Proverbs 4
1 Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge:
Zwanini, madodana ami, izeluleko zikayihlo; lalelani lizuze ukuqedisisa.
2 For I give you good teaching; do not give up the knowledge you are getting from me.
Ngilipha izifundo ezipheleleyo; ngakho lingalahli imfundiso yami.
3 For I was a son to my father, a gentle and an only one to my mother.
Ngathi ngisengumfana emzini kababa, ngisebuthakathaka, ngiyimi ngedwa ingane kamama,
4 And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life:
wangifundisa ubaba wathi, “Abambe amazwi ami ngenhliziyo yakho yonke; gcina imilayo yami ukuze uphile.
5 Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth.
Zuza ukuhlakanipha, zuza ukuqedisisa; ungawakhohlwa amazwi ami, kumbe ugudluke kuwo.
6 Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe.
Ungafulatheli ukuhlakanipha, kuzakuvikela; kuthande, kuzakulinda.
7 The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge.
Ukuhlakanipha kuyinqaba; ngakho zuza ukuhlakanipha. Zuza ukuqedisisa loba kungathatha konke olakho.
8 Put her in a high place, and you will be lifted up by her; she will give you honour, when you give her your love.
Kugogose, kuzakuphakamisa; kugone, kuzakunika udumo.
9 She will put a crown of grace on your head, giving you a head-dress of glory.
Kuzakwethesa umqhele wamaluba omusa ekhanda lakho kukwethese umqhele wenkazimulo.”
10 Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours.
Zwana mntanami, yamukela lokho engikutshoyo, ukuze insuku zokuphila kwakho zibe zinengi.
11 I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way.
Ngiyakukhokhela endleleni yokuhlakanipha, ngikuqondise ezindleleni eziqondileyo.
12 When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall.
Nxa uhamba kawuyikuthikaza; nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
13 Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life.
Bambelela iziqondiso, ungayekethisi; zigcine kuhle ngoba ziyikuphila kwakho.
14 Do not go in the road of sinners, or be walking in the way of evil men.
Ungayingeni indlela yababi njalo ungahambi endleleni yezigangi.
15 Keep far from it, do not go near; be turned from it, and go on your way.
Ixwaye, ungahambi ngayo; itshiye uqhubeke ngeyakho indlela.
16 For they take no rest till they have done evil; their sleep is taken away if they have not been the cause of someone's fall.
Phela kabalali bengenzanga ukuganga; badela ubuthongo ukuze baqale balimaze omunye umuntu.
17 The bread of evil-doing is their food, the wine of violent acts their drink.
Badla isinkwa sobubi banathe iwayini lobudlwangudlwangu.
18 But the way of the upright is like the light of early morning, getting brighter and brighter till the full day.
Indlela yabalungileyo injengovivi lokusa, kukhule ukukhanya kwalo kuze kuphelele emini.
19 The way of sinners is dark; they see not the cause of their fall.
Kodwa indlela yababi ifana lomnyama omkhulu; kabazi ukuthi kuyini okubakhubayo.
20 My son, give attention to my words; let your ear be turned to my sayings.
Ndodana yami, zwana lokhu engikutshoyo; lalelisisa amazwi ami.
21 Let them not go from your eyes; keep them deep in your heart.
Ungawasusi emehlweni akho, agcine enhliziyweni yakho;
22 For they are life to him who gets them, and strength to all his flesh.
ngoba ayikuphila kulabo abawafumanayo; lokuqina komzimba wonke womuntu.
23 And keep watch over your heart with all care; so you will have life.
Phezu kwakho konke, gcina inhliziyo yakho, ngoba ingumthombo wokuphila kwakho.
24 Put away from you an evil tongue, and let false lips be far from you.
Lahla izibozi zamazwi emlonyeni wakho; ungakhuphi inkulumo yokuxhwala ezindebeni zakho.
25 Keep your eyes on what is in front of you, looking straight before you.
Khangelisa amehlo akho nta phambili, uwathi nhlo amehlo akho kulokho okuphambi kwakho.
26 Keep a watch on your behaviour; let all your ways be rightly ordered.
Lungisa izindlela ukuze inyawo zakho zinyathele kuhle, uhambe ngezindlela eziqinileyo kuphela.
27 Let there be no turning to the right or to the left, keep your feet from evil.
Ungaphambukeli kwesokunene loba kwesokhohlo; ugcine unyawo lwakho lunganyatheli okubi.
