Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye sons, the correction of a father, and attend, that ye may know understanding.
Zwanini, bantwana, umlayo kayihlo, linanzelele ukuze lazi ukuqedisisa.
2 For, good teaching, have I given you, mine instruction, do not ye forsake.
Ngoba ngilinika imfundiso enhle, lingawutshiyi umlayo wami.
3 For, a son, became I to my father, tender and most precious in the sight of my mother.
Ngoba bengiyindodana kababa, ngithambile, ngingedwa phambi kukamama.
4 So he taught me, and said to me—Let thy heart, lay hold of my words, Keep my commandments and live!
Wasengifundisa wathi kimi: Inhliziyo yakho kayibambelele emazwini ami; gcina imilayo yami, uphile.
5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, Do not forget, neither decline thou from the sayings of my mouth.
Zuza inhlakanipho, uzuze ukuqedisisa, ungakhohlwa; ungaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will guard thee, —love her and she will keep thee.
Ungakutshiyi, njalo kuzakulondoloza; ukuthande, njalo kuzakulinda.
7 The principal thing, is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition, acquire thou understanding.
Okokuqala yinhlakanipho; zuza inhlakanipho; langenzuzo yakho yonke uzuze ukuqedisisa.
8 Exalt her, and she will set thee on high, she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her:
Kukhulise, njalo kuzakuphakamisa; kuzakunika udumo nxa ukugona.
9 She will give for thy head, a wreath of beauty, A crown of adorning, will she bestow upon thee.
Kuzanika ikhanda lakho umqhele womusa; kuzakulethela umqhele wodumo.
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and they will multiply to thee the years of life.
Zwana, ndodana yami, wemukele amazwi ami, leminyaka yempilo izakuba minengi kuwe.
11 In the way of wisdom, have I taught thee, I have guided thee in tracks of uprightness.
Ngikufundisile endleleni yenhlakanipho; ngikwenze wanyathela emikhondweni yobuqotho.
12 When thou walkest, thy step shall not be hemmed in, and, if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Ekuhambeni kwakho inyathelo lakho kaliyikufinyezwa, njalo nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
13 Take fast hold of correction, let her not go, —keep her, for, she, is thy life.
Bambelela ekulayweni, ungakuyekeli; kugcine, ngoba kuyimpilo yakho.
14 Upon the path of the lawless, do not thou enter, and do not advance in the way of the wicked:
Ungangeni emkhondweni wabakhohlakeleyo, ungahambi endleleni yababi.
15 Avoid it, do not pass thereon—turn from it, and depart.
Iyekele, ungedluli ngayo, phambuka kuyo, wedlule.
16 For they sleep not, unless they can do mischief, —They rob themselves of their sleep, if they cannot cause someone to stumble,
Ngoba kabalali uba bengenzanga okubi; lobuthongo babo buyasuswa uba bengakhubekisanga muntu.
17 For they consume bread gotten by lawlessness, and, wine obtained by violence, they drink.
Ngoba badla isinkwa senkohlakalo, banathe iwayini lobudlwangudlwangu.
18 But, the path of the righteous, is as the light of dawn, —going on and brightening, unto meridian day.
Kodwa indlela yabalungileyo injengokukhanya okukhanyayo, kuqhubeka kukhanya kuze kube semini enkulu.
19 The way of the lawless, is like darkness, they know not, at what they stumble.
Indlela yababi injengomnyama; kabazi ukuthi bazakhutshwa yini.
20 My son, to my words, attend, to my sayings, incline thou thine ear;
Ndodana yami, lalela amazwi ami, ubeke indlebe yakho ekukhulumeni kwami.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart;
Kakungaphunyuki emehlweni akho; ukugcine phakathi kwenhliziyo yakho.
22 For, life, they are, to them who find them, —and, to every part of one’s flesh, they bring healing.
Ngoba kuyimpilo kwabakutholayo, lempilo enhle yenyama yabo yonke.
23 Above all that must be guarded, keep thou 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, perverseness of mouth, and, craftiness of lips, put far from thee.
Susa kuwe ukuphambana komlomo, lokuphambeka kwendebe kususele khatshana lawe.
25 Let, thine eyes, right onward, look, —and, thine eyelashes, point straight before thee.
Amehlo akho kawakhangele phambili, lenkophe zakho ziqonde phambi kwakho.
26 Make level the track of thy foot, that, all thy ways, may be directed aright:
Linganisa umkhondo wonyawo lwakho, ukuze zonke indlela zakho ziqine.
27 Decline not, to the right hand or to the left, —Turn away thy foot from wickedness.
Ungaphambukeli ngakwesokunene kumbe ngakwesokhohlo; uphambule unyawo lwakho ebubini.
