Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;
Ungabi lamhawu ngabantu ababi, ungaloyisi ukuba labo.
2 for their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
Ngoba inhliziyo yabo iceba udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma uhlupho.
3 Through wisdom is a house built, and by understanding it is established;
Ngenhlakanipho indlu iyakhiwa, langokuqedisisa iqiniswe.
4 and by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant substance.
Langolwazi amakamelo agcwaliswa ngempahla zonke eziligugu lezimnandi.
5 A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla, lomuntu ololwazi uqinisa amandla.
6 For with good advice shalt thou make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
Ngoba ngezeluleko ezihlakaniphileyo ungalawula impi yakho, lokukhululwa kusebunengini babeluleki.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: he will not open his mouth in the gate.
Inhlakanipho enkulu iphakeme esiwuleni; esangweni kasivuli umlomo waso.
8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a master of intrigues.
Oceba ukwenza okubi, bazambiza ngokuthi ngumnikazi wamacebo amabi.
9 The purpose of folly is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to men.
Umcabango wobuwula yisono, lesideleli siyisinengiso emuntwini.
10 [If] thou losest courage in the day of trouble, thy strength is small.
Uba uzitshengisa uxega ngosuku lokuhlupheka, amandla akho mancinyane.
11 Deliver them that are taken forth unto death, and withdraw not from them that stagger to slaughter.
Bophule abasiwa ekufeni, labatatalikela ekubulaweni, kungathi ungabanqanda.
12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not, will not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that preserveth thy soul, he knoweth it; and he rendereth to man according to his work.
Uba usithi: Khangela besingakwazi lokhu; ohlola izinhliziyo yena kayikukunanzelela yini? Olondoloza umphefumulo wakho yena kakwazi yini? ngitsho ubuyisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe?
13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good; and a honeycomb is sweet to thy taste:
Dlana uluju, ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile, lohlanga loluju lumnandi elwangeni lwakho.
14 so consider wisdom for thy soul; if thou hast found it, there shall be a result, and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
Lunjalo ulwazi lwenhlakanipho emphefumulweni wakho; uba uluthola, kuzakuba lomvuzo, lethemba lakho kaliyikuqunywa.
15 Lay not wait, O wicked [man], against the dwelling of the righteous; lay not waste his resting-place.
Wena okhohlakeleyo, ungacathameli umuzi wolungileyo; ungachithi indawo yakhe yokuphumula.
16 For the righteous falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked stumble into disaster.
Ngoba olungileyo uzakuwa kasikhombisa, avuke futhi; kodwa abakhohlakeleyo bazakhubeka ebubini.
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
Ungathokozi ngokuwa kwesitha sakho, lekukhubekeni kwaso inhliziyo yakho kayingajabuli;
18 lest Jehovah see it, and it be evil in his sight, and he turn away his anger from him.
hlezi iNkosi ikubone, kube kubi emehlweni ayo, iphendule ulaka lwayo ilususe kuso.
19 Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, [and] be not envious of the wicked:
Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabenzi bobubi, ungabi lamhawu ngabakhohlakeleyo;
20 for there shall be no future to the evil [man]; the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
ngoba omubi kayikuba lomvuzo; isibane sabakhohlakeleyo sizacitshwa.
21 My son, fear Jehovah and the king: meddle not with them that are given to change.
Ndodana yami, yesaba uJehova lenkosi; ungahlanganyeli labaguquguqukayo;
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
ngoba incithakalo yabo izavuka masinyane; njalo ngubani owazi ukuchitheka kwabo bobabili?
23 These things also come from the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
Lala ngawabahlakaniphileyo. Ukunaka ubuso kusahlulelo kakulunganga.
24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him;
Othi kokhohlakeleyo: Wena ulungile; abantu bazamqalekisa, izizwe zizamthukuthelela.
25 but to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, and a good blessing cometh upon them.
Kodwa kulabo abamkhuzayo kuzakuba lentokozo, lesibusiso esihle sizabehlela.
26 He kisseth the lips who giveth a right answer.
Ophendula ngamazwi aqondileyo uzakwanga indebe.
27 Prepare thy work without, and put thy field in order, and afterwards build thy house.
Lungisa umsebenzi wakho ngaphandle, uzilungiselele wona ensimini, emva kwalokho wakhe indlu yakho.
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and wouldest thou deceive with thy lips?
Ungabi ngumfakazi umelene lomakhelwane wakho kungelasizatho, kumbe ukhohlise ngendebe zakho.
29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me, I will render to the man according to his work.
Ungathi: Njengokwenza kwakhe kimi ngizakwenza njalo kuye; ngizaphindisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe.
30 I went by the field of a sluggard, and by the vineyard of a man void of understanding;
Ngedlula ensimini yevila, lesivinini somuntu oswele ingqondo;
31 and lo, it was all grown over with thistles, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and its stone wall was broken down.
khangela-ke, konke kwakumile ameva, imbabazane yayisibekele ubuso bakho, lomthangala wakho wamatshe udilikile.
32 Then I looked, I took it to heart; I saw, I received instruction:
Mina-ke ngakukhangela, ngakubeka enhliziyweni yami; ngakubona, ngemukela imfundiso.
33 — A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest!
Ubuthongo obuncinyane, ukuwozela okuncinyane, ukusonga izandla okuncinyane ukuthi kulalwe,
34 So shall thy poverty come [as] a roving plunderer, and thy penury as an armed man.
besebusiza ubuyanga bakho njengesihambi, lenswelo zakho njengomuntu ohlomileyo.
