Proverbs 9
1 Wisdom has built her house. She has hewn out her seven pillars.
Ukuhlakanipha sekuzakhele indlu yakho, imisiwe ngezinsika eziyisikhombisa.
2 She has killed her beasts. She has mingled her wine. She has also furnished her table.
Isiphekiwe inyama yakho kwalungiswa lewayini; konke sekudekiwe etafuleni.
3 She has sent forth her maidens. She cries out upon the highest places of the city:
Usewathumile amantombazana, uyanxusa emi ezindaweni eziphakemeyo zedolobho.
4 He who is simple, let him turn in here. As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
“Akuthi bonke abayizithutha beze lapha!” Esitsho kulabo abangaqedisisiyo.
5 Come, eat ye of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.
“Wozani lidle ukudla kwami linathe iwayini esengililungisile.
6 Forsake ye simpleness, and live, and walk in the way of understanding.
Lahlani izindlela zenu zobuthutha lizaphila; hambani ngendlela yokuzwisisa.”
7 He who corrects a scoffer gets himself reviling. And he who reproves a wicked man gets himself a bruise.
Lowo oweluleka oklolodayo ubiza inhlamba; okhuza umuntu oxhwalileyo ucina ethethiswa.
8 Reprove not a scoffer, lest he hate thee. Reprove a wise man, and he will love thee.
Ungakhuzi isiqholo ngoba sizakuzonda; khuza ohlakaniphileyo uzakuthanda.
9 Give opportunity to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser. Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
Yeluleka umuntu ohlakaniphileyo uzakwandisa ukuhlakanipha kwakhe; fundisa umuntu olungileyo, uzakwengeza ulwazi lwakhe.
10 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding.
Ukumesaba uThixo kuyikuqala kwenhlakanipho, njalo ulwazi ngaLowo oNgcwele luyikuqedisisa.
11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
Ngoba ngami zizakuba zinengi insuku zakho, kwandiswe iminyaka yokuphila kwakho.
12 If thou are wise, thou are wise for thyself. And if thou scoff, thou alone shall bear it.
Nxa uhlakaniphile, ukuhlakanipha kwakho kuzakusiza; aluba uyisiqholo, uzahlupheka wedwa.
13 The foolish woman is clamorous, simple, and knows nothing.
Umfazi othiwa nguBuwula ulomsindo; kagobeki njalo kazi lutho.
14 And she sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
Uthanda ukuhlala emnyango wendlu yakhe, esihlalweni endaweni esesiqongweni sedolobho,
15 to call to those who pass by, who go right on their ways:
abe ehuga labo abedlulayo, abahamba beqonde lapho abaya khona.
16 He who is simple, let him turn in here. And as for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
“Abeze lapha bonke abayizithutha!” Esitsho kulabo abangacabangiyo.
17 Stolen waters are sweet, and bread in secret is pleasant.
“Ulutho lokuntshontshwa lumnandi; ukudla okudlelwa ensitha kuyahlabusa!”
