Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious of wicked men, neither crave to be with them;
Ungabi lamhawu ngabantu ababi, ungaloyisi ukuba labo.
2 For, violence, their heart muttereth, and, mischief, their lips do speak.
Ngoba inhliziyo yabo iceba udlakela, lezindebe zabo zikhuluma uhlupho.
3 In wisdom, is a house builded, and, in understanding, is it established;
Ngenhlakanipho indlu iyakhiwa, langokuqedisisa iqiniswe.
4 And, in knowledge, chambers are filled, with all acquisitions, costly and fair.
Langolwazi amakamelo agcwaliswa ngempahla zonke eziligugu lezimnandi.
5 A wise man, is mighty, and, a man of knowledge, becometh alert in vigour.
Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamandla, lomuntu ololwazi uqinisa amandla.
6 Surely, with concerted measures, shalt thou make for thyself war, and, success, lieth in the greatness of the counsellor.
Ngoba ngezeluleko ezihlakaniphileyo ungalawula impi yakho, lokukhululwa kusebunengini babeluleki.
7 Unattainable to a foolish man, are the dictates of wisdom, in the gate, he openeth not his mouth.
Inhlakanipho enkulu iphakeme esiwuleni; esangweni kasivuli umlomo waso.
8 He that deviseth to do mischief, him, shall men call, a master of plots.
Oceba ukwenza okubi, bazambiza ngokuthi ngumnikazi wamacebo amabi.
9 The purpose of folly, is sin, and, an abomination to mankind, is a buffoon.
Umcabango wobuwula yisono, lesideleli siyisinengiso emuntwini.
10 Thou hast been slothful in the day of straitness, Strait, is thy strength.
Uba uzitshengisa uxega ngosuku lokuhlupheka, amandla akho mancinyane.
11 Deliver thou such as are being led forth to death, and, them who are tottering to slaughter, oh that thou wouldst hold back!
Bophule abasiwa ekufeni, labatatalikela ekubulaweni, kungathi ungabanqanda.
12 Though thou say, Lo! we knew not this, Shall not, he that proveth hearts, himself, discern? And, he that formeth thy soul, himself, know? and bring back to a son of earth according to his deed?
Uba usithi: Khangela besingakwazi lokhu; ohlola izinhliziyo yena kayikukunanzelela yini? Olondoloza umphefumulo wakho yena kakwazi yini? ngitsho ubuyisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe?
13 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good, —and droppings from the comb [because they are] sweet to thy palate:
Dlana uluju, ndodana yami, ngoba lulungile, lohlanga loluju lumnandi elwangeni lwakho.
14 Thus, take knowledge of wisdom, for thine own soul; If thou find it, then there is a future, and, thine expectation, shall not be cut off.
Lunjalo ulwazi lwenhlakanipho emphefumulweni wakho; uba uluthola, kuzakuba lomvuzo, lethemba lakho kaliyikuqunywa.
15 Do not lie in wait, thou lawless man, against the home of the righteous, —neither destroy thou his place of rest;
Wena okhohlakeleyo, ungacathameli umuzi wolungileyo; ungachithi indawo yakhe yokuphumula.
16 For, seven times, may the righteous fall and yet arise, but, lawless men, shall stumble into calamity.
Ngoba olungileyo uzakuwa kasikhombisa, avuke futhi; kodwa abakhohlakeleyo bazakhubeka ebubini.
17 When thine enemy falleth, do not thou rejoice, and, when he stumbleth, let not thy heart exult:
Ungathokozi ngokuwa kwesitha sakho, lekukhubekeni kwaso inhliziyo yakho kayingajabuli;
18 Lest Yahweh see it, and it be wicked in his eyes, and he turn away from him his anger.
hlezi iNkosi ikubone, kube kubi emehlweni ayo, iphendule ulaka lwayo ilususe kuso.
19 Burn not with vexation against evil doers, be not envious of lawless men;
Ungazikhathazi ngenxa yabenzi bobubi, ungabi lamhawu ngabakhohlakeleyo;
20 For there shall be no future for the wicked, The lamp of the lawless, shall go out.
ngoba omubi kayikuba lomvuzo; isibane sabakhohlakeleyo sizacitshwa.
21 Revere thou Yahweh, my son, and the king, and, with the fickle, have thou no fellowship;
Ndodana yami, yesaba uJehova lenkosi; ungahlanganyeli labaguquguqukayo;
22 For, suddenly, shall arise their calamity; and, the misfortune of their years, who knoweth?
ngoba incithakalo yabo izavuka masinyane; njalo ngubani owazi ukuchitheka kwabo bobabili?
23 These things also, concern the wise, To take note of faces in judgment, is not good.
Lala ngawabahlakaniphileyo. Ukunaka ubuso kusahlulelo kakulunganga.
24 He that saith to the lawless man, Righteous, thou art, peoples shall denounce him, populations shall curse him;
Othi kokhohlakeleyo: Wena ulungile; abantu bazamqalekisa, izizwe zizamthukuthelela.
25 But, to reprovers, one should be pleasant, and, upon them, should come an excellent blessing:
Kodwa kulabo abamkhuzayo kuzakuba lentokozo, lesibusiso esihle sizabehlela.
26 Lips, should one kiss with one who answereth in right words.
Ophendula ngamazwi aqondileyo uzakwanga indebe.
27 Prepare, in the open, thy work, and make ready, in the field, for thyself, Afterwards, shalt thou build thy house.
Lungisa umsebenzi wakho ngaphandle, uzilungiselele wona ensimini, emva kwalokho wakhe indlu yakho.
28 Do not become a needless witness against thy neighbour, so mightest thou open too wide thy lips:
Ungabi ngumfakazi umelene lomakhelwane wakho kungelasizatho, kumbe ukhohlise ngendebe zakho.
29 Do not say—According to what he hath done to me, so, will I do to him, I will repay every one according to his work.
Ungathi: Njengokwenza kwakhe kimi ngizakwenza njalo kuye; ngizaphindisela emuntwini njengokomsebenzi wakhe.
30 By the field of the sluggard, I passed, and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense;
Ngedlula ensimini yevila, lesivinini somuntu oswele ingqondo;
31 And lo! there had come up all over it—thorns, there had covered the face thereof—thistles, and, the stone fence thereof, had been thrown down.
khangela-ke, konke kwakumile ameva, imbabazane yayisibekele ubuso bakho, lomthangala wakho wamatshe udilikile.
32 So I observed it, for myself, I applied my heart, I looked—I accepted correction:
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 come in, as a highwayman, thy poverty, and, thy want, as one armed with a shield.
besebusiza ubuyanga bakho njengesihambi, lenswelo zakho njengomuntu ohlomileyo.
