Proverbs 4
1 Hear, all of you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Zwanini, bantwana, umlayo kayihlo, linanzelele ukuze lazi ukuqedisisa.
2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake all of you not my law.
Ngoba ngilinika imfundiso enhle, lingawutshiyi umlayo wami.
3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
Ngoba bengiyindodana kababa, ngithambile, ngingedwa phambi kukamama.
4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let your heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
Wasengifundisa wathi kimi: Inhliziyo yakho kayibambelele emazwini ami; gcina imilayo yami, uphile.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Zuza inhlakanipho, uzuze ukuqedisisa, ungakhohlwa; ungaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve you: love her, and she shall keep you.
Ungakutshiyi, njalo kuzakulondoloza; ukuthande, njalo kuzakulinda.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting get understanding.
Okokuqala yinhlakanipho; zuza inhlakanipho; langenzuzo yakho yonke uzuze ukuqedisisa.
8 Exalt her, and she shall promote you: she shall bring you to honour, when you do embrace her.
Kukhulise, njalo kuzakuphakamisa; kuzakunika udumo nxa ukugona.
9 She shall give to your head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to you.
Kuzanika ikhanda lakho umqhele womusa; kuzakulethela umqhele wodumo.
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of your life shall be many.
Zwana, ndodana yami, wemukele amazwi ami, leminyaka yempilo izakuba minengi kuwe.
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.
Ngikufundisile endleleni yenhlakanipho; ngikwenze wanyathela emikhondweni yobuqotho.
12 When you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not stumble.
Ekuhambeni kwakho inyathelo lakho kaliyikufinyezwa, njalo nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is your life.
Bambelela ekulayweni, ungakuyekeli; kugcine, ngoba kuyimpilo yakho.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
Ungangeni emkhondweni wabakhohlakeleyo, ungahambi endleleni yababi.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
Iyekele, ungedluli ngayo, phambuka kuyo, wedlule.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
Ngoba kabalali uba bengenzanga okubi; lobuthongo babo buyasuswa uba bengakhubekisanga muntu.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
Ngoba badla isinkwa senkohlakalo, banathe iwayini lobudlwangudlwangu.
18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day.
Kodwa indlela yabalungileyo injengokukhanya okukhanyayo, kuqhubeka kukhanya kuze kube semini enkulu.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
Indlela yababi injengomnyama; kabazi ukuthi bazakhutshwa yini.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline your ear unto my sayings.
Ndodana yami, lalela amazwi ami, ubeke indlebe yakho ekukhulumeni kwami.
21 Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart.
Kakungaphunyuki emehlweni akho; ukugcine phakathi kwenhliziyo yakho.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Ngoba kuyimpilo kwabakutholayo, lempilo enhle yenyama yabo yonke.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Gcina inhliziyo yakho phezu kwakho konke okungagcinwa, ngoba kuvela kikho ukuphuma kwempilo.
24 Put away from you a perverse mouth, and perverse lips put far from you.
Susa kuwe ukuphambana komlomo, lokuphambeka kwendebe kususele khatshana lawe.
25 Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you.
Amehlo akho kawakhangele phambili, lenkophe zakho ziqonde phambi kwakho.
26 Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.
Linganisa umkhondo wonyawo lwakho, ukuze zonke indlela zakho ziqine.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove your foot from evil.
Ungaphambukeli ngakwesokunene kumbe ngakwesokhohlo; uphambule unyawo lwakho ebubini.
