Proverbs 30
1 These are the words of Agur, son of Jakeh. An oracle. This is what the man says, God, I'm really tired, I'm worn out.
Amazwi ka-Aguri indodana kaJakhe, amazwi ahlakaniphileyo: Umuntu lo wathi ku-Ithiyeli: “Ngikhathele, Oh Nkulunkulu, kodwa ngizophumelela.
2 I'm so stupid I'm not really a man; I can't even think like a human being.
Angilalwazi okudlula bonke abantu; angilakho ukuzwisisa komuntu.
3 I have not learned wisdom; I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
Angikufundanga ukuhlakanipha njalo kangilalwazi ngaye oNgcwele.
4 Who has gone up to heaven, and come down? Who holds the winds in the palm of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has set the earth's boundaries? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Are you sure you don't know?
Ngubani oseke waya ezulwini waphinda wehla na? Ngubani oseke wafumbatha umoya ngesandla sakhe na? Ngubani oseke wagoqela amanzi ngesigqoko sakhe na? Ngubani omise yonke imikhawulo yomhlaba na? Lingubani ibizo lakhe, lebizo lendodana yakhe? Ngitshela nxa usazi!
5 Every word God says has been proved true. He defends everyone who comes to him for protection.
Wonke amazwi kaNkulunkulu akalamposiso; uyisihlangu kulabo abacatsha kuye.
6 Don't add anything to his words, or he will criticize you and you'll be shown to be a liar.
Ungengezeleli emazwini akhe, funa akukhuze akwenze umqambimanga.
7 God, I want to request two things from you. Please don't refuse to let me have them before I come to die.
Zimbili izinto engizicela kuwe, Oh Thixo; ungangincitshi zona ngingakafi:
8 Keep me from being false, help me not to tell lies. Don't make me poor or rich; just provide me with the food I need.
Susa kimi inkohliso lamanga; ungangiphi ubuyanga loba inotho, kodwa ungiphe kuphela ukudla kwami kwansukuzonke.
9 Otherwise if I have plenty of money, I may give up on you, saying, “Who is the Lord?” while if I'm poor I may steal and bring the name of my God into disrepute.
Phela ngingaba lokunengi kakhulu ngikuphike wena ngithi, ‘Ungubani uThixo?’ loba ngibengumyanga ngintshontshe; ngalokho ngiliyangise ibizo likaNkulunkulu wami.
10 Don't slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you and you'll suffer for it.
Ungahlebi inceku enkosini yayo, ngoba izakuqalekisa ungene enkathazweni.
11 There are some who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
Bakhona abathuka oyise, abangababusisiyo onina;
12 There are some who see themselves as pure but they're still filthy—they have not been washed.
labo abazibona belungile ikanti kabahlambululwanga emanyaleni abo;
13 There are some who think themselves so high and mighty, and who look down on others.
labo abamehlo abo ahlezi egcwele ulaka, abakhangela ngokudelela;
14 There are some who have teeth like swords, incisors like knives, ready to devour the poor from the earth, the needy from society.
labo omazinyo abo zinkemba, omihlathi yabo inanyathiselwe izingqamu ukuze baginye abayanga baphele emhlabeni, labaswelayo abaphakathi kwabantu.
15 The leech has two daughters who cry out, “Give me! Give me!” There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “Enough!”:
Umkhaza ulamadodakazi amabili; ayamemeza athi, ‘Siphe! Siphe!’ Zintathu izinto ezingasuthiyo, zine ezingakaze zithi, ‘Sekwanele!’:
16 The grave, the womb that doesn't become pregnant, the earth thirsty for water, and the fire that never says, “Enough!” (Sheol h7585)
lingcwaba yisisu senyumba, lomhlabathi ongasuthiyo amanzi, lomlilo ongezukufa wathi, ‘Sekwanele!’ (Sheol h7585)
17 People who ridicule their fathers and despise obedience to the mother will have their eyes pecked out by wild ravens and eaten by young vultures.
Ilihlo elihleka uyise, elidelela ukulalela unina, lizakotsholwa ngamawabayi asesigodini, lizadliwa ngamanqe.
18 These three things are amazingly hard for me, four things I just can't understand:
Kukhona izinto ezintathu ezingimangalisayo kakhulu, ezine engingazizwisisiyo:
19 The way an eagle soars in the sky, the way a snake slides over a rock, the way a ship sails across the sea, the way a man and a woman fall in love.
indlela yengqungqulu emkhathini, umzila wenyoka edwaleni, indlela yomkhumbi olwandle, lendlela yejaha lentombi.
20 This is the way of a woman who commits adultery: she eats, she wipes her mouth, and then says, “I haven't done anything wrong!”
Le yindlela yesiphingikazi: siyadla sesule umlomo waso besesisithi, ‘Angenzanga lutho olubi.’
21 Three things make the earth tremble, there are four things it can't support:
Zintathu izinto ezizamazamisa umhlaba, zine ongeke uzithwale:
22 a slave becoming a king, a stupid person eating like a pig,
yinceku ebayinkosi, yisiwula esisuthiyo,
23 an unbearable woman getting married, and a maidservant taking her mistress's place.
ngumfazi owendileyo ongathandwayo, lencekukazi ethathela inkosikazi indoda.
24 There are four things on earth that are small, but very wise:
Kukhona emhlabeni izinto ezine ezincinyane, ikanti-ke zihlakaniphile kakhulu:
25 Ants—they're not strong, but they work hard all summer storing up food.
Ubunyonyo kabulamandla anganani, kodwa buyabuthelela ukudla kwabo ehlobo;
26 Hyraxes—they don't have much power, but they make their homes in the rock.
lezimbila ziyizidalwa ezilamandla angatsho lutho, kodwa zenza izikhundla zazo ezingoxweni zamadwala;
27 Locusts—they don't have a king, but they all march in line abreast.
izintethe kazilankosi, kodwa zihamba ziludibi olwesabekayo;
28 Lizards—you can catch them in your hands, but they live in the king's palace.
umbankwa ungabanjwa ngesandla, kodwa ungena lasezigodlweni zamakhosi.
29 There are three things that are glorious to watch as they walk, four that look dignified as they move:
Kulezinto ezintathu ezihamba zinqekuza kamnandi, zine ezihamba zibeka kamnandi:
30 The lion, supreme among wild animals, who isn't frightened of anything.
yisilwane, esilamandla esabekayo phakathi kwezilo, esingabalekeli lutho;
31 The strutting starling, the male goat, and a king with his army.
liqhude eliditshazelayo, yimpongo, njalo lenkosi nxa ihanqwe libutho layo.
32 If you have been foolishly boasting about yourself, or if you've been planning to do something wrong, stop and put your hand over your mouth.
Nxa ube yisithutha waziphakamisa, kumbe nxa wakhe amacebo okwenza okubi, vala umlomo wakho ngesandla sakho.
33 Just as churning milk produces butter, and twisting someone's nose makes it bleed, so stirring up anger causes arguments.
Ngoba njengokuphehla uchago kudala iphehla, lanjengoba ukugubha amakhala kubanga umungula, kunjalo ukuvusa ulaka kudala ingxabano.”
