Proverbs 2
1 My son, if you would accept my words, and conceal my commandments within you,
Ndodana yami, nxa usamukela amazwi ami ugcine imilayo yami ngaphakathi kwakho,
2 so that your ears may listen to wisdom, then bend your heart in order to know prudence.
uvule indlebe yakho izwe ukuhlakanipha unikele inhliziyo yakho ukuthi izwisise,
3 For if you would call upon wisdom and bend your heart to prudence,
njalo nxa ucela ukuqedisisa ukhalela kakhulu ukuzwisisa,
4 if you will seek her like money, and dig for her as if for treasure,
futhi ukudingisisa njengokudinga isiliva ukuphenye njengento eligugu efihliweyo,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and you will discover the knowledge of God.
lapho-ke uzakuzwisisa ukumesaba uThixo njalo uluzuze ulwazi lukaNkulunkulu.
6 For the Lord bestows wisdom, and out of his mouth, prudence and knowledge.
Ngoba uThixo uyapha ukuhlakanipha, emlonyeni wakhe kuphuma ulwazi lokuqedisisa.
7 He will preserve the salvation of the righteous, and he will protect those who walk in simplicity:
Abaqotho ubapha ukunqoba, ulihawu lalabo abahamba bengasoleki,
8 serving the paths of justice, and guarding the ways of sanctity.
ngoba uyayilinda indlela yabalungileyo avikele ukuhamba kwabathembekileyo bakhe.
9 Then you shall understand justice and judgment, and equity, and every good path.
Yikho uzazwisisa lokho okulungileyo lokuqondileyo lokufaneleyo zonke izindlela ezinhle.
10 If wisdom is to enter into your heart, and if knowledge is to become pleasing to your soul,
Ngoba ukuhlakanipha kuzangena enhliziyweni yakho, lolwazi lube mnandi emphefumulweni wakho.
11 then counsel must guard you, and prudence must serve you,
Ukwazi ukukhetha kuzakuvikela, lokuzwisisa kuzakulinda.
12 so that you may be rescued from the evil way, and from the man who speaks perversities,
Ukuhlakanipha kuzakusindisa ezindleleni zabantu ababi, abantu abamazwi abolileyo,
13 from those who leave the straight path to walk in dark ways,
abatshiya izindlela eziqondileyo, bahambe ngezindlela ezilamathunzi,
14 who rejoice when they have done evil, and who exult in the most wicked things.
abathokoza ngokwenza okubi bajabule ngokungcola kokubi,
15 Their ways are perverse, and their steps are infamous.
abandlela zabo zitshekile lokuhamba kwabo kakuqondakali.
16 So may you be rescued from the foreign woman, and from the outsider, who softens her speech,
Kuzakukhulula njalo koyisiphingikazi, lasemfazini olamazwi akhohlisayo,
17 and who leaves behind the Guide of her youth,
osetshiye indoda yakhe yobutsha bakhe wadela isifungo asenza phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
18 and who has forgotten the covenant of her God. For her household inclines toward death, and her paths toward Hell. (questioned)
Ngoba indlu yakhe iholela ekufeni lezindlela zakhe zidonsela kwabafileyo.
19 All those who enter to her will not return again, nor will they take hold of the paths of life.
Kakho ongena kuye obuyayo kumbe aphinde azuze izindlela zokuphila.
20 So may you walk in the good way, and keep to the difficult paths of the just.
Ngakho uzahamba ezindleleni zabantu abalungileyo walele emikhondweni yabaqondileyo.
21 For those who are upright shall live upon the earth, and the simple shall continue upon it.
Ngoba abaqotho bazahlala elizweni, labangasolekiyo bazasala kulo;
22 Yet truly, the impious shall perish from the earth, and those who act unjustly shall be taken away from it.
kodwa izigangi zizasuswa elizweni, labangathembekanga bazakhutshwa kulo.
