Izaga 17
1 Ucezu olomileyo lokuthula kanye lalo lungcono kulendlu egcwele imihlatshelo lengxabano.
It is better to have quiet with a dry morsel of bread than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 Inceku ehlakaniphileyo izabusa phezu kwendodana eyangisayo, yehlukanise ilifa phakathi kwezelamani.
A wise servant will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 Imbiza yokuncibilikisa ngeyesiliva, lesithando ngesegolide, kodwa iNkosi ihlola izinhliziyo.
The crucible is for silver and the furnace is for gold, but Yahweh refines hearts.
4 Umenzi wobubi ulalela indebe ekhohlakeleyo; umqambimanga ubeka indlebe olimini oluchithayo.
The evildoer pays attention to wicked lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
5 Oklolodela umyanga uthuka uMenzi wakhe; othokoza encithakalweni kayikuba msulwa.
Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker and the one who rejoices at misfortune will not go unpunished.
6 Abantwana babantwana bangumqhele wabadala, lodumo lwabantwana ngoyise.
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged and parents bring honor to their children.
7 Indebe elobungcwethi kayisifanelanga isithutha; kakhulu kangakanani indebe yamanga isiphathamandla.
Eloquent speech is not suitable for a fool; much less are lying lips suitable for royalty.
8 Isipho siyilitshe eliligugu emehlweni abaniniso; loba ngaphi esiphendukela khona sizaphumelela.
A bribe is like a magic stone to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
9 Osibekela isiphambeko udinga uthando, kodwa ophindaphinda udaba wehlukanisa umngane oseduze.
Whoever overlooks an offense seeks love, but the one who repeats a matter alienates close friends.
10 Ukukhuza kuyajula koqedisisayo kulokutshaya isithutha ngokulikhulu.
A rebuke goes deeper into a person who has understanding than a hundred blows go into a fool.
11 Omubi udinga ububi kuphela, kodwa isithunywa esilesihluku sizathunyelwa kuye.
An evil person only seeks rebellion, so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Kakuthi ibhere elifelwe yimidlwane lihlangane lomuntu, kodwa hatshi isithutha ebuthutheni baso.
It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to meet a fool in his foolishness.
13 Ophindisela okubi esikhundleni sokuhle, ububi kabuyikusuka endlini yakhe.
When someone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
14 Ukuqala kwenkani kunjengokuvulela amanzi; ngakho yekela ingxabano ingakazivezi.
The beginning of conflict is like one who releases water everywhere, so walk away from the dispute before it has broken out.
15 Olungisisa omubi lolahla olungileyo bayisinengiso eNkosini, ngitsho bobabili.
The person who acquits the wicked person and the person who condemns the righteous person— both are an abomination to Yahweh.
16 Kungani kulemali yokuthenga inhlakanipho esandleni sesithutha, lokhu singelangqondo?
Why should a fool pay money to learn about wisdom, when he has no ability to learn it?
17 Umngane uyathanda ngaso sonke isikhathi, lomzalwane uzalelwa inhlupheko.
A friend is loving at all times and a brother is born for times of trouble.
18 Umuntu oswela ingqondo uyabambana ngezandla ukuba yisibambiso phambi kukamakhelwane wakhe.
A man having no sense makes binding promises and becomes responsible for his neighbor's debts.
19 Othanda isiphambeko uthanda inkani; ophakamisa umnyango wakhe udinga ukubhujiswa.
Whoever loves conflict loves sin; the one who makes the threshold of his door too high causes bones to be broken.
20 Olenhliziyo ephambeneyo katholi okuhle, lophambene ngolimi uwela ebubini.
A person who has a crooked heart finds nothing that is good; the one who has a perverse tongue falls into calamity.
21 Ozala isithutha, sizakuba lusizi kuye; loyise wesithutha kathokozi.
Whoever is the parent of a fool brings grief to himself; and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 Inhliziyo ethokozayo yenza kuhle njengomuthi, kodwa umoya owephukileyo womisa amathambo.
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
23 Omubi uthatha isipho esifubeni ukuphambula izindlela zesahlulelo.
A wicked man accepts a secret bribe to pervert the ways of justice.
24 Inhlakanipho iphambi koqedisisayo, kodwa amehlo esithutha asekucineni komhlaba.
The one who has understanding sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are set on the ends of the earth.
25 Indodana eyisiwula ilusizi kuyise, iyikubaba kowayizalayo.
A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to the woman who bore him.
26 Ukuhlawulisa olungileyo lakho kakulunganga, lokutshaya iziphathamandla ngenxa yobuqotho.
Also, it is never good to punish the righteous person; neither is it good to flog noble men who have integrity.
27 Owazi ulwazi ugodla amazwi akhe; umuntu oqedisisayo ulomoya opholileyo.
One who has knowledge uses few words and one with understanding is even-tempered.
28 Isithutha esithuleyo laso sithiwa sihlakaniphile; ovala indebe zakhe uthiwa uyaqedisisa.
Even a fool is thought to be wise if he keeps silent; when he keeps his mouth shut, he is considered to be intelligent.
