Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye sons, the correction of a father, and attend, that ye may know understanding.
Zwanini, madodana ami, izeluleko zikayihlo; lalelani lizuze ukuqedisisa.
2 For, good teaching, have I given you, mine instruction, do not ye forsake.
Ngilipha izifundo ezipheleleyo; ngakho lingalahli imfundiso yami.
3 For, a son, became I to my father, tender and most precious in the sight of my mother.
Ngathi ngisengumfana emzini kababa, ngisebuthakathaka, ngiyimi ngedwa ingane kamama,
4 So he taught me, and said to me—Let thy heart, lay hold of my words, Keep my commandments and live!
wangifundisa ubaba wathi, “Abambe amazwi ami ngenhliziyo yakho yonke; gcina imilayo yami ukuze uphile.
5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, Do not forget, neither decline thou from the sayings of my mouth.
Zuza ukuhlakanipha, zuza ukuqedisisa; ungawakhohlwa amazwi ami, kumbe ugudluke kuwo.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will guard thee, —love her and she will keep thee.
Ungafulatheli ukuhlakanipha, kuzakuvikela; kuthande, kuzakulinda.
7 The principal thing, is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition, acquire thou understanding.
Ukuhlakanipha kuyinqaba; ngakho zuza ukuhlakanipha. Zuza ukuqedisisa loba kungathatha konke olakho.
8 Exalt her, and she will set thee on high, she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her:
Kugogose, kuzakuphakamisa; kugone, kuzakunika udumo.
9 She will give for thy head, a wreath of beauty, A crown of adorning, will she bestow upon thee.
Kuzakwethesa umqhele wamaluba omusa ekhanda lakho kukwethese umqhele wenkazimulo.”
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and they will multiply to thee the years of life.
Zwana mntanami, yamukela lokho engikutshoyo, ukuze insuku zokuphila kwakho zibe zinengi.
11 In the way of wisdom, have I taught thee, I have guided thee in tracks of uprightness.
Ngiyakukhokhela endleleni yokuhlakanipha, ngikuqondise ezindleleni eziqondileyo.
12 When thou walkest, thy step shall not be hemmed in, and, if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Nxa uhamba kawuyikuthikaza; nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
13 Take fast hold of correction, let her not go, —keep her, for, she, is thy life.
Bambelela iziqondiso, ungayekethisi; zigcine kuhle ngoba ziyikuphila kwakho.
14 Upon the path of the lawless, do not thou enter, and do not advance in the way of the wicked:
Ungayingeni indlela yababi njalo ungahambi endleleni yezigangi.
15 Avoid it, do not pass thereon—turn from it, and depart.
Ixwaye, ungahambi ngayo; itshiye uqhubeke ngeyakho indlela.
16 For they sleep not, unless they can do mischief, —They rob themselves of their sleep, if they cannot cause someone to stumble,
Phela kabalali bengenzanga ukuganga; badela ubuthongo ukuze baqale balimaze omunye umuntu.
17 For they consume bread gotten by lawlessness, and, wine obtained by violence, they drink.
Badla isinkwa sobubi banathe iwayini lobudlwangudlwangu.
18 But, the path of the righteous, is as the light of dawn, —going on and brightening, unto meridian day.
Indlela yabalungileyo injengovivi lokusa, kukhule ukukhanya kwalo kuze kuphelele emini.
19 The way of the lawless, is like darkness, they know not, at what they stumble.
Kodwa indlela yababi ifana lomnyama omkhulu; kabazi ukuthi kuyini okubakhubayo.
20 My son, to my words, attend, to my sayings, incline thou thine ear;
Ndodana yami, zwana lokhu engikutshoyo; lalelisisa amazwi ami.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart;
Ungawasusi emehlweni akho, agcine enhliziyweni yakho;
22 For, life, they are, to them who find them, —and, to every part of one’s flesh, they bring healing.
ngoba ayikuphila kulabo abawafumanayo; lokuqina komzimba wonke womuntu.
23 Above all that must be guarded, keep thou thy heart, for, out of it, are the issues of life.
Phezu kwakho konke, gcina inhliziyo yakho, ngoba ingumthombo wokuphila kwakho.
24 Remove from thee, perverseness of mouth, and, craftiness of lips, put far from thee.
Lahla izibozi zamazwi emlonyeni wakho; ungakhuphi inkulumo yokuxhwala ezindebeni zakho.
25 Let, thine eyes, right onward, look, —and, thine eyelashes, point straight before thee.
Khangelisa amehlo akho nta phambili, uwathi nhlo amehlo akho kulokho okuphambi kwakho.
26 Make level the track of thy foot, that, all thy ways, may be directed aright:
Lungisa izindlela ukuze inyawo zakho zinyathele kuhle, uhambe ngezindlela eziqinileyo kuphela.
27 Decline not, to the right hand or to the left, —Turn away thy foot from wickedness.
Ungaphambukeli kwesokunene loba kwesokhohlo; ugcine unyawo lwakho lunganyatheli okubi.
