Proverbs 6
1 My son, suppose you have pledged to guarantee your neighbor's debt, or you have shaken hands in agreement with a stranger,
Ndodana yami, uba uyisibambiso somakhelwane wakho, watshayela owezizwe isandla sakho,
2 then you've trapped yourself by what you promised, you've been caught by what you said.
uthiywe ngamazwi omlomo wakho, ubanjwe ngamazwi omlomo wakho.
3 So this is what you have to do. You need to get out of it, because you've put yourself in that person's power. Go to your neighbor in all humility and ask him to release you from the commitment.
Yenza lokhu khathesi, ndodana yami, uzophule, lokhu usesandleni sikamakhelwane wakho; hamba, uzithobe, umncengisise umakhelwane wakho.
4 Don't delay, saying that you'll sleep on it. Don't rest until you've done it.
Unganiki amehlo akho ubuthongo, lokuwozela enkopheni zakho.
5 Get out of it like a gazelle escaping from a trap, like a bird from a bird-catcher's net.
Uzophule njengomziki esandleni somzingeli, lanjengenyoni esandleni somthiyi wenyoni.
6 Go and observe the ants, you slacker! Learn from what they do and become wise.
Yana ebunyonyweni, vila, ubone indlela zabo, uhlakaniphe.
7 They don't have a leader, an officer, or a ruler,
Obuthi, bungelamkhokheli, induna, lombusi,
8 yet they work hard during the summer getting their food, gathering what they need during the harvest.
bulungisa isinkwa sabo ehlobo, bubuthe ukudla kwabo esivunweni.
9 So how long are you going to lie there, you slacker? When are you going to get up from your sleep?
Koze kube nini, vila, ulele? Uzavuka nini ebuthongweni bakho?
10 You may say, “Please, just a little more sleep, a little longer snooze, a little more folding of the arms to rest”—
Ubuthongo obuncinyane, ukuwozela okuncinyane, ukusonga izandla okuncinyane ukuthi ulale,
11 and poverty will attack you like a robber, destitution like an armed warrior.
besebusiza ubuyanga bakho njengesihambi, lenswelo yakho njengomuntu olesihlangu.
12 Rebellious and wicked people go around telling lies,
Umuntu kaBheliyali, umuntu okhohlakeleyo, ohamba lomlomo ophambeneyo,
13 winking slyly, giving sneaky foot gestures, rudely pointing with their fingers.
afice amehlo akhe, akhulume ngenyawo zakhe, afundise ngeminwe yakhe,
14 Their warped minds plot evil schemes; they're always causing trouble.
ukuphambuka kusenhliziyweni yakhe, uceba okubi ngesikhathi sonke, ephosela ingxabano.
15 As a result, disaster falls suddenly on such people; in just a moment they're destroyed without hope of healing.
Ngenxa yalokhu ingozi yakhe izafika masinyane, ahle ephuke, kuze kungabi leselapho.
16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven things that he absolutely detests:
Lezizinto eziyisithupha iNkosi iyazizonda; yebo, eziyisikhombisa ziyizinengiso emphefumulweni wakhe:
17 arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that murder the innocent,
Amehlo aphakemeyo, ulimi oluqamba amanga, lezandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,
18 a mind that plots evil schemes, feet that hurriedly run to do wrong,
inhliziyo eceba amacebo amabi, inyawo eziphangisa ukugijimela ububi,
19 a false witness that speaks lies, those who caused arguments in families.
umfakazi wamanga ophafuza izinkohliso, lophosela ingxabano phakathi kwabazalwane.
20 My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
Ndodana yami, gcina umlayo kayihlo, ungakudeli ukufundisa kukanyoko.
21 Keep them always in mind. Tie them around your neck.
Kubophele enhliziyweni yakho njalo, kubophele entanyeni yakho.
22 They will lead you as you walk along; they will watch over you as you sleep; when you wake up they will talk with you.
Ekuhambeni kwakho kuzakukhokhela, ekulaleni kwakho kukulondoloze, lekuvukeni kwakho khona kukhulume lawe.
23 For the instruction is a lamp, and the teaching is a light. The correction that comes from discipline is the way to life.
Ngoba umlayo uyisibane, lokufundisa kuyikukhanya, lokukhuza kokulaya kuyindlela yempilo,
24 It will protect you from an evil woman and the seductive words of a prostitute.
ukuze kukugcine emfazini omubi, emazwini ayengayo olimi lowesifazana wemzini.
25 Don't let your mind lust after her beauty, or let her hypnotize you with her fluttering eyelashes.
Ungaloyisi ubuhle bakhe enhliziyweni yakho; angakuthathi ngenkophe zakhe.
26 You can buy a prostitute for the price of a loaf of bread, but adultery with another man's wife can cost you your life.
Ngoba ngenxa yomfazi oyisiphingi ungafika ecezwini lwesinkwa, lomfazi womuntu uzingela umphefumulo oligugu.
27 Can you put fire in your lap and not burn your clothes?
Kambe, umuntu angaphatha umlilo esifubeni sakhe, lezigqoko zakhe zingatshi?
28 Can you walk on hot coals and not scorch your feet?
Umuntu angahamba phezu kwamalahle avuthayo, lenyawo zakhe zingatshi yini?
29 It's the same for anyone who sleeps with another man's wife. No one who touches her will remain unpunished.
Unjalo ongena kumkamakhelwane wakhe; wonke omthintayo kayikuba msulwa.
30 People don't condemn a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he's hungry.
Kabalideleli isela, nxa liseba ukuthi ligcwalise umphefumulo walo, ngoba lilambile.
31 But if he's caught, he has to pay back seven times what he stole, even if it means handing over everything he has in his house.
Uba litholwa, lihlawula kuphindwe kasikhombisa, linika yonke impahla yendlu yalo.
32 Any man who commits adultery with a woman has no sense; he who does so destroys himself.
Ofeba lowesifazana uswela ingqondo; owenza lokhu nguye ochitha umphefumulo wakhe.
33 He will be wounded and dishonored. His disgrace will never be removed.
Uzathola ukutshaywa lesigcono, lehlazo lakhe kaliyikwesulwa.
34 For jealousy makes a husband furious, and he won't hold back when he takes revenge.
Ngoba ubukhwele bululaka lomuntu; ngakho kayikuba lasihawu ngosuku lwempindiselo.
35 He refuses any compensation, and won't be paid off, however big the amount.
Kayikunanza loba yiyiphi inhlawulo, kayikuvuma lanxa usandisa isipho.
