Proverbs 3
1 My son, forget not my teaching; but let thy heart keep my commandments;
Ndodana yami, ungakhohlwa imfundiso yami, kodwa ugcine imilayo yami enhliziyweni yakho,
2 For length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to thee.
ngoba izakwandisa impilo yakho okweminyaka eminengi, ikuphe ukuthula.
3 Let not kindness and truth forsake thee; bind them about thy neck, write them upon the table of thy heart;
Akungasuki kuwe loba nini uthando lokuthembeka; kubophele entanyeni yakho, ukubhale egwalibeni lenhliziyo yakho.
4 So shalt thou find grace and good favour in the sight of God and man.
Ngalokho uzathandeka uzuze ibizo elihle emehlweni kaNkulunkulu laphambi kwabantu.
5 Trust in the LORD with all thy heart, and lean not upon thine own understanding.
Themba kuThixo ngenhliziyo yakho yonke, ungathembi ekuzwisiseni kwakho;
6 In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths.
mvume kuzozonke izindlela zakho, yena uzaqondisa zonke izindlela zakho.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the LORD, and depart from evil;
Ungazenzi ohlakaniphileyo ngokubona kwakho; yesaba uThixo uxwaye okubi.
8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
Lokho kuzawuphilisa umzimba wakho kuwaqinise lamathambo akho.
9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase;
Dumisa uThixo ngenotho yakho; ngezithelo zakho zokuqala zonke;
10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy vats shall overflow with new wine.
ngalokho iziphala zakho zizagcwala ziphuphume, lezimbiza zakho zewayini zize zichitheke ngewayini elitsha.
11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD, neither spurn thou His correction;
Ndodana yami, ungeyisi ukulaya kukaThixo njalo ungacaphukeli ukukhuza kwakhe,
12 For whom the LORD loveth He correcteth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
ngoba uThixo ulaya labo abathandayo, njengoyise elaya indodana yakhe ayithandayo.
13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that obtaineth understanding.
Ubusisiwe umuntu ozuza ukuhlakanipha, umuntu ozuza ukuqedisisa,
14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
ngoba khona kulenzuzo eyedlula isiliva lenzuzo eyedlula igolide.
15 She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Kuligugu elidlula amarubhi; kakukho okuloyisayo okungalinganiswa lakho.
16 Length of days is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honour.
Impilo ende isesandleni sakho sokunene; kwesokhohlo kulenotho lodumo.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
Izindlela zakhe zilokuthokoza, lemikhondo yakhe ilokuthula.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that holdest her fast.
Kuyisihlahla sokuphila kulabo abakwamukelayo; labo abakuphathayo bazabusiswa.
19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens.
Ngokuhlakanipha uThixo wabeka izisekelo zomhlaba, ngokuqedisisa wamisa izulu endaweni yalo;
20 By His knowledge the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.
ngolwazi lwakhe inlwandle zehlukaniswa, lamayezi athontisa amazolo.
21 My son, let not them depart from thine eyes; keep sound wisdom and discretion;
Ndodana yami, gogosa ingqondo ehlela ngolwazi, ungayekeli kukucatshele;
22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
kuzakuba yikuphila kuwe, kube ngumceciso omuhle entanyeni yakho.
23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely, and thou shalt not dash thy foot.
Lapho-ke uzahamba ngendlela evikelweyo unyawo lwakho lungakhubeki;
24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid; yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
nxa ulala kawuyikwesaba; uzalala ubuthongo obumnandi.
25 Be not afraid of sudden terror, neither of the destruction of the wicked, when it cometh;
Ungabi lovalo nxa ujunywa ngumonakalo kumbe yikubhidlika lokho okwehlela ababi,
26 For the LORD will be thy confidence, and will keep thy foot from being caught.
ngoba uThixo uzakuba lithemba lakho avikele unyawo lwakho emjibileni.
27 Withhold not good from him to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it.
Ungaze wala ukusiza labo abadinga uncedo, wena ulakho ongabasiza ngakho.
28 Say not unto thy neighbour: 'Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give'; when thou hast it by thee.
Ungabokuthi kumakhelwane wakho: “Ubobuya kwesinye isikhathi; ngizakunika kusasa” wena ulalo lololutho.
29 Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
Ungacebi okubi ngomakhelwane wakho, ohlezi lawe ekwethemba.
30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
Ungaxabani lomuntu kungelasizatho yena engakonelanga ngalutho.
31 Envy thou not the man of violence, and choose none of his ways.
Ungamhawukeli umuntu othanda ukulwa loba nje ufise lakuphi ukwenza kwakhe,
32 For the perverse is an abomination to the LORD; but His counsel is with the upright.
ngoba uThixo uyamenyanya umuntu oxhwalileyo kodwa oqotho umbeka ekhwapheni lakhe.
33 The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked; but He blesseth the habitation of the righteous.
Isiqalekiso sikaThixo sehlela endlini yababi, kodwa uyayibusisa indlu yabalungileyo.
34 If it concerneth the scorners, He scorneth them, but unto the humble He giveth grace.
Uyabahleka usulu abayizideleli ezizithembayo, kodwa abe lomusa kwabathobekileyo.
35 The wise shall inherit honour; but as for the fools, they carry away shame.
Abahlakaniphileyo baphiwa udumo kodwa abayiziwula ubathela ihlazo.
