Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel.
Izaga zikaSolomoni, indodana kaDavida, inkosi yakoIsrayeli;
2 They are for achieving wisdom and instruction, and to recognize sayings that bring insight.
ukwazi inhlakanipho lokulaywa, ukuqedisisa amazwi okuqedisisa,
3 They provide education in what makes sense, living right, judging correctly, and acting fairly.
ukwemukela ukulaya kwenhlakanipho, ukulunga, lesahlulelo, lokuqonda;
4 They give discernment to the immature, knowledge and discretion to the young.
ukunika abangelalwazi inhlakanipho, ijaha ulwazi lengqondo.
5 Wise people will listen and gain in learning, and those who have good judgment will gain skills in guidance,
Ohlakaniphileyo uzakuzwa, andise ukufunda, loqedisisayo uzazuza izeluleko,
6 understanding the proverbs and puzzles, the sayings and questions of the wise.
ukuqedisisa isaga lomzekeliso, amazwi abahlakaniphileyo, lamalibho abo.
7 Honoring the Lord is where true knowledge begins, but fools treat wisdom and good advice with contempt.
Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuqala kolwazi; izithutha ziyadelela inhlakanipho lokulaywa.
8 My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
Ndodana yami, zwana ukulaya kukayihlo, ungawudeli umlayo kanyoko;
9 They are a wreath of grace to decorate your head; they are pendants for your neck.
ngoba kuzakuba ngumqhele womusa ekhanda lakho, lemigaxo entanyeni yakho.
10 My son, if evil people try to tempt you, don't give into them.
Ndodana yami, uba izoni zikuhuga, ungavumi.
11 They may tell you, “Come with us. Let's go and hide, ready to kill someone. Let's ambush someone for fun!
Uba zisithi: Hamba lathi, siyecathamela igazi, sicatshele ongelacala kungelasizatho;
sibaginye bephila njengengcwaba, yebo, ngokupheleleyo, njengabehlela egodini. (Sheol h7585)
13 We'll take from them all kinds of valuable things and fill our homes with the stuff we steal!
Sizathola yonke impahla eligugu, sigcwalise izindlu zethu ngempango.
14 Come and join us and we'll all share what we get!”
Phosela inkatho yakho phakathi kwethu; sonke sibe lesikhwama semali sinye.
15 My son, don't follow their ways. Don't go in that direction with them.
Ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo endleleni; unqande unyawo lwakho emkhondweni wazo.
16 For they rush to do evil; they hurry to commit violence and murder.
Ngoba inyawo zazo zigijimela ebubini, ziphangisa ukuchitha igazi.
17 There's no point in trying to lure birds into a net when they can see it.
Isibili, imbule lendlalelwa ize phambi kwamehlo aloba yiyiphi inyoni.
18 However, these evil people hide ready to kill others, but they themselves are the victims. They're only ambushing themselves!
Lalaba bacathamela igazi labo, bacatshele imiphefumulo yabo.
19 This is what happens to you if you try to become rich through crime—it kills you!
Zinjalo indlela zakhe wonke ozuza inzuzo ngokuphanga; ithatha impilo yabaniniyo.
20 Wisdom calls out in the streets; she shouts aloud in the squares.
UkuHlakanipha kuyamemeza ngaphandle, kukhupha ilizwi lakho emidangeni.
21 She cries out at busy corners; she explains her message at the town gates:
Kuyamemeza endaweni eqakathekileyo yokuxokozela, ekungeneni kwamasango; emzini kutsho amazwi akho,
22 “How long will you stupid people love stupidity? How long will scornful people enjoy their mocking? How long will fools hate knowledge?
kusithi: Koze kube nini, lina elingelalwazi, lithanda ukungabi lalwazi, labaklolodayo bezifisela ukukloloda, leziphukuphuku zizonda ulwazi?
23 Pay attention to my warnings, and I'll pour out my deepest thoughts to you—I'll explain what I know to you.
Phendukelani ekukhuzeni kwami; khangelani, ngizathululela umoya wami kini, ngilazise amazwi ami.
24 For I have called you, but you refused to listen; I reached out my hand to you, but you didn't care.
Ngoba ngibizile, kodwa lala; ngelulile isandla sami, kodwa kakho onanzayo;
25 You ignored everything I said; you wouldn't accept any of my warnings.
ladelela sonke iseluleko sami, kalivumanga ukukhuza kwami;
26 So I'll laugh at you when you're in trouble; I'll mock you when you're in a panic.
mina-ke ngizahleka ukuchitheka kwenu, ngiklolode ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu,
27 When panic rains down on you like a storm, when trouble hits you like a whirlwind, when sorrow and pain come on you,
ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu njengesiphepho, lokuchitheka kwenu kufika njengesivunguzane, lapho ubuhlungu losizi kulehlela.
28 then you'll call out to me for help, but I won't answer; you'll search hard for me, but won't find me.
Khona bazangibiza, kodwa kangiyikusabela; bazangidingisisa, kodwa kabayikungithola.
29 Why?—because they hated knowledge, and they didn't choose to respect the Lord.
Ngenxa yokuthi babezonda ulwazi, bengakhethanga ukwesaba iNkosi.
30 They're not willing to accept my advice; they despise all my warnings.
Kabavumanga iseluleko sami, bedelela konke ukukhuza kwami.
31 So they'll have to eat the fruit of their own choices, bloated by their own devious schemes.
Ngakho bazakudla okwesithelo sendlela yabo, basuthiswe ngamacebo abo.
32 Stupid people are killed by their rebellion; foolish people are destroyed by their lack of concern.
Ngoba ukuhlehla kwabangelalwazi kuzababulala, lokonwaba kweziphukuphuku kuzababhubhisa.
33 But everyone who listens to me will be kept safe, and will live without worrying about problems.”
Kodwa ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile, onwabe ekwesabeni okubi.
