Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye children, the correction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Zwanini, bantwana, umlayo kayihlo, linanzelele ukuze lazi ukuqedisisa.
2 For good information do I give you: my teaching must ye not forsake.
Ngoba ngilinika imfundiso enhle, lingawutshiyi umlayo wami.
3 For I was a son unto my father, a tender and an only child before my mother.
Ngoba bengiyindodana kababa, ngithambile, ngingedwa phambi kukamama.
4 And he instructed me, and said unto me, Let thy heart grasp firmly my words: observe my commandments and live.
Wasengifundisa wathi kimi: Inhliziyo yakho kayibambelele emazwini ami; gcina imilayo yami, uphile.
5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding: forget not, and depart not from the sayings of my mouth.
Zuza inhlakanipho, uzuze ukuqedisisa, ungakhohlwa; ungaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami.
6 Forsake her not, and she will watch over thee: love her, and she will keep thee.
Ungakutshiyi, njalo kuzakulondoloza; ukuthande, njalo kuzakulinda.
7 The beginning of wisdom is, Acquire wisdom: and with all thy acquisition acquire understanding.
Okokuqala yinhlakanipho; zuza inhlakanipho; langenzuzo yakho yonke uzuze ukuqedisisa.
8 Hold her in high esteem, and she will exalt thee: she will bring thee to honor, when thou embracest her.
Kukhulise, njalo kuzakuphakamisa; kuzakunika udumo nxa ukugona.
9 She will give to thy head a wreath of grace: a crown of ornament will she deliver to thee.
Kuzanika ikhanda lakho umqhele womusa; kuzakulethela umqhele wodumo.
10 Hear, O my son, and accept my sayings: and they will increase unto thee the years of life.
Zwana, ndodana yami, wemukele amazwi ami, leminyaka yempilo izakuba minengi kuwe.
11 In the way of wisdom have I instructed thee: I have led thee in the tracks of uprightness.
Ngikufundisile endleleni yenhlakanipho; ngikwenze wanyathela emikhondweni yobuqotho.
12 When thou walkest, thy step shall not be narrowed; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Ekuhambeni kwakho inyathelo lakho kaliyikufinyezwa, njalo nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
13 Lay fast hold of correction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
Bambelela ekulayweni, ungakuyekeli; kugcine, ngoba kuyimpilo yakho.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and step not on the way of the bad.
Ungangeni emkhondweni wabakhohlakeleyo, ungahambi endleleni yababi.
15 Avoid it, pass not through by it, turn off from it, and pass away.
Iyekele, ungedluli ngayo, phambuka kuyo, wedlule.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done evil, and their sleep is robbed away, unless they cause some to stumble.
Ngoba kabalali uba bengenzanga okubi; lobuthongo babo buyasuswa uba bengakhubekisanga muntu.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness; and the wine of violence do they drink.
Ngoba badla isinkwa senkohlakalo, banathe iwayini lobudlwangudlwangu.
18 But the path of the righteous is as the early morning light, that shineth more and more brightly until the height of noonday.
Kodwa indlela yabalungileyo injengokukhanya okukhanyayo, kuqhubeka kukhanya kuze kube semini enkulu.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness: they know not against what they stumble.
Indlela yababi injengomnyama; kabazi ukuthi bazakhutshwa yini.
20 My son, attend to my words, unto my sayings incline thy ear.
Ndodana yami, lalela amazwi ami, ubeke indlebe yakho ekukhulumeni kwami.
21 Let them not slip away from thy eyes: guard them in the midst of thy heart.
Kakungaphunyuki emehlweni akho; ukugcine phakathi kwenhliziyo yakho.
22 For they are life unto every one of those that find them, and to all his body a healing.
Ngoba kuyimpilo kwabakutholayo, lempilo enhle yenyama yabo yonke.
23 Above all that is to be guarded, keep thy heart, for out of it are the issues of life.
Gcina inhliziyo yakho phezu kwakho konke okungagcinwa, ngoba kuvela kikho ukuphuma kwempilo.
24 Remove from thee frowardness of mouth; and perverseness of lips put away far from thee.
Susa kuwe ukuphambana komlomo, lokuphambeka kwendebe kususele khatshana lawe.
25 Let thy eyes look right forward, and let thy eyelids see straight out before thee.
Amehlo akho kawakhangele phambili, lenkophe zakho ziqonde phambi kwakho.
26 Balance well the track of thy foot, and let all thy ways be firmly right.
Linganisa umkhondo wonyawo lwakho, ukuze zonke indlela zakho ziqine.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Ungaphambukeli ngakwesokunene kumbe ngakwesokhohlo; uphambule unyawo lwakho ebubini.
