Izaga 6
1 Ndodana yami, uba uyisibambiso somakhelwane wakho, watshayela owezizwe isandla sakho,
My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, thou hast engaged fast thy hand to a stranger.
2 uthiywe ngamazwi omlomo wakho, ubanjwe ngamazwi omlomo wakho.
Thou art ensnared with the words of thy mouth, and caught with thy own words.
3 Yenza lokhu khathesi, ndodana yami, uzophule, lokhu usesandleni sikamakhelwane wakho; hamba, uzithobe, umncengisise umakhelwane wakho.
Do therefore, my son, what I say, and deliver thyself: because thou art fallen into the hand of thy neighbour. Run about, make haste, stir up thy friend:
4 Unganiki amehlo akho ubuthongo, lokuwozela enkopheni zakho.
Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber.
5 Uzophule njengomziki esandleni somzingeli, lanjengenyoni esandleni somthiyi wenyoni.
Deliver thyself as a doe from the hand, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Yana ebunyonyweni, vila, ubone indlela zabo, uhlakaniphe.
Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom:
7 Obuthi, bungelamkhokheli, induna, lombusi,
Which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain,
8 bulungisa isinkwa sabo ehlobo, bubuthe ukudla kwabo esivunweni.
Provideth her meat for herself 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 rise out of thy sleep?
10 Ubuthongo obuncinyane, ukuwozela okuncinyane, ukusonga izandla okuncinyane ukuthi ulale,
Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep:
11 besebusiza ubuyanga bakho njengesihambi, lenswelo yakho njengomuntu olesihlangu.
And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee.
12 Umuntu kaBheliyali, umuntu okhohlakeleyo, ohamba lomlomo ophambeneyo,
A man that is an apostate, an unprofitable man, walketh with a perverse mouth,
13 afice amehlo akhe, akhulume ngenyawo zakhe, afundise ngeminwe yakhe,
He winketh with the eyes, presseth with the foot, speaketh with the finger.
14 ukuphambuka kusenhliziyweni yakhe, uceba okubi ngesikhathi sonke, ephosela ingxabano.
With a wicked heart he deviseth evil, and at all times he soweth discord.
15 Ngenxa yalokhu ingozi yakhe izafika masinyane, ahle ephuke, kuze kungabi leselapho.
To such a one his destruction shall presently come, and he shall suddenly be destroyed, and shall no longer have any remedy.
16 Lezizinto eziyisithupha iNkosi iyazizonda; yebo, eziyisikhombisa ziyizinengiso emphefumulweni wakhe:
Six things there are, which the Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul detesteth:
17 Amehlo aphakemeyo, ulimi oluqamba amanga, lezandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 inhliziyo eceba amacebo amabi, inyawo eziphangisa ukugijimela ububi,
A heart that deviseth wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief,
19 umfakazi wamanga ophafuza izinkohliso, lophosela ingxabano phakathi kwabazalwane.
A deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren.
20 Ndodana yami, gcina umlayo kayihlo, ungakudeli ukufundisa kukanyoko.
My son, beep the commandments of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.
21 Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho njalo, kubophele entanyeni yakho.
Bind them in thy heart continually, and put them about thy neck.
22 Ekuhambeni kwakho kuzakukhokhela, ekulaleni kwakho kukulondoloze, lekuvukeni kwakho khona kukhulume lawe.
When thou walkest, let them go with thee: when thou sleepest, let them keep thee; and when thou awakest, talk with them.
23 Ngoba umlayo uyisibane, lokufundisa kuyikukhanya, lokukhuza kokulaya kuyindlela yempilo,
Because the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24 ukuze kukugcine emfazini omubi, emazwini ayengayo olimi lowesifazana wemzini.
That they may keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the stranger.
25 Ungaloyisi ubuhle bakhe enhliziyweni yakho; angakuthathi ngenkophe zakhe.
Let not thy heart covet her beauty, be not caught with her winks:
26 Ngoba ngenxa yomfazi oyisiphingi ungafika ecezwini lwesinkwa, lomfazi womuntu uzingela umphefumulo oligugu.
For the price of a harlot is scarce one loaf: but the woman catcheth the precious soul of a man.
27 Kambe, umuntu angaphatha umlilo esifubeni sakhe, lezigqoko zakhe zingatshi?
Can a man hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not burn?
28 Umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle avuthayo, lenyawo zakhe zingatshi yini?
Or can he walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt?
29 Unjalo ongena kumkamakhelwane wakhe; wonke omthintayo kayikuba msulwa.
So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife, shall not be clean when he shall touch her.
30 Kabalideleli isela, nxa liseba ukuthi ligcwalise umphefumulo walo, ngoba lilambile.
The fault is not so great when a man hath stolen: for he stealeth to fill his hungry soul:
31 Uba litholwa, lihlawula kuphindwe kasikhombisa, linika yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
And if he be taken he shall restore sevenfold, and shall give up all the substance of his house.
32 Ofeba lowesifazana uswela ingqondo; owenza lokhu nguye ochitha umphefumulo wakhe.
But he that is an adulterer, for the folly of his heart shall destroy his own soul:
33 Uzathola ukutshaywa lesigcono, lehlazo lakhe kaliyikwesulwa.
He gathereth to himself shame and dishonour, and his reproach shall not be blotted out:
34 Ngoba ubukhwele bululaka lomuntu; ngakho kayikuba lasihawu ngosuku lwempindiselo.
Because the jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge,
35 Kayikunanza loba yiyiphi inhlawulo, kayikuvuma lanxa usandisa isipho.
Nor will he yield to any man’s prayers, nor will he accept for satisfaction ever so many gifts.
