Izaga 6
1 Ndodana yami, uba uyisibambiso somakhelwane wakho, watshayela owezizwe isandla sakho,
My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbour, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 uthiywe ngamazwi omlomo wakho, ubanjwe ngamazwi omlomo wakho.
you are trapped by the words of your mouth; you are ensnared 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, since you have come into the hand of your neighbour. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbour.
4 Unganiki amehlo akho ubuthongo, lokuwozela enkopheni zakho.
Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Uzophule njengomziki esandleni somzingeli, lanjengenyoni esandleni somthiyi wenyoni.
Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare 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 chief, overseer, or ruler,
8 bulungisa isinkwa sabo ehlobo, bubuthe ukudla kwabo esivunweni.
provides her bread 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, sluggard? When will you arise out of 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 sleep—
11 besebusiza ubuyanga bakho njengesihambi, lenswelo yakho njengomuntu olesihlangu.
so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.
12 Umuntu kaBheliyali, umuntu okhohlakeleyo, ohamba lomlomo ophambeneyo,
A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth,
13 afice amehlo akhe, akhulume ngenyawo zakhe, afundise ngeminwe yakhe,
who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers,
14 ukuphambuka kusenhliziyweni yakhe, uceba okubi ngesikhathi sonke, ephosela ingxabano.
in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.
15 Ngenxa yalokhu ingozi yakhe izafika masinyane, ahle ephuke, kuze kungabi leselapho.
Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.
16 Lezizinto eziyisithupha iNkosi iyazizonda; yebo, eziyisikhombisa ziyizinengiso emphefumulweni wakhe:
There are six things which the LORD hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:
17 Amehlo aphakemeyo, ulimi oluqamba amanga, lezandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 inhliziyo eceba amacebo amabi, inyawo eziphangisa ukugijimela ububi,
a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19 umfakazi wamanga ophafuza izinkohliso, lophosela ingxabano phakathi kwabazalwane.
a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord amongst brothers.
20 Ndodana yami, gcina umlayo kayihlo, ungakudeli ukufundisa kukanyoko.
My son, keep your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho njalo, kubophele entanyeni yakho.
Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.
22 Ekuhambeni kwakho kuzakukhokhela, ekulaleni kwakho kukulondoloze, lekuvukeni kwakho khona kukhulume lawe.
When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.
23 Ngoba umlayo uyisibane, lokufundisa kuyikukhanya, lokukhuza kokulaya kuyindlela yempilo,
For the commandment is a lamp, and the Torah is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
24 ukuze kukugcine emfazini omubi, emazwini ayengayo olimi lowesifazana wemzini.
to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.
25 Ungaloyisi ubuhle bakhe enhliziyweni yakho; angakuthathi ngenkophe zakhe.
Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.
26 Ngoba ngenxa yomfazi oyisiphingi ungafika ecezwini lwesinkwa, lomfazi womuntu uzingela umphefumulo oligugu.
For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.
27 Kambe, umuntu angaphatha umlilo esifubeni sakhe, lezigqoko zakhe zingatshi?
Can a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burnt?
28 Umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle avuthayo, lenyawo zakhe zingatshi yini?
Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?
29 Unjalo ongena kumkamakhelwane wakhe; wonke omthintayo kayikuba msulwa.
So is he who goes in to his neighbour’s wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.
30 Kabalideleli isela, nxa liseba ukuthi ligcwalise umphefumulo walo, ngoba lilambile.
Men don’t despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry,
31 Uba litholwa, lihlawula kuphindwe kasikhombisa, linika yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
but if he is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.
32 Ofeba lowesifazana uswela ingqondo; owenza lokhu nguye ochitha umphefumulo wakhe.
He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.
33 Uzathola ukutshaywa lesigcono, lehlazo lakhe kaliyikwesulwa.
He will get wounds and dishonour. His reproach will not be wiped away.
34 Ngoba ubukhwele bululaka lomuntu; ngakho kayikuba lasihawu ngosuku lwempindiselo.
For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won’t spare in the day of vengeance.
35 Kayikunanza loba yiyiphi inhlawulo, kayikuvuma lanxa usandisa isipho.
He won’t regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.
