Proverbs 23

1Nxa uhlala phansi usidla lombusi, nanzelela ukuthi kuyini okuphambi kwakho,

2uzithinte ungahugwa yibuhwaba.

3Ungahawukeli izibiliboco zakhe ngoba lokhokudla kuyakhohlisa.

4Ungazihlukuluzi uzigugise ngomsebenzi uzama inotho; hlakanipha wazi ukuzikhuza.

5Ungayibona manje inotho, masinyane isinyamalele, ngoba ngempela izamila impiko iphaphele emkhathini njengengqungqulu.

6Ungakudli ukudla komuntu oncitshanayo, ungazihawukeli izibiliboco zakhe;

7ngoba yena uhlezi ebalisa ngendleko. Angathi kuwe, “Dlana unathe,” kodwa kungasuki enhliziyweni yakhe.

8Uzakuhlanza okuncane lokho okudlileyo ube udlalise amazwi akho okubonga.

9Ungakhulumi lesithutha ngoba sizakweyisa inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.

10Ungasusi ilitshe lakudala elomngcele loba uzithathele amasimu ezintandane,

11ngokuba uMlamuleli wazo ulamandla; uzakuba ngummeli wazo aphikisane lawe.

12Nikela inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.

13Ungayekeli ukumlaya umntwana; ukumtshaya ngoswazi akuyikumbulala.

14Mjezise ngoswazi ukuze uphephise umphefumulo wakhe ekufeni.

15Ndodana yami, aluba inhliziyo yakho ihlakaniphile, inhliziyo yami layo izathokoza;

16ingaphakathi yami izajabula lapho izindebe zakho zikhuluma okulungileyo.

17Inhliziyo yakho mayingahawukeli izoni, kodwa hlala utshisekela ukwesaba uJehova.

18Ngeqiniso lihle ikusasa lakho, lethemba lakho kaliyikucitshwa.

19Lalela, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, ubeke inhliziyo yakho endleleni elungileyo.

20Ungahlangani leziminzi zewayini labazitika ngenyama,

21ngokuba izidakwa lezihwaba ziba ngabayanga, ukuwozela kwazo kuzembese amadabudabu.

22Lalela uyihlo owakuletha emhlabeni, njalo ungeyisi unyoko nxa eseluphele.

23Thenga iqiniso ungalithengisi; zuza ukuhlakanipha lokuzikhuza lokuzwisisa.

24Uyise womuntu olungileyo uyathokoza kakhulu; lowo olendodana ehlakaniphileyo uyathokoza ngayo.

25Sengathi uyihlo lonyoko bangathokoza; sengathi lowo owakuzalayo angajabula!

26Ndodana yami, ngipha inhliziyo yakho, amehlo akho ahlale ezindleleni zami,

27ngokuba isifebe singumgodi otshonayo lomfazi olibele lendlela ungumthombo oyingozi.

28Uyacathamela njengesigebengu, andise amadoda angathembekanga.

29Ngubani ohlaba umkhosi? Ngubani olosizi na? Ngubani otshingayo? Ngubani olensolo na? Ngubani omahluzuhluzu ngeze? Ngubani omehlo abomvu gebhu na?

30Yilabo abalibala ngewayini, abahamba bedinga inzwisa.

31Ungahugwa liwayini ulibona libomvu, nxa likhazimula enkomitshini, lapho lisehla kamnandi!

32Ekucineni liluma njengenyoka libe lobuhlungu obubulalayo njengenhlangwana.

33Amehlo akho azabona izinto ezingaqedakaliyo lengqondo yakho ifunisele okudidayo.

34Uzakuba njengomuntu ondendayo phakathi kolwandle, olele esiqongweni sensika yomkhumbi.

35Uzakuthi, “Bangitshayile kodwa kangilimalanga! bangibethile kodwa kakubuhlungu! Ngizavuka nini bo ngiyodinga obunye utshwala?”