonyeni.
If thou hast been foolish in lifting up thyself, And if thou hast devised evil — hand to mouth!
33 Ngoba ukuphehlwa kochago kuveza iphehla, lokucindezelwa kwempumulo kuveza igazi, lokucindezelwa kwentukuthelo kuveza ingxabano.
For the churning of milk bringeth out butter, And the wringing of the nose bringeth out blood, And the forcing of anger bringeth out strife!
