Sirach
18:1 Lowo udla ubomi, wadala zonke izinto ngokubanzi.
18:2 NguYehova yedwa olilungisa, akukho wumbi ngaphandle kwakhe;
18:3 Lowo ulawula elimiweyo ngesandla sakhe, kwaye zonke izinto zithobela
ngokuba nguKumkani wezinto zonke, owaba ngamandla akhe izinto ezingcwele
phakathi kwabo kukho into engcolileyo.
18:4 Ngubani na ke amnike igunya lokuxela izenzo zakhe? ngubani na oya kufumanisa
izenzo zakhe ezizukileyo?
18:5 Ngubani na ongawabalayo amandla obungangamsha bakhe? ngubani na oya kuxela
ngaphandle kweenceba zakhe?
18:6 Ke yona imisebenzi ebalulekileyo yeNkosi ayinakuhluthwa nto
kubo, akusayi kubekwa nto kubo, nomhlaba wawo awunakubekwa
zifunyenwe.
18:7 Xa athe umntu wenza, uyaqala; athi xa athe wemka, andule ke ukumka
uya kuthandabuza.
18:8 Uyintoni na umntu? oko kulungileyo kuye, nokuba yintoni na okwakhe
ububi?
18:9 Inani lemihla yomntu, ukona liphezulu, yiminyaka elikhulu;
18:10 Njengethontsi lamanzi elwandle, njengesuntswana elwandle
isanti; injalo iminyaka eliwaka ukuya kwimihla kanaphakade.
18:11 Ngoko ke uThixo uzeka kade umsindo kubo, agalele inceba yakhe phezu kwabo
bona.
18:12 Wabona, wakubona ukuphela kwabo ukuba kubi; ngoko ke wabandisa owakhe
uvelwano.
18:13 Imfesane yomntu ikummelwane wakhe; kodwa yona inceba yeNkosi
Uyohlwaya, afundise, afundise
kwakhona, njengomalusi umhlambi wakhe.
18:14 Unenceba kwabamkela uqeqesho, abakufunayo ngenyameko
emva kwemigwebo yakhe.
18:15 Nyana wam, musa ukuyigxeka imisebenzi yakho emihle, ungakhe ube nanyeliso, xa uthethayo
unika nantoni na.
18:16 Awuyi kuginya na ubushushu umbethe? linjalo ilizwi ngaphezu kwesipho.
18:17 Yabona, ilizwi alilungile na ngaphezu kwesipho? kodwa bobabini bakunye nendoda enobubele.
18:18 Isimathane siya kugwaza ngokunyemba; Ke sona isipho somona siya kuginya.
amehlo.
18:19 Funda ngaphambi kokuba uthethe, kwaye usebenzise umzimba okanye ugule.
18:20 Zicikide phambi komgwebo, Uze ngemini yokuvelela kwakho
fumana inceba.
18:21 Zithobe ngaphambi kokuba ugule, kwaye ngexesha lezono ubonise
inguquko.
18:22 Makungathinteli nto ukuba usifezekise isibhambathiso sakho ngexesha elililo, ungalibali kude kube
ukufa kugwetyelwe.
18:23 Ngaphambi kokuba uthandaze, zilungise; nize ningabi njengalowo uhendayo
iNkosi.
18:24 Cinga ngengqumbo eya kubakho ekupheleni, nexesha lesiphelo
impindezelo, xa athe wabujika ubuso bakhe.
18:25 Xa uthe wahlutha, khumbula ixesha lokulamba;
zizityebi, zicingeleni ubuhlwempu neentswelo.
18:26 Kususela kusasa kude kube ngokuhlwa, liyaguquka ixesha, nazo zonke izinto
zenziwa kamsinya phambi koYehova.
18:27 Umntu osisilumko woyika into yonke, woyika ngemini yokona
Kulumkele ukukhubeka; Ke sona isinyabi asiligcini ixesha.
18:28 Bonke abantu abanokuqonda bayabazi ubulumko, Bamdumise
yamfumana.
18:29 Abakwaziyo ukuthetha nabo baba zizilumko.
Bathulula imizekeliso emihle.
18:30 Musa ukulandela iinkanuko zakho;
18:31 Ukuba uthe wawunika umphefumlo wakho umnqweno owukholekileyo kuye, wokwenzela
ibe yintlekisa kwiintshaba zakho ezikungcikivayo.
18:32 Musa ukuyoliswa kuvuyo olukhulu, ungabotshelelwa bubutyebi;
ngayo.
18:33 Musa ukuba ngumngqibi ngokudla, ukuba ubolekiwe, wakuba ubolekile
Akukho nto enxilini yakho; ngokuba uya kuwulalela umphefumlo wakho, kwaye
kuthethwa ngayo.