Proverbs 2
1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Ndodana yami, nxa usamukela amazwi ami ugcine imilayo yami ngaphakathi kwakho,
2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, [and] apply thine heart to understanding;
uvule indlebe yakho izwe ukuhlakanipha unikele inhliziyo yakho ukuthi izwisise,
3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, [and] liftest up thy voice for understanding;
njalo nxa ucela ukuqedisisa ukhalela kakhulu ukuzwisisa,
4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as [for] hid treasures;
futhi ukudingisisa njengokudinga isiliva ukuphenye njengento eligugu efihliweyo,
5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
lapho-ke uzakuzwisisa ukumesaba uThixo njalo uluzuze ulwazi lukaNkulunkulu.
6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding.
Ngoba uThixo uyapha ukuhlakanipha, emlonyeni wakhe kuphuma ulwazi lokuqedisisa.
7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: [he is] a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
Abaqotho ubapha ukunqoba, ulihawu lalabo abahamba bengasoleki,
8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
ngoba uyayilinda indlela yabalungileyo avikele ukuhamba kwabathembekileyo bakhe.
9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; [yea], every good path.
Yikho uzazwisisa lokho okulungileyo lokuqondileyo lokufaneleyo zonke izindlela ezinhle.
10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Ngoba ukuhlakanipha kuzangena enhliziyweni yakho, lolwazi lube mnandi emphefumulweni wakho.
11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
Ukwazi ukukhetha kuzakuvikela, lokuzwisisa kuzakulinda.
12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil [man], from the man that speaketh froward things;
Ukuhlakanipha kuzakusindisa ezindleleni zabantu ababi, abantu abamazwi abolileyo,
13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
abatshiya izindlela eziqondileyo, bahambe ngezindlela ezilamathunzi,
14 Who rejoice to do evil, [and] delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
abathokoza ngokwenza okubi bajabule ngokungcola kokubi,
15 Whose ways [are] crooked, and [they] froward in their paths:
abandlela zabo zitshekile lokuhamba kwabo kakuqondakali.
16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, [even] from the stranger [which] flattereth with her words;
Kuzakukhulula njalo koyisiphingikazi, lasemfazini olamazwi akhohlisayo,
17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
osetshiye indoda yakhe yobutsha bakhe wadela isifungo asenza phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
Ngoba indlu yakhe iholela ekufeni lezindlela zakhe zidonsela kwabafileyo.
19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
Kakho ongena kuye obuyayo kumbe aphinde azuze izindlela zokuphila.
20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good [men], and keep the paths of the righteous.
Ngakho uzahamba ezindleleni zabantu abalungileyo walele emikhondweni yabaqondileyo.
21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
Ngoba abaqotho bazahlala elizweni, labangasolekiyo bazasala kulo;
22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
kodwa izigangi zizasuswa elizweni, labangathembekanga bazakhutshwa kulo.
