Proverbs 2
1 My son, if you accept my words and hide my commandments within you,
Ndodana yami, nxa usamukela amazwi ami ugcine imilayo yami ngaphakathi kwakho,
2 if you incline your ear to wisdom and direct your heart to understanding,
uvule indlebe yakho izwe ukuhlakanipha unikele inhliziyo yakho ukuthi izwisise,
3 if you truly call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding,
njalo nxa ucela ukuqedisisa ukhalela kakhulu ukuzwisisa,
4 if you seek it like silver and search it out like hidden treasure,
futhi ukudingisisa njengokudinga isiliva ukuphenye njengento eligugu efihliweyo,
5 then you will discern the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God.
lapho-ke uzakuzwisisa ukumesaba uThixo njalo uluzuze ulwazi lukaNkulunkulu.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Ngoba uThixo uyapha ukuhlakanipha, emlonyeni wakhe kuphuma ulwazi lokuqedisisa.
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk with integrity,
Abaqotho ubapha ukunqoba, ulihawu lalabo abahamba bengasoleki,
8 to guard the paths of justice and protect the way of His saints.
ngoba uyayilinda indlela yabalungileyo avikele ukuhamba kwabathembekileyo bakhe.
9 Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity—every good path.
Yikho uzazwisisa lokho okulungileyo lokuqondileyo lokufaneleyo zonke izindlela ezinhle.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will delight your soul.
Ngoba ukuhlakanipha kuzangena enhliziyweni yakho, lolwazi lube mnandi emphefumulweni wakho.
11 Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you,
Ukwazi ukukhetha kuzakuvikela, lokuzwisisa kuzakulinda.
12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perversity,
Ukuhlakanipha kuzakusindisa ezindleleni zabantu ababi, abantu abamazwi abolileyo,
13 from those who leave the straight paths to walk in the ways of darkness,
abatshiya izindlela eziqondileyo, bahambe ngezindlela ezilamathunzi,
14 from those who enjoy doing evil and rejoice in the twistedness of evil,
abathokoza ngokwenza okubi bajabule ngokungcola kokubi,
15 whose paths are crooked and whose ways are devious.
abandlela zabo zitshekile lokuhamba kwabo kakuqondakali.
16 It will rescue you from the forbidden woman, from the stranger with seductive words
Kuzakukhulula njalo koyisiphingikazi, lasemfazini olamazwi akhohlisayo,
17 who abandons the partner of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God.
osetshiye indoda yakhe yobutsha bakhe wadela isifungo asenza phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
18 For her house sinks down to death, and her tracks to the departed spirits.
Ngoba indlu yakhe iholela ekufeni lezindlela zakhe zidonsela kwabafileyo.
19 None who go to her return or negotiate the paths of life.
Kakho ongena kuye obuyayo kumbe aphinde azuze izindlela zokuphila.
20 So you will follow in the ways of the good, and keep to the paths of the righteous.
Ngakho uzahamba ezindleleni zabantu abalungileyo walele emikhondweni yabaqondileyo.
21 For the upright will inhabit the land, and the blameless will remain in it;
Ngoba abaqotho bazahlala elizweni, labangasolekiyo bazasala kulo;
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be uprooted.
kodwa izigangi zizasuswa elizweni, labangathembekanga bazakhutshwa kulo.
