Izaga 6
1 Ndodana yami, uba uyisibambiso somakhelwane wakho, watshayela owezizwe isandla sakho,
My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with 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, deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure 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 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, thou 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.
Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
9 Koze kube nini, vila, ulele? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?
How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy 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 thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
12 Umuntu kaBheliyali, umuntu okhohlakeleyo, ohamba lomlomo ophambeneyo,
A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward 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.
Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth 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 doth YHWH hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto 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 deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 umfakazi wamanga ophafuza izinkohliso, lophosela ingxabano phakathi kwabazalwane.
A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
20 Ndodana yami, gcina umlayo kayihlo, ungakudeli ukufundisa kukanyoko.
My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
21 Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho njalo, kubophele entanyeni yakho.
Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.
22 Ekuhambeni kwakho kuzakukhokhela, ekulaleni kwakho kukulondoloze, lekuvukeni kwakho khona kukhulume lawe.
When thou goest, 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 law is 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 thine 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 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 upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
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.
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 whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
33 Uzathola ukutshaywa lesigcono, lehlazo lakhe kaliyikwesulwa.
A wound and dishonour 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 thou givest many gifts.
