Proverbs 1
1 Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
Izaga zikaSolomoni, indodana kaDavida, inkosi yakoIsrayeli;
2 For knowing wisdom and instruction, For understanding sayings of intelligence,
ukwazi inhlakanipho lokulaywa, ukuqedisisa amazwi okuqedisisa,
3 For receiving the instruction of wisdom, Righteousness, judgment, and uprightness,
ukwemukela ukulaya kwenhlakanipho, ukulunga, lesahlulelo, lokuqonda;
4 For giving to simple ones—prudence, To a youth—knowledge and discretion.
ukunika abangelalwazi inhlakanipho, ijaha ulwazi lengqondo.
5 (The wise hear and increase learning, And the intelligent obtain counsels.)
Ohlakaniphileyo uzakuzwa, andise ukufunda, loqedisisayo uzazuza izeluleko,
6 For understanding a proverb and its sweetness, Words of the wise and their acute sayings.
ukuqedisisa isaga lomzekeliso, amazwi abahlakaniphileyo, lamalibho abo.
7 Fear of YHWH [is the] beginning of knowledge, Fools have despised wisdom and instruction!
Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuqala kolwazi; izithutha ziyadelela inhlakanipho lokulaywa.
8 Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, And do not leave the law of your mother,
Ndodana yami, zwana ukulaya kukayihlo, ungawudeli umlayo kanyoko;
9 For they [are] a graceful wreath to your head, And chains to your neck.
ngoba kuzakuba ngumqhele womusa ekhanda lakho, lemigaxo entanyeni yakho.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not be willing.
Ndodana yami, uba izoni zikuhuga, ungavumi.
11 If they say, “Come with us, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,
Uba zisithi: Hamba lathi, siyecathamela igazi, sicatshele ongelacala kungelasizatho;
sibaginye bephila njengengcwaba, yebo, ngokupheleleyo, njengabehlela egodini. (Sheol h7585)
13 We find every precious substance, We fill our houses [with] spoil,
Sizathola yonke impahla eligugu, sigcwalise izindlu zethu ngempango.
14 You cast your lot among us, One purse is—to all of us.”
Phosela inkatho yakho phakathi kwethu; sonke sibe lesikhwama semali sinye.
15 My son! Do not go in the way with them, Withhold your foot from their path,
Ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo endleleni; unqande unyawo lwakho emkhondweni wazo.
16 For their feet run to evil, And they hurry to shed blood.
Ngoba inyawo zazo zigijimela ebubini, ziphangisa ukuchitha igazi.
17 Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.
Isibili, imbule lendlalelwa ize phambi kwamehlo aloba yiyiphi inyoni.
18 And they lay wait for their own blood, They watch secretly for their own lives.
Lalaba bacathamela igazi labo, bacatshele imiphefumulo yabo.
19 So [are] the paths of every gainer of dishonest gain, It takes the life of its owners.
Zinjalo indlela zakhe wonke ozuza inzuzo ngokuphanga; ithatha impilo yabaniniyo.
20 Wisdom cries aloud in an out-place, She gives forth her voice in broad places,
UkuHlakanipha kuyamemeza ngaphandle, kukhupha ilizwi lakho emidangeni.
21 She calls at the head of the multitudes, In the openings of the gates, In the city she says her sayings:
Kuyamemeza endaweni eqakathekileyo yokuxokozela, ekungeneni kwamasango; emzini kutsho amazwi akho,
22 “Until when, you simple, do you love simplicity? And have scorners desired their scorning? And do fools hate knowledge?
kusithi: Koze kube nini, lina elingelalwazi, lithanda ukungabi lalwazi, labaklolodayo bezifisela ukukloloda, leziphukuphuku zizonda ulwazi?
23 Turn back at my reproof, behold, I pour forth my spirit to you, I make known my words with you.
Phendukelani ekukhuzeni kwami; khangelani, ngizathululela umoya wami kini, ngilazise amazwi ami.
24 Because I have called, and you refuse, I stretched out my hand, and none is attending,
Ngoba ngibizile, kodwa lala; ngelulile isandla sami, kodwa kakho onanzayo;
25 And you slight all my counsel, And you have not desired my reproof.
ladelela sonke iseluleko sami, kalivumanga ukukhuza kwami;
26 I also laugh in your calamity, I deride when your fear comes,
mina-ke ngizahleka ukuchitheka kwenu, ngiklolode ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu,
27 When your fear comes as destruction, And your calamity comes as a windstorm, When adversity and distress come on you.
ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu njengesiphepho, lokuchitheka kwenu kufika njengesivunguzane, lapho ubuhlungu losizi kulehlela.
28 Then they call me, and I do not answer, They seek me earnestly, and do not find me.
Khona bazangibiza, kodwa kangiyikusabela; bazangidingisisa, kodwa kabayikungithola.
29 Because that they have hated knowledge, And have not chosen the fear of YHWH.
Ngenxa yokuthi babezonda ulwazi, bengakhethanga ukwesaba iNkosi.
30 They have not consented to my counsel, They have despised all my reproof,
Kabavumanga iseluleko sami, bedelela konke ukukhuza kwami.
31 And they eat of the fruit of their way, And they are filled from their own counsels.
Ngakho bazakudla okwesithelo sendlela yabo, basuthiswe ngamacebo abo.
32 For the turning of the simple slays them, And the security of the foolish destroys them.
Ngoba ukuhlehla kwabangelalwazi kuzababulala, lokonwaba kweziphukuphuku kuzababhubhisa.
33 And whoever is listening to me dwells confidently, And [is] quiet from fear of evil!”
Kodwa ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile, onwabe ekwesabeni okubi.
