Izaga 6
1 Ndodana yami, uba uyisibambiso somakhelwane wakho, watshayela owezizwe isandla sakho,
My son, if thou have become surety for thy neighbour, —have struck for a stranger thy hands,
2 uthiywe ngamazwi omlomo wakho, ubanjwe ngamazwi omlomo wakho.
Thou hast been snared by the sayings of thy mouth, —thou hast been caught by the sayings of thy mouth.
3 Yenza lokhu khathesi, ndodana yami, uzophule, lokhu usesandleni sikamakhelwane wakho; hamba, uzithobe, umncengisise umakhelwane wakho.
Do this then, my son, and deliver thyself, When thou hast come into the hand of thy neighbour, Go, haste thee, and urge thy neighbour;
4 Unganiki amehlo akho ubuthongo, lokuwozela enkopheni zakho.
Do not give sleep to thine eyes, or slumber to thine eyelashes;
5 Uzophule njengomziki esandleni somzingeli, lanjengenyoni esandleni somthiyi wenyoni.
Deliver thyself, as a gazelle out of the hand, and as a bird, out of the hand of the fowler.
6 Yana ebunyonyweni, vila, ubone indlela zabo, uhlakaniphe.
Go to the ant, thou sluggard, observe her ways, and be wise;
7 Obuthi, bungelamkhokheli, induna, lombusi,
Which, having no harvest, scribe, or ruler,
8 bulungisa isinkwa sabo ehlobo, bubuthe ukudla kwabo esivunweni.
Prepareth, in the summer, her food, hath collected, in the harvest, her sustenance.
9 Koze kube nini, vila, ulele? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?
How long, O sluggard, wilt thou lie? how long ere thou rise from 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 come in, as a highwayman, thy poverty, and, thy want, as one armed with a shield.
12 Umuntu kaBheliyali, umuntu okhohlakeleyo, ohamba lomlomo ophambeneyo,
An abandoned man, a man of iniquity, [is he] who—goeth on in perversity of mouth;
13 afice amehlo akhe, akhulume ngenyawo zakhe, afundise ngeminwe yakhe,
Winketh with his eyes, speaketh with his foot, pointeth with his fingers;
14 ukuphambuka kusenhliziyweni yakhe, uceba okubi ngesikhathi sonke, ephosela ingxabano.
[Hath] perverse things in his heart, deviseth mischief on every occasion, strifes, he sendeth forth.
15 Ngenxa yalokhu ingozi yakhe izafika masinyane, ahle ephuke, kuze kungabi leselapho.
For this cause, suddenly cometh his doom, in a moment, shall he be torn in pieces and there be no mending.
16 Lezizinto eziyisithupha iNkosi iyazizonda; yebo, eziyisikhombisa ziyizinengiso emphefumulweni wakhe:
These six things, doth Yahweh hate, yea, seven, are the abomination of his soul: —
17 Amehlo aphakemeyo, ulimi oluqamba amanga, lezandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
Eyes that are lofty, a tongue that is false, and hands shedding innocent blood;
18 inhliziyo eceba amacebo amabi, inyawo eziphangisa ukugijimela ububi,
A heart contriving iniquitous devices, feet hasting to run into mischief;
19 umfakazi wamanga ophafuza izinkohliso, lophosela ingxabano phakathi kwabazalwane.
One that uttereth lies—a false witness, and one sending forth strifes between brethren.
20 Ndodana yami, gcina umlayo kayihlo, ungakudeli ukufundisa kukanyoko.
Observe thou, my son, the commandment of thy father, and do not decline from the instruction of thy mother:
21 Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho njalo, kubophele entanyeni yakho.
Bind them upon thy heart continually, fasten them upon thy neck;
22 Ekuhambeni kwakho kuzakukhokhela, ekulaleni kwakho kukulondoloze, lekuvukeni kwakho khona kukhulume lawe.
When thou walkest abroad, it shall guide thee, when thou sleepest, it shall watch over thee, when thou wakest, it shall speak to thee:
23 Ngoba umlayo uyisibane, lokufundisa kuyikukhanya, lokukhuza kokulaya kuyindlela yempilo,
For, a lamp, is the commandment, and, the instruction, a light, and, the way of life, are the reproofs of correction:
24 ukuze kukugcine emfazini omubi, emazwini ayengayo olimi lowesifazana wemzini.
To keep thee from the wicked woman, from the flattery of the tongue of her that is a stranger.
25 Ungaloyisi ubuhle bakhe enhliziyweni yakho; angakuthathi ngenkophe zakhe.
Do not covet her beauty, in thy heart, neither let her take thee, by her eyelashes;
26 Ngoba ngenxa yomfazi oyisiphingi ungafika ecezwini lwesinkwa, lomfazi womuntu uzingela umphefumulo oligugu.
Because, for the sake of an impure woman, [a man may be brought] even to a cake of bread, —and, a man’s wife, for a precious soul, may hunt!
27 Kambe, umuntu angaphatha umlilo esifubeni sakhe, lezigqoko zakhe zingatshi?
Can a man snatch up fire in his bosom, and, his clothes, not be burned?
28 Umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle avuthayo, lenyawo zakhe zingatshi yini?
Or can a man walk upon hot coals, and, his feet, not be burned?
29 Unjalo ongena kumkamakhelwane wakhe; wonke omthintayo kayikuba msulwa.
So, he that goeth in unto his neighbour’s wife, no man shall be guiltless who toucheth her!
30 Kabalideleli isela, nxa liseba ukuthi ligcwalise umphefumulo walo, ngoba lilambile.
Men despise not a thief, when he stealeth, to satisfy his appetite, because he is famished;
31 Uba litholwa, lihlawula kuphindwe kasikhombisa, linika yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
Yet, if found, he must pay back sevenfold, All the substance of his house, must he give:
32 Ofeba lowesifazana uswela ingqondo; owenza lokhu nguye ochitha umphefumulo wakhe.
He that committeth adultery with a woman, lacketh sense, A destroyer of his own life, is he that doeth it;
33 Uzathola ukutshaywa lesigcono, lehlazo lakhe kaliyikwesulwa.
Smiting and shame, shall he find, and, his reproach, shall not be wiped out;
34 Ngoba ubukhwele bululaka lomuntu; ngakho kayikuba lasihawu ngosuku lwempindiselo.
For, jealousy, is the rage of a man, nor will he spare, in the day of avenging;
35 Kayikunanza loba yiyiphi inhlawulo, kayikuvuma lanxa usandisa isipho.
He will not look, at any ransom, neither will he consent, though thou increase the bribe.
