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