Izaga 6
1 Ndodana yami, uba uyisibambiso somakhelwane wakho, watshayela owezizwe isandla sakho,
My son, if you set aside your money as a guarantee for your neighbor's loan, if you gave your promise for a loan of someone you do not know,
2 uthiywe ngamazwi omlomo wakho, ubanjwe ngamazwi omlomo wakho.
then you have laid a trap for yourself by your promise and you have been caught by the words of your mouth.
3 Yenza lokhu khathesi, ndodana yami, uzophule, lokhu usesandleni sikamakhelwane wakho; hamba, uzithobe, umncengisise umakhelwane wakho.
When you are caught by your words, my son, do this and save yourself, since you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor; go and humble yourself and make your case before your neighbor.
4 Unganiki amehlo akho ubuthongo, lokuwozela enkopheni zakho.
Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber.
5 Uzophule njengomziki esandleni somzingeli, lanjengenyoni esandleni somthiyi wenyoni.
Save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Yana ebunyonyweni, vila, ubone indlela zabo, uhlakaniphe.
Look at the ant, you lazy person, consider her ways, and be wise.
7 Obuthi, bungelamkhokheli, induna, lombusi,
It has no commander, officer, or ruler,
8 bulungisa isinkwa sabo ehlobo, bubuthe ukudla kwabo esivunweni.
yet it prepares its food in the summer and during the harvest it stores up what it will eat.
9 Koze kube nini, vila, ulele? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?
How long will you sleep, you lazy person? When will you rise from your 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.
and your poverty will come like a robber and your needs like an armed soldier.
12 Umuntu kaBheliyali, umuntu okhohlakeleyo, ohamba lomlomo ophambeneyo,
A worthless person—a wicked man— lives by the crookedness of his speech,
13 afice amehlo akhe, akhulume ngenyawo zakhe, afundise ngeminwe yakhe,
winking his eyes, making signals with his feet and pointing with his fingers.
14 ukuphambuka kusenhliziyweni yakhe, uceba okubi ngesikhathi sonke, ephosela ingxabano.
He plots evil with deceit in his heart; he always stirs up discord.
15 Ngenxa yalokhu ingozi yakhe izafika masinyane, ahle ephuke, kuze kungabi leselapho.
Therefore his disaster will overtake him in an instant; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.
16 Lezizinto eziyisithupha iNkosi iyazizonda; yebo, eziyisikhombisa ziyizinengiso emphefumulweni wakhe:
There are six things that Yahweh hates, seven that are disgusting to him.
17 Amehlo aphakemeyo, ulimi oluqamba amanga, lezandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
The eyes of a proud person, a tongue that lies, hands that shed the blood of innocent people,
18 inhliziyo eceba amacebo amabi, inyawo eziphangisa ukugijimela ububi,
a heart that invents wicked schemes, feet that quickly run to do evil,
19 umfakazi wamanga ophafuza izinkohliso, lophosela ingxabano phakathi kwabazalwane.
a witness who breathes out lies and one who sows discord among brothers.
20 Ndodana yami, gcina umlayo kayihlo, ungakudeli ukufundisa kukanyoko.
My son, obey the command of your father and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
21 Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho njalo, kubophele entanyeni yakho.
Always bind them on your heart; tie them about your neck.
22 Ekuhambeni kwakho kuzakukhokhela, ekulaleni kwakho kukulondoloze, lekuvukeni kwakho khona kukhulume lawe.
When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you wake up, they will teach you.
23 Ngoba umlayo uyisibane, lokufundisa kuyikukhanya, lokukhuza kokulaya kuyindlela yempilo,
For the commands are a lamp, and the teaching is a light; the corrections that come by instruction are the way of life.
24 ukuze kukugcine emfazini omubi, emazwini ayengayo olimi lowesifazana wemzini.
It keeps you from the immoral woman, from the smooth words of an immoral woman.
25 Ungaloyisi ubuhle bakhe enhliziyweni yakho; angakuthathi ngenkophe zakhe.
Do not lust in your heart after her beauty and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes.
26 Ngoba ngenxa yomfazi oyisiphingi ungafika ecezwini lwesinkwa, lomfazi womuntu uzingela umphefumulo oligugu.
Sleeping with a prostitute can cost the price of a loaf of bread, but the wife of another may cost you your very life.
27 Kambe, umuntu angaphatha umlilo esifubeni sakhe, lezigqoko zakhe zingatshi?
Can a man carry a fire against his chest without burning his clothes?
28 Umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle avuthayo, lenyawo zakhe zingatshi yini?
Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?
29 Unjalo ongena kumkamakhelwane wakhe; wonke omthintayo kayikuba msulwa.
So is the man who sleeps with his neighbor's wife; the one who sleeps with her will not go unpunished.
30 Kabalideleli isela, nxa liseba ukuthi ligcwalise umphefumulo walo, ngoba lilambile.
People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his need when he is hungry.
31 Uba litholwa, lihlawula kuphindwe kasikhombisa, linika yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
Yet if he is caught, he will pay back seven times what he stole; he must give up everything of value in his house.
32 Ofeba lowesifazana uswela ingqondo; owenza lokhu nguye ochitha umphefumulo wakhe.
The one who commits adultery has no sense; the one who does it destroys himself.
33 Uzathola ukutshaywa lesigcono, lehlazo lakhe kaliyikwesulwa.
Wounds and shame are what he deserves and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
34 Ngoba ubukhwele bululaka lomuntu; ngakho kayikuba lasihawu ngosuku lwempindiselo.
For jealousy makes a man furious; he will show no mercy when he takes his revenge.
35 Kayikunanza loba yiyiphi inhlawulo, kayikuvuma lanxa usandisa isipho.
He will accept no compensation and he cannot be bought off, though you offer him many gifts.
