Sirach
34:1 Amathemba omuntu ongenangqondo ayize, futhi amaphupho
phakamisa iziwula.
34:2 Oqaphela amaphupho ufana nomuntu obamba ethunzini, futhi
kulandela umoya.
34:3 Umbono amaphupho kuyinto ukufana into eyodwa kwenye, ngisho njengoba
isimo sobuso ebusweni.
34:4 Yini engahlanjululwa entweni engcolile? nakuleyo nto ekhona
amanga liphi iqiniso elingavela?
34:5 Ukubhula, nokubhula, namaphupho kuyize, nenhliziyo iyize.
ilangazelela, njengenhliziyo yowesifazane ekubelethweni.
34:6 Uma bengathunyelwanga koPhezukonke ekuhambeleni kwakho, ungabeki yakho
inhliziyo phezu kwabo.
34:7 Ngoba amaphupho baye bakhohliswa abaningi, futhi baye bahluleka ababeka ithemba labo
kuzo.
34:8 Umthetho uyotholakala uphelele ngaphandle amanga, futhi ukuhlakanipha kuwukuphelela
umlomo othembekileyo.
34:9 Umuntu ohambile wazi izinto eziningi; lalowo onokunengi
okuhlangenwe nakho kuyomemezela ukuhlakanipha.
34:10 Lowo ongenalwazi uyazi okuncane, kodwa lowo ohambile
egcwele ubuhlakani.
34:11 Lapho ngihamba, ngabona izinto eziningi; futhi ngiqonda ngaphezu kwalokho engingakwazi
veza.
34:12 Kaningi ngangisengozini yokufa, kodwa ngakhululwa ngenxa yalezi
izinto.
34:13 Umoya wabamesabayo uJehova uyakuphila; ngoba ithemba labo liku
lowo obasindisayo.
34:14 Omesabayo uJehova ngeke esabe, futhi ngeke esabe; ngoba uyithemba lakhe.
34:15 Ubusisiwe umphefumulo walowo omesabayo uJehova;
futhi ngubani amandla akhe?
34:16 Ngoba amehlo eNkosi aphezu kwalabo abamthandayo, yena unamandla abo
ukuvikelwa kanye nokuhlala okuqinile, ukuzivikela ekushiseni, kanye nesembozo kusuka ku-
ilanga emini, ukulondeka ekukhubekeni, nosizo ekuweni.
34:17 Uvusa umphefumulo, akhanyisele amehlo;
nesibusiso.
34:18 Lowo umhlatshelo wento ezuzwe ngokungafanele, umnikelo wakhe
hlekisa; nezipho zabantu abangalungile azamukelwa.
34:19 OPhezukonke akathokozi ngeminikelo yababi; noma
ngobuningi bemihlatshelo uyathethelelwa izono.
34:20 Oletha umnikelo wempahla yabampofu wenza kanjalo
ubulala indodana phambi kwamehlo kayise.
34:21 Isinkwa sompofu singukuphila kwabo;
umuntu wegazi.
34:22 Othatha ukuphila komakhelwane wakhe uyambulala; futhi yena lokho
ophamba isisebenzi ngenkokhelo yaso ungumchithi wegazi.
34:23 Lapho omunye akha, futhi omunye ediliza, yini inzuzo abanayo ngaleso sikhathi
kodwa umsebenzi?
34:24 Lapho omunye ethandaza, futhi omunye aqalekise, izwi likabani uJehova uyokuzwa?
34:25 Lowo ogezayo ngemva kokuthinta isidumbu, uma ethintwa
futhi, kusizani ukugezwa kwakhe na?
34:26 Kunjalo ngomuntu ozila ukudla ngenxa yezono zakhe, futhi abuyele, futhi
wenza okufanayo: ngubani ongazwa umkhuleko wakhe na? kumbe ukuthotshiswa kwakhe kwenzani
amzuzise?