Izaga 6
1 Ndodana yami, uba uyisibambiso somakhelwane wakho, watshayela owezizwe isandla sakho,
My son, suppose you have pledged to guarantee your neighbor's debt, or you have shaken hands in agreement with a stranger,
2 uthiywe ngamazwi omlomo wakho, ubanjwe ngamazwi omlomo wakho.
then you've trapped yourself by what you promised, you've been caught by what you said.
3 Yenza lokhu khathesi, ndodana yami, uzophule, lokhu usesandleni sikamakhelwane wakho; hamba, uzithobe, umncengisise umakhelwane wakho.
So this is what you have to do. You need to get out of it, because you've put yourself in that person's power. Go to your neighbor in all humility and ask him to release you from the commitment.
4 Unganiki amehlo akho ubuthongo, lokuwozela enkopheni zakho.
Don't delay, saying that you'll sleep on it. Don't rest until you've done it.
5 Uzophule njengomziki esandleni somzingeli, lanjengenyoni esandleni somthiyi wenyoni.
Get out of it like a gazelle escaping from a trap, like a bird from a bird-catcher's net.
6 Yana ebunyonyweni, vila, ubone indlela zabo, uhlakaniphe.
Go and observe the ants, you slacker! Learn from what they do and become wise.
7 Obuthi, bungelamkhokheli, induna, lombusi,
They don't have a leader, an officer, or a ruler,
8 bulungisa isinkwa sabo ehlobo, bubuthe ukudla kwabo esivunweni.
yet they work hard during the summer getting their food, gathering what they need during the harvest.
9 Koze kube nini, vila, ulele? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?
So how long are you going to lie there, you slacker? When are you going to get up from your sleep?
10 Ubuthongo obuncinyane, ukuwozela okuncinyane, ukusonga izandla okuncinyane ukuthi ulale,
You may say, “Please, just a little more sleep, a little longer snooze, a little more folding of the arms to rest”—
11 besebusiza ubuyanga bakho njengesihambi, lenswelo yakho njengomuntu olesihlangu.
and poverty will attack you like a robber, destitution like an armed warrior.
12 Umuntu kaBheliyali, umuntu okhohlakeleyo, ohamba lomlomo ophambeneyo,
Rebellious and wicked people go around telling lies,
13 afice amehlo akhe, akhulume ngenyawo zakhe, afundise ngeminwe yakhe,
winking slyly, giving sneaky foot gestures, rudely pointing with their fingers.
14 ukuphambuka kusenhliziyweni yakhe, uceba okubi ngesikhathi sonke, ephosela ingxabano.
Their warped minds plot evil schemes; they're always causing trouble.
15 Ngenxa yalokhu ingozi yakhe izafika masinyane, ahle ephuke, kuze kungabi leselapho.
As a result, disaster falls suddenly on such people; in just a moment they're destroyed without hope of healing.
16 Lezizinto eziyisithupha iNkosi iyazizonda; yebo, eziyisikhombisa ziyizinengiso emphefumulweni wakhe:
There are six things that the Lord hates, seven things that he absolutely detests:
17 Amehlo aphakemeyo, ulimi oluqamba amanga, lezandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that murder the innocent,
18 inhliziyo eceba amacebo amabi, inyawo eziphangisa ukugijimela ububi,
a mind that plots evil schemes, feet that hurriedly run to do wrong,
19 umfakazi wamanga ophafuza izinkohliso, lophosela ingxabano phakathi kwabazalwane.
a false witness that speaks lies, those who caused arguments in families.
20 Ndodana yami, gcina umlayo kayihlo, ungakudeli ukufundisa kukanyoko.
My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
21 Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho njalo, kubophele entanyeni yakho.
Keep them always in mind. Tie them around your neck.
22 Ekuhambeni kwakho kuzakukhokhela, ekulaleni kwakho kukulondoloze, lekuvukeni kwakho khona kukhulume lawe.
They will lead you as you walk along; they will watch over you as you sleep; when you wake up they will talk with you.
23 Ngoba umlayo uyisibane, lokufundisa kuyikukhanya, lokukhuza kokulaya kuyindlela yempilo,
For the instruction is a lamp, and the teaching is a light. The correction that comes from discipline is the way to life.
24 ukuze kukugcine emfazini omubi, emazwini ayengayo olimi lowesifazana wemzini.
It will protect you from an evil woman and the seductive words of a prostitute.
25 Ungaloyisi ubuhle bakhe enhliziyweni yakho; angakuthathi ngenkophe zakhe.
Don't let your mind lust after her beauty, or let her hypnotize you with her fluttering eyelashes.
26 Ngoba ngenxa yomfazi oyisiphingi ungafika ecezwini lwesinkwa, lomfazi womuntu uzingela umphefumulo oligugu.
You can buy a prostitute for the price of a loaf of bread, but adultery with another man's wife can cost you your life.
27 Kambe, umuntu angaphatha umlilo esifubeni sakhe, lezigqoko zakhe zingatshi?
Can you put fire in your lap and not burn your clothes?
28 Umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle avuthayo, lenyawo zakhe zingatshi yini?
Can you walk on hot coals and not scorch your feet?
29 Unjalo ongena kumkamakhelwane wakhe; wonke omthintayo kayikuba msulwa.
It's the same for anyone who sleeps with another man's wife. No one who touches her will remain unpunished.
30 Kabalideleli isela, nxa liseba ukuthi ligcwalise umphefumulo walo, ngoba lilambile.
People don't condemn a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he's hungry.
31 Uba litholwa, lihlawula kuphindwe kasikhombisa, linika yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
But if he's caught, he has to pay back seven times what he stole, even if it means handing over everything he has in his house.
32 Ofeba lowesifazana uswela ingqondo; owenza lokhu nguye ochitha umphefumulo wakhe.
Any man who commits adultery with a woman has no sense; he who does so destroys himself.
33 Uzathola ukutshaywa lesigcono, lehlazo lakhe kaliyikwesulwa.
He will be wounded and dishonored. His disgrace will never be removed.
34 Ngoba ubukhwele bululaka lomuntu; ngakho kayikuba lasihawu ngosuku lwempindiselo.
For jealousy makes a husband furious, and he won't hold back when he takes revenge.
35 Kayikunanza loba yiyiphi inhlawulo, kayikuvuma lanxa usandisa isipho.
He refuses any compensation, and won't be paid off, however big the amount.
