Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Zwanini, bantwana, umlayo kayihlo, linanzelele ukuze lazi ukuqedisisa.
2 For I give you good doctrine. Forsake ye not my law.
Ngoba ngilinika imfundiso enhle, lingawutshiyi umlayo wami.
3 For I was a son to my father, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
Ngoba bengiyindodana kababa, ngithambile, ngingedwa phambi kukamama.
4 And he taught me, and said to me, Let thy heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
Wasengifundisa wathi kimi: Inhliziyo yakho kayibambelele emazwini ami; gcina imilayo yami, uphile.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding. Do not forget, nor decline from the words of my mouth.
Zuza inhlakanipho, uzuze ukuqedisisa, ungakhohlwa; ungaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve thee. Love her, and she will keep thee.
Ungakutshiyi, njalo kuzakulondoloza; ukuthande, njalo kuzakulinda.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing. Get wisdom, yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
Okokuqala yinhlakanipho; zuza inhlakanipho; langenzuzo yakho yonke uzuze ukuqedisisa.
8 Exalt her, and she will promote thee. She will bring thee to honor when thou embrace her.
Kukhulise, njalo kuzakuphakamisa; kuzakunika udumo nxa ukugona.
9 She will give to thy head a garland of grace, a crown of beauty she will deliver to thee.
Kuzanika ikhanda lakho umqhele womusa; kuzakulethela umqhele wodumo.
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of thy life shall be many.
Zwana, ndodana yami, wemukele amazwi ami, leminyaka yempilo izakuba minengi kuwe.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom. I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
Ngikufundisile endleleni yenhlakanipho; ngikwenze wanyathela emikhondweni yobuqotho.
12 When thou go, thy steps shall not be restricted. And if thou run, thou shall not stumble.
Ekuhambeni kwakho inyathelo lakho kaliyikufinyezwa, njalo nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
13 Take firm hold of instruction. Do not let her go. Keep her, for she is thy life.
Bambelela ekulayweni, ungakuyekeli; kugcine, ngoba kuyimpilo yakho.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men.
Ungangeni emkhondweni wabakhohlakeleyo, ungahambi endleleni yababi.
15 Avoid it. Do not pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
Iyekele, ungedluli ngayo, phambuka kuyo, wedlule.
16 For they do not sleep unless they do evil. And their sleep is taken away unless they cause to fall.
Ngoba kabalali uba bengenzanga okubi; lobuthongo babo buyasuswa uba bengakhubekisanga muntu.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
Ngoba badla isinkwa senkohlakalo, banathe iwayini lobudlwangudlwangu.
18 But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, that shines more and more to the perfect day.
Kodwa indlela yabalungileyo injengokukhanya okukhanyayo, kuqhubeka kukhanya kuze kube semini enkulu.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness. They know not at what they stumble.
Indlela yababi injengomnyama; kabazi ukuthi bazakhutshwa yini.
20 My son, attend to my words. Incline thine ear to my sayings.
Ndodana yami, lalela amazwi ami, ubeke indlebe yakho ekukhulumeni kwami.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes. Keep them in the midst of thy heart.
Kakungaphunyuki emehlweni akho; ukugcine phakathi kwenhliziyo yakho.
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.
Ngoba kuyimpilo kwabakutholayo, lempilo enhle yenyama yabo yonke.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
Gcina inhliziyo yakho phezu kwakho konke okungagcinwa, ngoba kuvela kikho ukuphuma kwempilo.
24 Put away from thee a wayward mouth, and put perverse lips far from thee.
Susa kuwe ukuphambana komlomo, lokuphambeka kwendebe kususele khatshana lawe.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Amehlo akho kawakhangele phambili, lenkophe zakho ziqonde phambi kwakho.
26 Make the path of thy feet level, and let all thy ways be established.
Linganisa umkhondo wonyawo lwakho, ukuze zonke indlela zakho ziqine.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left. Remove thy foot from evil.
Ungaphambukeli ngakwesokunene kumbe ngakwesokhohlo; uphambule unyawo lwakho ebubini.
