Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Zwanini, madodana ami, izeluleko zikayihlo; lalelani lizuze ukuqedisisa.
2 For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not my teaching.
Ngilipha izifundo ezipheleleyo; ngakho lingalahli imfundiso yami.
3 For I was a son unto my father, tender and an only one in the sight of my mother.
Ngathi ngisengumfana emzini kababa, ngisebuthakathaka, ngiyimi ngedwa ingane kamama,
4 And he taught me, and said unto me: 'Let thy heart hold fast my words, keep my commandments, and live;
wangifundisa ubaba wathi, “Abambe amazwi ami ngenhliziyo yakho yonke; gcina imilayo yami ukuze uphile.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
Zuza ukuhlakanipha, zuza ukuqedisisa; ungawakhohlwa amazwi ami, kumbe ugudluke kuwo.
6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; love her, and she will keep thee.
Ungafulatheli ukuhlakanipha, kuzakuvikela; kuthande, kuzakulinda.
7 The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom; yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
Ukuhlakanipha kuyinqaba; ngakho zuza ukuhlakanipha. Zuza ukuqedisisa loba kungathatha konke olakho.
8 Extol her, and she will exalt thee; she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
Kugogose, kuzakuphakamisa; kugone, kuzakunika udumo.
9 She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow on thee.'
Kuzakwethesa umqhele wamaluba omusa ekhanda lakho kukwethese umqhele wenkazimulo.”
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
Zwana mntanami, yamukela lokho engikutshoyo, ukuze insuku zokuphila kwakho zibe zinengi.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
Ngiyakukhokhela endleleni yokuhlakanipha, ngikuqondise ezindleleni eziqondileyo.
12 When thou goest, thy step shall not be straitened; and if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Nxa uhamba kawuyikuthikaza; nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
13 Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go; keep her, for she is thy life.
Bambelela iziqondiso, ungayekethisi; zigcine kuhle ngoba ziyikuphila kwakho.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men.
Ungayingeni indlela yababi njalo ungahambi endleleni yezigangi.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass on.
Ixwaye, ungahambi ngayo; itshiye uqhubeke ngeyakho indlela.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
Phela kabalali bengenzanga ukuganga; badela ubuthongo ukuze baqale balimaze omunye umuntu.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
Badla isinkwa sobubi banathe iwayini lobudlwangudlwangu.
18 But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Indlela yabalungileyo injengovivi lokusa, kukhule ukukhanya kwalo kuze kuphelele emini.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble.
Kodwa indlela yababi ifana lomnyama omkhulu; kabazi ukuthi kuyini okubakhubayo.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Ndodana yami, zwana lokhu engikutshoyo; lalelisisa amazwi ami.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thy heart.
Ungawasusi emehlweni akho, agcine enhliziyweni yakho;
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
ngoba ayikuphila kulabo abawafumanayo; lokuqina komzimba wonke womuntu.
23 Above all that thou guardest keep thy heart; for out of it are the issues of life.
Phezu kwakho konke, gcina inhliziyo yakho, ngoba ingumthombo wokuphila kwakho.
24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Lahla izibozi zamazwi emlonyeni wakho; ungakhuphi inkulumo yokuxhwala ezindebeni zakho.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Khangelisa amehlo akho nta phambili, uwathi nhlo amehlo akho kulokho okuphambi kwakho.
26 Make plain the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Lungisa izindlela ukuze inyawo zakho zinyathele kuhle, uhambe ngezindlela eziqinileyo kuphela.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.
Ungaphambukeli kwesokunene loba kwesokhohlo; ugcine unyawo lwakho lunganyatheli okubi.
