Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisdom cry, and understanding put forth her voice?
Ukuhlakanipha kakumemezi yini? Ukuqedisisa kakuphakamisi ilizwi lakho na?
2 In the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she standeth;
Emiqolweni yezindlela, emahlanganweni ezindlela kulapho okujame khona;
3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:
emasangweni angena phakathi kwedolobho, ezintubeni kuyamemeza kakhulu kusithi:
4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of men.
“Ngimemeza lina, madoda; ilizwi lami libiza bonke abantu.
5 O ye simple, understand subtilty; and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
Lina eliyizithutha, zuzani ukuqonda; lina ziphukuphuku, zuzani ukuqedisisa.
6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
Lalelani ngoba ngilitshela izinto eziqakathekileyo; ngivula izindebe zami ngikhuluma okuqondileyo.
7 For my mouth shall utter truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
Umlomo wami ukhuluma okuliqiniso, ngoba izindebe zami ziyabenyanya ububi.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
Wonke amazwi omlomo wami aqondile; kalikho lelilodwa elitshekileyo loba elingcolileyo.
9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
Kulowo ozwisisayo wonke alungile; akulankohliso kulabo abalolwazi.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
Khetha iseluleko sami kulesiliva, ulwazi kulegolide elikhethiweyo,
11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared unto her.
ngoba ukuhlakanipha kuligugu okudlula amarubhi, njalo akulanto ongayifisa ezifisweni zakho okulingana lakho.
12 I wisdom have made subtilty my dwelling, and find out knowledge [and] discretion.
Mina, kuhlakanipha, ngihlala ndawonye lokuqondisisa; ngilolwazi lokukhetha kuhle.
13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Ukwesaba uThixo yikuzonda ububi; ngiyakuzonda ukuzazisa lobuqholo, ukuziphatha kubi lenkulumo ebolileyo.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge: I am understanding; I have might.
Ukweluleka lokwahlulela okuhle kungokwami; ngilokuzwisisa lamandla.
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
Amakhosi abusa ngenxa yami lababusi balakho ukutshaya imithetho elungileyo;
16 By me princes rule, and nobles, [even] all the judges of the earth.
amakhosana abusa ngami, lazozonke izikhulu ezibusa emhlabeni.
17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me diligently shall find me.
Ngiyabathanda labo abangithandayo, labo abangidingayo bayangithola.
18 Riches and honour are with me; [yea], durable riches and righteousness.
Kimi kukhona inotho lodumo, inotho engapheliyo lokuphumelela.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
Izithelo zami zingcono kulegolide elicengiweyo; okuphuma kimi kwedlula isiliva sekhethelo.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
Ngihamba ngendlela yokulunga, ngilandela umkhondo wokuqonda,
21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and that I may fill their treasuries.
ngiyabela inotho kulabo abangithandayo ngigcwalise iziphala zabo.
22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
UThixo wangenza ngaba khona ngaqalela konke okukhona, kuqala kokwenza ezinye izinto;
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
ngaba khona ekudabukeni kwezinto, kwasekuqaleni, umhlaba ungakabi khona.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
Kungakabi lezilwandle, ngasengizelwe, kungakabi khona izihotsha ezigcwele amanzi;
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
izintaba zingakamiswa ensikeni zazo, engakabi khona amaqaqa, ngasengizelwe,
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
uThixo engakawenzi umhlaba lamaganga, loba lonke uthuli lomhlaba.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there: when he set a circle upon the face of the deep:
Ngangikhona uThixo ehlela kuhle izulu, ephawula kuhle imingcele yomkhathi lolwandle,
28 When he made firm the sides above: when the fountains of the deep became strong:
esenza amayezi emkhathini wazizinzisa inziki zolwandle,
29 When he gave to the sea its bound, that the waters should not transgress his commandment: when he marked out the foundations of the earth:
ebeka imingcele yolwandle ukuze amanzi angedluli izimiso zakhe, ngesikhathi lapho emisa izisekelo zomhlaba.
30 Then I was by him, [as] a master workman: and I was daily [his] delight, rejoicing always before him;
Ngalesosikhathi ngangingumbumbi eceleni kwakhe. Ngangilenjabulo enkulu insuku ngensuku, ngithokoza ukuba laye kokuphela,
31 Rejoicing in his habitable earth; and my delight was with the sons of men.
ngithokoza ngomhlaba wakhe wonke ngijabuliswa yibukhona babantu.
32 Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
Ngakho-ke, madodana ami, ngilalelani; babusisekile labo abalondoloza izindlela zami.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
Lalelani imfundiso yami ukuze lihlakaniphe; lingaqali ukuyidela.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
Ubusisiwe lowomuntu ongilalelayo, olinda imihla yonke eminyango yami, elindile entubeni yami.
35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
Ngoba lowo ongifumanayo uzuza ukuphila emukeliswe ukuthandwa nguThixo.
36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
Kodwa lowo owehlulekayo ukungifumana uyazilimaza; bonke abangizondayo bathanda ukufa.”
