Izaga 6
1 Ndodana yami, uba uyisibambiso somakhelwane wakho, watshayela owezizwe isandla sakho,
My son, if you have taken a pledge on behalf of your friend, then you have bound your hand to an outsider,
2 uthiywe ngamazwi omlomo wakho, ubanjwe ngamazwi omlomo wakho.
then you are ensnared by the words of your own mouth, and taken captive by your own words.
3 Yenza lokhu khathesi, ndodana yami, uzophule, lokhu usesandleni sikamakhelwane wakho; hamba, uzithobe, umncengisise umakhelwane wakho.
Therefore, my son, do what I say, and free yourself, for you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor. Run, hurry, awaken your friend.
4 Unganiki amehlo akho ubuthongo, lokuwozela enkopheni zakho.
Do not grant sleep to your eyes, nor let your eyelids slumber.
5 Uzophule njengomziki esandleni somzingeli, lanjengenyoni esandleni somthiyi wenyoni.
Rescue yourself like a gazelle from the hand, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Yana ebunyonyweni, vila, ubone indlela zabo, uhlakaniphe.
Go to the ant, you lazy one, and consider her ways, and so learn wisdom.
7 Obuthi, bungelamkhokheli, induna, lombusi,
For though she has no ruler, nor instructor, nor leader,
8 bulungisa isinkwa sabo ehlobo, bubuthe ukudla kwabo esivunweni.
she provides meals for herself in the summer, and she gathers at the harvest what she may eat.
9 Koze kube nini, vila, ulele? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?
How long will you slumber, you lazy one? When will you rise up from your sleep?
10 Ubuthongo obuncinyane, ukuwozela okuncinyane, ukusonga izandla okuncinyane ukuthi ulale,
You will sleep a little, you will slumber a little, you will fold your hands a little to sleep,
11 besebusiza ubuyanga bakho njengesihambi, lenswelo yakho njengomuntu olesihlangu.
and then destitution will meet with you, like a traveler, and poverty, like an armed man. Yet truly, if you would be diligent, then your harvest will arrive like a fountain, and destitution will flee far from you.
12 Umuntu kaBheliyali, umuntu okhohlakeleyo, ohamba lomlomo ophambeneyo,
An apostate man, a harmful man, walks with a perverse mouth;
13 afice amehlo akhe, akhulume ngenyawo zakhe, afundise ngeminwe yakhe,
he winks with the eyes, touches with the foot, speaks with the finger.
14 ukuphambuka kusenhliziyweni yakhe, uceba okubi ngesikhathi sonke, ephosela ingxabano.
With a depraved heart he devises evil, and at all times he sows conflict.
15 Ngenxa yalokhu ingozi yakhe izafika masinyane, ahle ephuke, kuze kungabi leselapho.
To this one, his perdition will arrive promptly, and he shall be crushed suddenly: he will no longer have any remedy.
16 Lezizinto eziyisithupha iNkosi iyazizonda; yebo, eziyisikhombisa ziyizinengiso emphefumulweni wakhe:
Six things there are that the Lord hates, and the seventh, his soul detests:
17 Amehlo aphakemeyo, ulimi oluqamba amanga, lezandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 inhliziyo eceba amacebo amabi, inyawo eziphangisa ukugijimela ububi,
a heart that devises the most wicked thoughts, feet running swiftly unto evil,
19 umfakazi wamanga ophafuza izinkohliso, lophosela ingxabano phakathi kwabazalwane.
a deceitful witness bringing forth lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
20 Ndodana yami, gcina umlayo kayihlo, ungakudeli ukufundisa kukanyoko.
My son, preserve the precepts of your father, and do not dismiss the law of your mother.
21 Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho njalo, kubophele entanyeni yakho.
Bind them to your heart unceasingly, and encircle them around your throat.
22 Ekuhambeni kwakho kuzakukhokhela, ekulaleni kwakho kukulondoloze, lekuvukeni kwakho khona kukhulume lawe.
When you walk, let them keep step with you. When you sleep, let them guard you. And when you keep watch, speak with them.
23 Ngoba umlayo uyisibane, lokufundisa kuyikukhanya, lokukhuza kokulaya kuyindlela yempilo,
For commandment is a lamp, and law is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life.
24 ukuze kukugcine emfazini omubi, emazwini ayengayo olimi lowesifazana wemzini.
So may they guard you from an evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the outsider.
25 Ungaloyisi ubuhle bakhe enhliziyweni yakho; angakuthathi ngenkophe zakhe.
Let not your heart desire her beauty; do not be captivated by her winks.
26 Ngoba ngenxa yomfazi oyisiphingi ungafika ecezwini lwesinkwa, lomfazi womuntu uzingela umphefumulo oligugu.
For the price of a prostitute is only one loaf. Yet the woman seizes the precious soul of a man.
27 Kambe, umuntu angaphatha umlilo esifubeni sakhe, lezigqoko zakhe zingatshi?
Would a man be able to conceal fire in his bosom, so that his garments would not burn?
28 Umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle avuthayo, lenyawo zakhe zingatshi yini?
Or could he walk over burning coals, so that his feet would not be burned?
29 Unjalo ongena kumkamakhelwane wakhe; wonke omthintayo kayikuba msulwa.
So also, he who enters to the wife of his neighbor shall not be clean when he touches her.
30 Kabalideleli isela, nxa liseba ukuthi ligcwalise umphefumulo walo, ngoba lilambile.
Not so great is the fault when someone has stolen. For he steals so as to satisfy a hungry soul.
31 Uba litholwa, lihlawula kuphindwe kasikhombisa, linika yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
Also, if he is apprehended, he shall repay sevenfold and hand over all the substance of his house.
32 Ofeba lowesifazana uswela ingqondo; owenza lokhu nguye ochitha umphefumulo wakhe.
But whoever is an adulterer, because of the emptiness of his heart, will destroy his own soul.
33 Uzathola ukutshaywa lesigcono, lehlazo lakhe kaliyikwesulwa.
He gathers shame and dishonor to himself, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
34 Ngoba ubukhwele bululaka lomuntu; ngakho kayikuba lasihawu ngosuku lwempindiselo.
For the jealousy and fury of the husband will not spare him on the day of vindication,
35 Kayikunanza loba yiyiphi inhlawulo, kayikuvuma lanxa usandisa isipho.
nor will he agree to the pleadings of anyone, nor will he accept, as repayment, a multitude of gifts.
