Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisdom cry aloud, and prudence put forth her voice?
Inhlakanipho kayimemezi yini, lokuqedisisa kukhuphe ilizwi lakho?
2 Standing in the top of the highest places by the way, in the midst of the paths.
Engqongeni yezindawo eziphakemeyo, ngasendleleni, phakathi kwezindlela kumi.
3 Beside the gates of the city, in the very doors she speaketh, saying:
Eceleni kwamasango, entubeni yomuzi, ekungeneni kweminyango kuyamemeza kakhulu kuthi:
4 O ye men, to you I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.
Kini, madoda, ngiyamemeza, lelizwi lami lisebantwaneni babantu.
5 O little ones, understand subtilty, and ye unwise, take notice.
Lina elingelalwazi, qedisisani inhlakanipho; lani zithutha, qedisisani ngenhliziyo.
6 Hear, for I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things.
Zwanini, ngoba ngizakhuluma izinto zobukhosi, lokuvula kwendebe zami kuzakuba yikuqonda.
7 My mouth shall meditate truth, and my lips shall hate wickedness.
Ngoba umlomo wami ukhuluma iqiniso, lenkohlakalo iyisinengiso endebeni zami.
8 All my words are just, there is nothing wicked nor perverse in them.
Wonke amazwi omlomo wami asekulungeni; kakukho okutshilekileyo lokugobileyo kuwo.
9 They are right to them that understand, and just to them that find knowledge.
Wonke aqondile kulowo oqedisisayo, alungile kulabo abathola ulwazi.
10 Receive my instruction, and not money: choose knowledge rather than gold.
Yemukelani ukufundisa kwami, hatshi isiliva, lolwazi kulegolide elikhethekileyo.
11 For wisdom is better than all the most precious things: and whatsoever may be desired cannot be compared to it.
Ngoba inhlakanipho ingcono kulamatshe amahle, lakho konke okufisekayo kakulakulinganiswa layo.
12 I wisdom dwell in counsel, and am present in learned thoughts.
Mina nhlakanipho ngihlala lokuqedisisa, ngithola ulwazi lamacebo.
13 The fear of the Lord hateth evil: I hate arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.
Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuzonda ububi; ukuzigqaja, lokuziqhenya, lendlela embi, lomlomo wokuphambeka ngiyakuzonda.
14 Counsel and equity is mine, prudence is mine, strength is mine.
Iseluleko ngesami, lenhlakanipho eqotho; ngiyikuqedisisa; amandla ngawami.
15 By me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things,
Ngami amakhosi ayabusa, lababusi bamisa ukulunga.
16 By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice.
Ngami iziphathamandla ziyabusa, lezikhulu, bonke abehluleli bomhlaba.
17 I love them that love me: and they that in the morning early watch for me, shall find me.
Mina ngiyathanda abangithandayo, lalabo abangidingisisayo bazangithola.
18 With me are riches and glory, glorious riches and justice.
Inotho lodumo kukimi, inotho eqhubekayo lokulunga.
19 For my fruit is better than gold and the precious stone, and my blossoms than choice silver.
Isithelo sami singcono kulegolide, legolide elicwengekileyo, lokutholakalayo kwami kulesiliva esikhethekileyo.
20 I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,
Ngihamba endleleni yokulunga, phakathi kwemikhondo yesahlulelo;
21 That I may enrich them that love me, and may fill their treasures.
ukuthi ngenze abangithandayo badle ilifa lemfuyo; ngigcwalise iziphala zabo.
22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing from the beginning.
INkosi, ngaba ngeyayo, ngaba yikuqala kwendlela yayo, ngaphambi kwemisebenzi yayo yendulo.
23 I was set up from eternity, and of old before the earth was made.
Ngamiswa kwasephakadeni, kusukela ekuqaleni, kusukela emandulo omhlaba.
24 The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived. neither had the fountains of waters as yet sprung out:
Kungakabi khona izinziki ngasengizelwe, ingakabi khona imithombo enzima ngamanzi.
25 The mountains with their huge bulk had not as yet been established: before the hills I was brought forth:
Intaba zingakamiswa, kungakabi khona amaqaqa, ngasengizelwe.
26 He had not yet made the earth, nor the rivers, nor the poles of the world.
Ingakawenzi umhlaba lemimango, lokuqala kwentuli zomhlaba.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law and compass he enclosed the depths:
Lapho ilungisa amazulu ngangikhonapho; lapho imisa umkhathi ngaphezu kwenziki;
28 When he established the sky above, and poised the fountains of waters:
lapho imisa amayezi ngaphezulu; lapho iqinisa imithombo yenziki;
29 When he compassed the sea with its bounds, and set a law to the waters that they should not pass their limits: when be balanced the foundations of the earth;
lapho imisela ulwandle umngcele walo ukuze amanzi angeqi umlayo wayo; lapho imisa izisekelo zomhlaba;
30 I was with him forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him at all times;
khona ngangiseduze layo njengowakhuliswa yiyo, ngizintokozo zayo usuku ngosuku, ngithokoza phambi kwayo ngaso sonke isikhathi,
31 Playing in the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men.
ngidlala elizweni lomhlaba wayo, lentokozo zami zisebantwaneni babantu.
32 Now therefore, ye children, hear me: Blessed are they that keep my ways.
Ngakho-ke, bantwana bami, ngizweni; ngoba babusisiwe abagcina indlela zami.
33 Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not.
Zwanini ukulaya, lihlakaniphe, lingakudeli.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors.
Ubusisiwe umuntu ongizwayo, alinde insuku ngensuku emasangweni ami, alinde emigubazini yeminyango yami.
35 He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord:
Ngoba ongitholayo uthola impilo, azuze umusa eNkosini.
36 But he that shall sin against me, shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death.
Kodwa owona kimi wona umphefumulo wakhe; bonke abangizondayo bathanda ukufa.
