Proverbs 1
1 Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
Izaga zikaSolomoni indodana kaDavida, inkosi yako-Israyeli:
2 to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
ukuba abantu bazuze ukuhlakanipha lokuzithiba; ukuba bazwisise amazwi okuqedisisa;
3 to receive the instruction of wisdom, righteousness and judgment, and equity;
ukuba bazuze impilo yokuzithiba lobuqotho, besenza okulungileyo, okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo;
4 to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
ukunika ulwazi kwabayizithutha, ulwazi lokukhetha okuqondileyo kwabatsha
5 He that is wise will hear, and will increase learning; and the intelligent will gain wise counsels:
ukuthi ohlakaniphileyo alalele engeze ukufunda kwakhe, kuthi obonisisayo azuze izeluleko,
6 to understand a proverb and an allegory, the words of the wise and their enigmas.
ukuba abantu bazwisise izaga lemizekeliso, izitsho lamalibho abahlakaniphileyo.
7 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge: fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Ukwesaba uThixo kuyikuqala kwenhlakanipho, kodwa iziwula ziyakweyisa ukuqedisisa lokuzithiba.
8 Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the teaching of thy mother;
Lalela, ndodana yami, izeluleko zikayihlo njalo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
9 for they shall be a garland of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
Kuzakuba ngumqhele omuhle ekhanda lakho lomgaxo wokucecisa intamo yakho.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent not.
Ndodana yami, aluba izoni zikuhuga, ungaze wavuma.
11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
Nxa zisithi, “Woza sihambe; kasicathamele abantu sichithe igazi, kasicwathele omunye umuntu ongelacala;
12 let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those that go down into the pit; (Sheol h7585)
kasibaginye bephila njengengcwaba, sibajwamule njengabawele emgodini; (Sheol h7585)
13 we shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
sizazuza impahla ezinhle ezehlukeneyo sigcwalise izindlu zethu ngempango;
14 cast in thy lot among us; we will all have one purse:
phathisana lathi ukuze sibelesikhwama sinye”
15 — my son, walk not in the way with them, keep back thy foot from their path;
ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo, ungalugxobi olwakho ezindleleni zazo;
16 for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
ngoba ezabo inyawo zigijima ekoneni, bachitha igazi lula.
17 For in vain the net is spread in the sight of anything which hath wings.
Kakusizi ukuthiya ngembule lithe dandalazi emehlweni ezinyoni!
18 And these lay wait for their own blood; they lurk secretly for their own lives.
Abantu laba bacathamela ukuchitheka kwelabo igazi; bajuma okwabo ukuphila.
19 So are the paths of every one that is greedy of gain: it taketh away the life of its possessors.
Sinjalo isiphetho salabo abadinga inzuzo ngobugebenga; kuyayichitha impilo yalabo abayitholayo.
20 Wisdom crieth without; she raiseth her voice in the broadways;
Ukuhlakanipha kuyamemeza emgwaqweni, kuphakamisa ilizwi lakho ezinkundleni;
21 she calleth in the chief [place] of concourse, in the entry of the gates; in the city she uttereth her words:
kuyanqongoloza lezindleleni okuxokozela khona, kuyatshumayela emasangweni omuzi kuthi:
22 How long, simple ones, will ye love simpleness, and scorners take pleasure in their scorning, and the foolish hate knowledge?
“Koze kube nini lina zithutha lithanda ubuthutha benu na? Koze kube nini izideleli zikholisa ukudelela leziphukuphuku zizonda ulwazi na?
23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour forth my spirit unto you, I will make known to you my words.
Lalelani ukukhuza kwami liphenduke! Ngizalivulela isifuba sami, ngilivezele imicabango yami.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one regarded;
Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi langifulathela ngilibiza, kwangabi khona onginanzayo ngiselula isandla sami,
25 and ye have rejected all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
njengoba lala izeluleko zami njalo kalavuma ukukhuza kwami,
26 I also will laugh in your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh;
ngakho lami ngizahleka selihlupheka; ngizaliklolodela nxa lisehlelwa lusizi,
27 when your fear cometh as sudden destruction, and your calamity cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon you:
nxa usizi lulehlela njengesiphepho; nxa incithakalo ilikhukhula njengesivunguzane, nxa usizi lezinhlupheko ziligabhela.
28 — then will they call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me early, and shall not find me.
Lapho-ke bazangibiza kodwa kangiyikusabela; bazangidinga bangangitholi.
29 Because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Jehovah;
Ngoba babeluzonda ulwazi kabaze bakhetha ukwesaba uThixo
30 they would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof:
ngoba kabavumanga iseluleko sami, badelela ukukhuza kwami,
31 therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their way, and be filled with their own devices.
bazakudla izithelo zokuhamba kwabo basuthiswe ngezithelo zamacebo abo.
32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall cause them to perish.
Phela ubuhlongandlebe bezithutha buzazibulala, lokungananzi kweziphukuphuku kuzazibhubhisa;
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be at rest from fear of evil.
kodwa lowo ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile ekhululekile, engesabi lutho olungamlimaza.”
