Sirach
25:1 Ezintweni ezintathu ngaba muhle, futhi wema ngimuhle kokubili phambi kukaNkulunkulu
namadoda: ubunye babazalwane, uthando lomakhelwane, indoda nomfazi
abavumelana ndawonye.
25:2 Izinhlobo ezintathu zabantu umphefumulo wami uzonda, futhi ngicasulwe kakhulu ngabo
ukuphila: umuntu ompofu ozidlayo, ocebile onamanga, nexhegu
isiphingi esilahlayo.
25:3 Uma ungazange wabutha lutho ebusheni bakho, ungakwazi kanjani ukuthola noma iyiphi
into eminyakeni yakho?
25:4 O yeka ukuthi into enhle kangakanani ukwahlulela ezimpunga, futhi amadoda asendulo ukuze
yazi iseluleko!
25:5 O yeka ukuthi muhle kangakanani ukuhlakanipha amadoda amadala, futhi ukuqonda neseluleko
amadoda okuhlonishwa.
25:6 Umqhele wamadoda amadala unolwazi oluningi, nokwesaba uNkulunkulu kungokwabo
inkazimulo.
25:7 Kukhona izinto eziyisishiyagalolunye engiye ngahlulele enhliziyweni yami ukuba ngijabule, futhi
okweshumi ngizakukhuluma ngolimi lwami: Umuntu othokoza ngeyakhe
izingane; futhi ophilayo ukuze abone ukuwa kwesitha sakhe.
25:8 Ulungile lowo ohlala nomfazi ohlakaniphileyo, futhi onakho
engasheleli ngolimi lwakhe, futhi engakhonzanga muntu
ongafaneleki kunaye.
25:9 Kuhle lowo othole ukuhlakanipha, futhi lowo okhuluma ezindlebeni
kulabo abayokuzwa:
25:10 O yeka ukuthi mkhulu kangakanani lowo othola ukuhlakanipha! nokho akakho ngaphezu kwakhe lokho
uyesaba uJehova.
25:11 Kodwa uthando lweNkosi ludlula zonke izinto ekukhanyeni: lowo
uyakufaniswa nani?
25:12 Ukumesaba uJehova kungukuqala kothando lwakhe;
ukuqala ukunamathela kuye.
25:13 Nginike noma iyiphi inhlupheko, kodwa inhlupheko yenhliziyo, nanoma yikuphi okubi,
kodwa ububi bowesifazana.
25:14 Noma yiluphi usizi, kodwa usizi kulabo abangizondayo, futhi
impindiselo, kodwa impindiselo yezitha.
25:15 Akukho khanda ngaphezu kwekhanda lenyoka; futhi akukho ulaka
ngaphezu kolaka lwesitha.
25:16 Kungcono ngihlale nengonyama nodrako kunokuba ngihlale nendlu
owesifazane okhohlakele.
25:17 Ububi bowesifazane buguqula ubuso bakhe, bube mnyama
ubuso njengendwangu yesaka.
25:18 Indoda yakhe iyakuhlala phakathi kwabakhelwane bakhe; futhi lapho esizwa
bubula kabuhlungu.
25:19 Bonke ububi buncane ngobubi bowesifazane;
ingxenye yesoni iwela phezu kwakhe.
25:20 Njengokwenyuka indlela enesihlabathi ezinyaweni zabadala, unjalo nomfazi.
egcwele amazwi endodeni ethule.
25:21 Ungakhubeki ngobuhle bowesifazane, futhi ungafisi kuye ngenxa yobumnandi.
25:22 Owesifazane, uma elondoloza indoda yakhe, ugcwele intukuthelo, amanyala, futhi
ihlazo elikhulu.
25:23 Owesifazane omubi unciphisa isibindi, wenza ubuso obunzima futhi
inhliziyo elimele: owesifazane ongeke amduduze umyeni wakhe osizini
wenza izandla ezibuthakathaka namadolo axegayo.
25:24 Kowesifazane, ukuqala kwesono, futhi ngaye sonke siyafa.
25:25 Ungawaniki amanzi; nowesifazane omubi nenkululeko yokuphumela ngaphandle.
25:26 Uma engahambi njengoba uthanda kuye, mnqume enyameni yakho, futhi
mnike incwadi yesahlukaniso, amyeke ahambe.