< Proverbs 2 >

1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Ndodana yami, uba usemukela amazwi ami, ugcine kuwe imilayo yami,
2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, [and] apply thine heart to understanding;
ukuthi wenze indlebe yakho ilalele inhlakanipho, uthobise inhliziyo yakho ekuqedisiseni,
3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, [and] liftest up thy voice for understanding;
yebo, uba ukhalela ukuqedisisa, ukhuphele ilizwi lakho ekuzwisiseni,
4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as [for] hid treasures;
uba ukudinga njengesiliva, ukuphenye njengezimpahla eziligugu ezifihliweyo,
5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
khona uzaqedisisa ukuyesaba iNkosi, uthole ulwazi lukaNkulunkulu.
6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding.
Ngoba iNkosi inika inhlakanipho; ulwazi lokuqedisisa kuvela emlonyeni wayo.
7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: [he is] a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
Iyababekela abaqotho inhlakanipho eqotho; iyisihlangu kubo abahamba ngokuqonda,
8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
ukugcina indlela zesahlulelo; izalondoloza indlela zabangcwele bayo.
9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; [yea], every good path.
Khona uzaqedisisa ukulunga, lesahlulelo, lokuqonda; yonke indlela elungileyo.
10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Lapho inhlakanipho izangena enhliziyweni yakho, lolwazi lube mnandi emphefumulweni wakho;
11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
ingqondo izakugcina, ukuqedisisa kukulondoloze;
12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil [man], from the man that speaketh froward things;
ukukophula endleleni embi, emuntwini okhuluma izinto eziphambeneyo;
13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
abatshiya indlela zobuqotho, ukuze bahambe ngendlela zobumnyama;
14 Who rejoice to do evil, [and] delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
abathokoza ngokwenza okubi, bejabula ekuphambukeni komubi;
15 Whose ways [are] crooked, and [they] froward in their paths:
abandlela zabo ziphambene, begobile emikhondweni yabo;
16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, [even] from the stranger [which] flattereth with her words;
ukukophula kowesifazana wemzini, kowezizwe okhohlisa ngamazwi akhe;
17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
otshiya umngane wobutsha bakhe, ekhohlwa isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu wakhe;
18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
ngoba indlu yakhe itshonela ekufeni, lemikhondo yakhe emimoyeni efileyo.
19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
Bonke abangena kuye kabayikubuya, njalo kabayikufinyelela endleleni zempilo.
20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good [men], and keep the paths of the righteous.
Ukuze uhambe endleleni yabalungileyo, ugcine imikhondo yamalungisa.
21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
Ngoba abaqotho bazahlala elizweni, labapheleleyo basale kulo;
22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
kodwa abakhohlakeleyo bazaqunywa basuswe elizweni, labaphambekayo badatshulwe basuswe kulo.

< Proverbs 2 >