Izaga 6
1 Ndodana yami, uba uyisibambiso somakhelwane wakho, watshayela owezizwe isandla sakho,
My son, if thou hast become surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand for a stranger,
2 uthiywe ngamazwi omlomo wakho, ubanjwe ngamazwi omlomo wakho.
thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
3 Yenza lokhu khathesi, ndodana yami, uzophule, lokhu usesandleni sikamakhelwane wakho; hamba, uzithobe, umncengisise umakhelwane wakho.
Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, since thou hast come into the hand of thy friend: go, humble thyself, and be urgent with thy friend.
4 Unganiki amehlo akho ubuthongo, lokuwozela enkopheni zakho.
Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids:
5 Uzophule njengomziki esandleni somzingeli, lanjengenyoni esandleni somthiyi wenyoni.
deliver thyself as a gazelle from the hand [of the hunter], and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Yana ebunyonyweni, vila, ubone indlela zabo, uhlakaniphe.
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways and be wise:
7 Obuthi, bungelamkhokheli, induna, lombusi,
which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
8 bulungisa isinkwa sabo ehlobo, bubuthe ukudla kwabo esivunweni.
provideth her bread in the summer, [and] gathereth her food in the harvest.
9 Koze kube nini, vila, ulele? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?
How long, sluggard, wilt thou lie down? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
10 Ubuthongo obuncinyane, ukuwozela okuncinyane, ukusonga izandla okuncinyane ukuthi ulale,
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest!
11 besebusiza ubuyanga bakho njengesihambi, lenswelo yakho njengomuntu olesihlangu.
So shall thy poverty come as a roving plunderer, and thy penury as an armed man.
12 Umuntu kaBheliyali, umuntu okhohlakeleyo, ohamba lomlomo ophambeneyo,
A man of Belial, a wicked person, is he that goeth about with a perverse mouth;
13 afice amehlo akhe, akhulume ngenyawo zakhe, afundise ngeminwe yakhe,
he winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;
14 ukuphambuka kusenhliziyweni yakhe, uceba okubi ngesikhathi sonke, ephosela ingxabano.
deceits are in his heart; he deviseth mischief at all times, he soweth discords.
15 Ngenxa yalokhu ingozi yakhe izafika masinyane, ahle ephuke, kuze kungabi leselapho.
Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly: in a moment shall he be broken, and without remedy.
16 Lezizinto eziyisithupha iNkosi iyazizonda; yebo, eziyisikhombisa ziyizinengiso emphefumulweni wakhe:
These six [things] doth Jehovah hate, yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17 Amehlo aphakemeyo, ulimi oluqamba amanga, lezandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood;
18 inhliziyo eceba amacebo amabi, inyawo eziphangisa ukugijimela ububi,
a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations; feet that are swift in running to mischief;
19 umfakazi wamanga ophafuza izinkohliso, lophosela ingxabano phakathi kwabazalwane.
a false witness that uttereth lies, and he that soweth discords among brethren.
20 Ndodana yami, gcina umlayo kayihlo, ungakudeli ukufundisa kukanyoko.
My son, observe thy father's commandment, and forsake not the teaching of thy mother;
21 Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho njalo, kubophele entanyeni yakho.
bind them continually upon thy heart, tie them about thy neck:
22 Ekuhambeni kwakho kuzakukhokhela, ekulaleni kwakho kukulondoloze, lekuvukeni kwakho khona kukhulume lawe.
when thou walkest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and [when] thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
23 Ngoba umlayo uyisibane, lokufundisa kuyikukhanya, lokukhuza kokulaya kuyindlela yempilo,
For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching a light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24 ukuze kukugcine emfazini omubi, emazwini ayengayo olimi lowesifazana wemzini.
to keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
25 Ungaloyisi ubuhle bakhe enhliziyweni yakho; angakuthathi ngenkophe zakhe.
Lust not after her beauty in thy heart, neither let her take thee with her eyelids;
26 Ngoba ngenxa yomfazi oyisiphingi ungafika ecezwini lwesinkwa, lomfazi womuntu uzingela umphefumulo oligugu.
for by means of a whorish woman [a man is brought] to a loaf of bread, and another's wife doth hunt for the precious soul.
27 Kambe, umuntu angaphatha umlilo esifubeni sakhe, lezigqoko zakhe zingatshi?
Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his garments not be burned?
28 Umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle avuthayo, lenyawo zakhe zingatshi yini?
Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?
29 Unjalo ongena kumkamakhelwane wakhe; wonke omthintayo kayikuba msulwa.
So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife: whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
30 Kabalideleli isela, nxa liseba ukuthi ligcwalise umphefumulo walo, ngoba lilambile.
They do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry:
31 Uba litholwa, lihlawula kuphindwe kasikhombisa, linika yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
and if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
32 Ofeba lowesifazana uswela ingqondo; owenza lokhu nguye ochitha umphefumulo wakhe.
Whoso committeth adultery with a woman is void of understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
33 Uzathola ukutshaywa lesigcono, lehlazo lakhe kaliyikwesulwa.
A wound and contempt shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34 Ngoba ubukhwele bululaka lomuntu; ngakho kayikuba lasihawu ngosuku lwempindiselo.
For jealousy is the rage of a man, and he will not spare in the day of vengeance;
35 Kayikunanza loba yiyiphi inhlawulo, kayikuvuma lanxa usandisa isipho.
he will not regard any ransom, neither will he rest content though thou multipliest [thy] gifts.
