Izaga 26
1 Njengeliqhwa elikhithikileyo ehlobo lanjengezulu ngesikhathi sokuvuna, ngokunjalo udumo kalusifanelanga isithutha.
Like snow in summer and rain when the grain is being cut, so honour is not natural for the foolish.
2 Njengenyoni ekuzulazuleni, njengenkonjane ekuphapheni, ngokunjalo isiqalekiso kungelasizatho kasiyikufika.
As the sparrow in her wandering and the swallow in her flight, so the curse does not come without a cause.
3 Isiswepu ngesebhiza, itomu ngelikababhemi, loswazi ngolomhlana wezithutha.
A whip for the horse, a mouth-bit for the ass, and a rod for the back of the foolish.
4 Ungaphenduli isithutha ngokobuthutha baso, hlezi lawe ufanane laso.
Do not give to the foolish man a foolish answer, or you will be like him.
5 Phendula isithutha ngokobuthutha baso, hlezi sibe ngesihlakaniphileyo emehlweni aso.
Give a foolish man a foolish answer, or he will seem wise to himself.
6 Othumela amazwi ngesandla sesithutha, uquma inyawo, unatha isihluku.
He who sends news by the hand of a foolish man is cutting off his feet and drinking in damage.
7 Imilenze yesiqhuli iyalengalenga; sinjalo isaga emlonyeni wezithutha.
The legs of one who has no power of walking are hanging loose; so is a wise saying in the mouth of the foolish.
8 Njengokubophela ilitshe esavutheni, unjalo onika udumo esithutheni.
Giving honour to a foolish man is like attempting to keep a stone fixed in a cord.
9 Njengameva enyuka esandleni sesidakwa sinjalo isaga emlonyeni wezithutha.
Like a thorn which goes up into the hand of a man overcome by drink, so is a wise saying in the mouth of a foolish man.
10 Omkhulu owabumba konke uvuza isithutha, avuze abadlulayo.
Like an archer wounding all who go by, is a foolish man overcome by drink.
11 Njengenja ebuyela emahlanzweni ayongokunjalo isithutha siphinda ubuthutha baso.
Like a dog going back to the food which he has not been able to keep down, is the foolish man doing his foolish acts over again.
12 Uyabona yini umuntu ohlakaniphileyo emehlweni akhe? Kulethemba elikhulu esithutheni kulaye.
Have you seen a man who seems to himself to be wise? There is more hope for the foolish than for him.
13 Olivila uthi: Kulesilwane endleleni; isilwane sisezitaladeni.
The hater of work says, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
14 Isivalo siphenduka ngamabhanti aso, ngokunjalo ivila embhedeni walo.
A door is turned on its pillar, and the hater of work on his bed.
15 Ivila lifihla isandla salo emganwini, liyavilapha ukusibuyisela emlonyeni walo.
The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin: lifting it again to his mouth is a weariness to him.
16 Ivila lihlakaniphile emehlweni alo okwedlula abayisikhombisa abangaphendula ngenhlakanipho.
The hater of work seems to himself wiser than seven men who are able to give an answer with good sense.
17 Odlulayo engenela ingxabano engeyisiyo eyakhe ungobamba indlebe zenja.
He who gets mixed up in a fight which is not his business, is like one who takes a dog by the ears while it is going by.
18 Njengohlanya oluphosa izikhuni ezivuthayo, imitshoko, lokufa,
As one who is off his head sends about flaming sticks and arrows of death,
19 unjalo umuntu okhohlisa umakhelwane wakhe, abesesithi: Kangisomi yini?
So is the man who gets the better of his neighbour by deceit, and says, Am I not doing so in sport?
20 Uba kungelankuni umlilo uyacitsha; njalo uba kungelakunyeya, ukuxabana kuyathula.
Without wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no secret talk, argument is ended.
21 Njengamalahle emalahleni avuthayo, lenkuni emlilweni, unjalo umuntu wenkani ngowokubasa ingxabano.
Like breath on coals and wood on fire, so a man given to argument gets a fight started.
22 Amazwi onyeyayo anjengezibondlo ezehlela kokungaphakathi kwesisu.
The words of one who says evil of his neighbour secretly are like sweet food, they go down into the inner parts of the stomach.
23 Indebe ezivuthayo lenhliziyo embi kungamanyele esiliva ahuqa ukhamba.
Smooth lips and an evil heart are like a vessel of earth plated with silver waste.
24 Ozondayo uyazenzisa ngezindebe zakhe, kodwa ufaka inkohliso ngaphakathi kwakhe.
With his lips the hater makes things seem what they are not, but deceit is stored up inside him;
25 Lapho esenza ilizwi lakhe libe ngelomusa, ungamkholwa, ngoba izinengiso eziyisikhombisa zisenhliziyweni yakhe.
When he says fair words, have no belief in him; for in his heart are seven evils:
26 Inzondo isibekelwa ngenkohliso; ububi bakhe buzakwembulwa ebandleni.
Though his hate is covered with deceit, his sin will be seen openly before the meeting of the people.
27 Ogebhayo umgodi uzawela kuwo, logiqa ilitshe, lizabuyela kuye.
He who makes a hole in the earth will himself go falling into it: and on him by whom a stone is rolled the stone will come back again.
28 Ulimi lwamanga luzonda olubachobozayo, lomlomo obutshelezi usebenza incithakalo.
A false tongue has hate for those who have clean hearts, and a smooth mouth is a cause of falling.
