Izaga 6
1 Ndodana yami, uba uyisibambiso somakhelwane wakho, watshayela owezizwe isandla sakho,
My son, if you be surety for your friend, if you have stricken your hand with a stranger,
2 uthiywe ngamazwi omlomo wakho, ubanjwe ngamazwi omlomo wakho.
You are snared with the words of your mouth, you are taken with the words of your mouth.
3 Yenza lokhu khathesi, ndodana yami, uzophule, lokhu usesandleni sikamakhelwane wakho; hamba, uzithobe, umncengisise umakhelwane wakho.
Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, when you are come into the hand of your friend; go, humble yourself, and make sure your friend.
4 Unganiki amehlo akho ubuthongo, lokuwozela enkopheni zakho.
Give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Uzophule njengomziki esandleni somzingeli, lanjengenyoni esandleni somthiyi wenyoni.
Deliver yourself as a roe 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, you sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
7 Obuthi, bungelamkhokheli, induna, lombusi,
Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8 bulungisa isinkwa sabo ehlobo, bubuthe ukudla kwabo esivunweni.
Provides her meat in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
9 Koze kube nini, vila, ulele? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?
How long will you sleep, O sluggard? when will you arise out of your sleep?
10 Ubuthongo obuncinyane, ukuwozela okuncinyane, ukusonga izandla okuncinyane ukuthi ulale,
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
11 besebusiza ubuyanga bakho njengesihambi, lenswelo yakho njengomuntu olesihlangu.
So shall your poverty come as one that travels, and your want as an armed man.
12 Umuntu kaBheliyali, umuntu okhohlakeleyo, ohamba lomlomo ophambeneyo,
A naughty person, a wicked man, walks with a fraudulent mouth.
13 afice amehlo akhe, akhulume ngenyawo zakhe, afundise ngeminwe yakhe,
He winks with his eyes, he speaks with his feet, he teaches with his fingers;
14 ukuphambuka kusenhliziyweni yakhe, uceba okubi ngesikhathi sonke, ephosela ingxabano.
Frowardness is in his heart, he devises mischief continually; he sows discord.
15 Ngenxa yalokhu ingozi yakhe izafika masinyane, ahle ephuke, kuze kungabi leselapho.
Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
16 Lezizinto eziyisithupha iNkosi iyazizonda; yebo, eziyisikhombisa ziyizinengiso emphefumulweni wakhe:
These six things does the LORD hate: yes, seven are an abomination to him:
17 Amehlo aphakemeyo, ulimi oluqamba amanga, lezandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 inhliziyo eceba amacebo amabi, inyawo eziphangisa ukugijimela ububi,
An heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 umfakazi wamanga ophafuza izinkohliso, lophosela ingxabano phakathi kwabazalwane.
A false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brothers.
20 Ndodana yami, gcina umlayo kayihlo, ungakudeli ukufundisa kukanyoko.
My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of your mother:
21 Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho njalo, kubophele entanyeni yakho.
Bind them continually on your heart, and tie them about your neck.
22 Ekuhambeni kwakho kuzakukhokhela, ekulaleni kwakho kukulondoloze, lekuvukeni kwakho khona kukhulume lawe.
When you go, it shall lead you; when you sleep, it shall keep you; and when you wake, it shall talk with you.
23 Ngoba umlayo uyisibane, lokufundisa kuyikukhanya, lokukhuza kokulaya kuyindlela yempilo,
For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24 ukuze kukugcine emfazini omubi, emazwini ayengayo olimi lowesifazana wemzini.
To keep you 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 your heart; neither let her take you 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 piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.
27 Kambe, umuntu angaphatha umlilo esifubeni sakhe, lezigqoko zakhe zingatshi?
Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
28 Umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle avuthayo, lenyawo zakhe zingatshi yini?
Can one go on hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
29 Unjalo ongena kumkamakhelwane wakhe; wonke omthintayo kayikuba msulwa.
So he that goes in to his neighbor’s wife; whoever touches her shall not be innocent.
30 Kabalideleli isela, nxa liseba ukuthi ligcwalise umphefumulo walo, ngoba lilambile.
Men 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.
But 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.
But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding: he that does it destroys his own soul.
33 Uzathola ukutshaywa lesigcono, lehlazo lakhe kaliyikwesulwa.
A wound and dishonor 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: therefore 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 you give many gifts.
