Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
Izaga zikaSolomoni, indodana kaDavida, inkosi yakoIsrayeli;
2 To know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
ukwazi inhlakanipho lokulaywa, ukuqedisisa amazwi okuqedisisa,
3 To receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness and judgment and equity;
ukwemukela ukulaya kwenhlakanipho, ukulunga, lesahlulelo, lokuqonda;
4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion:
ukunika abangelalwazi inhlakanipho, ijaha ulwazi lengqondo.
5 That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; and that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:
Ohlakaniphileyo uzakuzwa, andise ukufunda, loqedisisayo uzazuza izeluleko,
6 To understand a proverb, and a figure; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
ukuqedisisa isaga lomzekeliso, amazwi abahlakaniphileyo, lamalibho abo.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: [but] the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuqala kolwazi; izithutha ziyadelela inhlakanipho lokulaywa.
8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Ndodana yami, zwana ukulaya kukayihlo, ungawudeli umlayo kanyoko;
9 For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
ngoba kuzakuba ngumqhele womusa ekhanda lakho, lemigaxo entanyeni yakho.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
Ndodana yami, uba izoni zikuhuga, ungavumi.
11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause;
Uba zisithi: Hamba lathi, siyecathamela igazi, sicatshele ongelacala kungelasizatho;
12 Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those that go down into the pit; (Sheol h7585)
sibaginye bephila njengengcwaba, yebo, ngokupheleleyo, njengabehlela egodini. (Sheol h7585)
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil;
Sizathola yonke impahla eligugu, sigcwalise izindlu zethu ngempango.
14 Thou shalt cast thy lot among us; we will all have one purse:
Phosela inkatho yakho phakathi kwethu; sonke sibe lesikhwama semali sinye.
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
Ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo endleleni; unqande unyawo lwakho emkhondweni wazo.
16 For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
Ngoba inyawo zazo zigijimela ebubini, ziphangisa ukuchitha igazi.
17 For in vain is the net spread, in the eyes of any bird:
Isibili, imbule lendlalelwa ize phambi kwamehlo aloba yiyiphi inyoni.
18 And these lay wait for their own blood, they lurk privily for their own lives.
Lalaba bacathamela igazi labo, bacatshele imiphefumulo yabo.
19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; it taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
Zinjalo indlela zakhe wonke ozuza inzuzo ngokuphanga; ithatha impilo yabaniniyo.
20 Wisdom crieth aloud in the street; she uttereth her voice in the broad places;
UkuHlakanipha kuyamemeza ngaphandle, kukhupha ilizwi lakho emidangeni.
21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse; at the entering in of the gates, in the city, she uttereth her words:
Kuyamemeza endaweni eqakathekileyo yokuxokozela, ekungeneni kwamasango; emzini kutsho amazwi akho,
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and scorners delight them in scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
kusithi: Koze kube nini, lina elingelalwazi, lithanda ukungabi lalwazi, labaklolodayo bezifisela ukukloloda, leziphukuphuku zizonda ulwazi?
23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
Phendukelani ekukhuzeni kwami; khangelani, ngizathululela umoya wami kini, ngilazise amazwi ami.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
Ngoba ngibizile, kodwa lala; ngelulile isandla sami, kodwa kakho onanzayo;
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
ladelela sonke iseluleko sami, kalivumanga ukukhuza kwami;
26 I also will laugh in [the day of] your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
mina-ke ngizahleka ukuchitheka kwenu, ngiklolode ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu,
27 When your fear cometh as a storm, and your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon you.
ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu njengesiphepho, lokuchitheka kwenu kufika njengesivunguzane, lapho ubuhlungu losizi kulehlela.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me diligently, but they shall not find me:
Khona bazangibiza, kodwa kangiyikusabela; bazangidingisisa, kodwa kabayikungithola.
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
Ngenxa yokuthi babezonda ulwazi, bengakhethanga ukwesaba iNkosi.
30 They would none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof:
Kabavumanga iseluleko sami, bedelela konke ukukhuza kwami.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
Ngakho bazakudla okwesithelo sendlela yabo, basuthiswe ngamacebo abo.
32 For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
Ngoba ukuhlehla kwabangelalwazi kuzababulala, lokonwaba kweziphukuphuku kuzababhubhisa.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, and shall be quiet without fear of evil.
Kodwa ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile, onwabe ekwesabeni okubi.
