Proverbs 1
1 These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
Izaga zikaSolomoni, indodana kaDavida, inkosi yakoIsrayeli;
2 for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,
ukwazi inhlakanipho lokulaywa, ukuqedisisa amazwi okuqedisisa,
3 and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.
ukwemukela ukulaya kwenhlakanipho, ukulunga, lesahlulelo, lokuqonda;
4 To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,
ukunika abangelalwazi inhlakanipho, ijaha ulwazi lengqondo.
5 let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
Ohlakaniphileyo uzakuzwa, andise ukufunda, loqedisisayo uzazuza izeluleko,
6 by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
ukuqedisisa isaga lomzekeliso, amazwi abahlakaniphileyo, lamalibho abo.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuqala kolwazi; izithutha ziyadelela inhlakanipho lokulaywa.
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
Ndodana yami, zwana ukulaya kukayihlo, ungawudeli umlayo kanyoko;
9 For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.
ngoba kuzakuba ngumqhele womusa ekhanda lakho, lemigaxo entanyeni yakho.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.
Ndodana yami, uba izoni zikuhuga, ungavumi.
11 If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,
Uba zisithi: Hamba lathi, siyecathamela igazi, sicatshele ongelacala kungelasizatho;
12 let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. (Sheol h7585)
sibaginye bephila njengengcwaba, yebo, ngokupheleleyo, njengabehlela egodini. (Sheol h7585)
13 We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.
Sizathola yonke impahla eligugu, sigcwalise izindlu zethu ngempango.
14 Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—
Phosela inkatho yakho phakathi kwethu; sonke sibe lesikhwama semali sinye.
15 my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.
Ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo endleleni; unqande unyawo lwakho emkhondweni wazo.
16 For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
Ngoba inyawo zazo zigijimela ebubini, ziphangisa ukuchitha igazi.
17 How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!
Isibili, imbule lendlalelwa ize phambi kwamehlo aloba yiyiphi inyoni.
18 But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.
Lalaba bacathamela igazi labo, bacatshele imiphefumulo yabo.
19 Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.
Zinjalo indlela zakhe wonke ozuza inzuzo ngokuphanga; ithatha impilo yabaniniyo.
20 Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
UkuHlakanipha kuyamemeza ngaphandle, kukhupha ilizwi lakho emidangeni.
21 in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:
Kuyamemeza endaweni eqakathekileyo yokuxokozela, ekungeneni kwamasango; emzini kutsho amazwi akho,
22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?
kusithi: Koze kube nini, lina elingelalwazi, lithanda ukungabi lalwazi, labaklolodayo bezifisela ukukloloda, leziphukuphuku zizonda ulwazi?
23 If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you.
Phendukelani ekukhuzeni kwami; khangelani, ngizathululela umoya wami kini, ngilazise amazwi ami.
24 Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
Ngoba ngibizile, kodwa lala; ngelulile isandla sami, kodwa kakho onanzayo;
25 because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,
ladelela sonke iseluleko sami, kalivumanga ukukhuza kwami;
26 in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
mina-ke ngizahleka ukuchitheka kwenu, ngiklolode ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu,
27 when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you.
ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu njengesiphepho, lokuchitheka kwenu kufika njengesivunguzane, lapho ubuhlungu losizi kulehlela.
28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
Khona bazangibiza, kodwa kangiyikusabela; bazangidingisisa, kodwa kabayikungithola.
29 For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
Ngenxa yokuthi babezonda ulwazi, bengakhethanga ukwesaba iNkosi.
30 They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
Kabavumanga iseluleko sami, bedelela konke ukukhuza kwami.
31 So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
Ngakho bazakudla okwesithelo sendlela yabo, basuthiswe ngamacebo abo.
32 For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
Ngoba ukuhlehla kwabangelalwazi kuzababulala, lokonwaba kweziphukuphuku kuzababhubhisa.
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”
Kodwa ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile, onwabe ekwesabeni okubi.
