Proverbs 1
1 These are the (proverbs/wise sayings) that come from Solomon, the King of Israel, who was the son of [King] David.
Izaga zikaSolomoni, indodana kaDavida, inkosi yakoIsrayeli;
2 (These proverbs [PRS] can teach people/By studying these proverbs, people can learn) how to be wise and how to obey what these proverbs teach them. They will [also] help people to understand which teachings are wise.
ukwazi inhlakanipho lokulaywa, ukuqedisisa amazwi okuqedisisa,
3 These proverbs [PRS] will teach you how to discipline/control yourselves, how to conduct your lives, and how to do what is right and just [DOU].
ukwemukela ukulaya kwenhlakanipho, ukulunga, lesahlulelo, lokuqonda;
4 They will show [people] who do not [yet] know much how to do things that are smart. They will show young people how to become wise and how to make good plans/decisions.
ukunika abangelalwazi inhlakanipho, ijaha ulwazi lengqondo.
5 Those who are wise should also pay attention [to these proverbs], in order to become more wise, and those who understand [these teachings] will receive good advice/guidance.
Ohlakaniphileyo uzakuzwa, andise ukufunda, loqedisisayo uzazuza izeluleko,
6 Then they will be able to understand the meaning of proverbs and parables/metaphors, these wise sayings and (riddles/sayings that are difficult to understand).
ukuqedisisa isaga lomzekeliso, amazwi abahlakaniphileyo, lamalibho abo.
7 If [you want to be] wise, you must begin by revering Yahweh. [Only] foolish people despise wisdom and good advice/discipline.
Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuqala kolwazi; izithutha ziyadelela inhlakanipho lokulaywa.
8 My son, pay attention to what [I], your father, am teaching you. And do not reject what your mother teaches you.
Ndodana yami, zwana ukulaya kukayihlo, ungawudeli umlayo kanyoko;
9 What we teach you [will make you respected like having] a lovely turban around your head and [like] a [beautiful] necklace to put around your neck.
ngoba kuzakuba ngumqhele womusa ekhanda lakho, lemigaxo entanyeni yakho.
10 My son, if sinners tempt/entice you [to do what is wrong], say “No” to them.
Ndodana yami, uba izoni zikuhuga, ungavumi.
11 They may say, “Come with us! Join us! We will hide and then kill [MTY] someone [who passes by]. We will ambush some helpless/innocent people.
Uba zisithi: Hamba lathi, siyecathamela igazi, sicatshele ongelacala kungelasizatho;
12 We will kill them [HYP] and get rid of them completely, [just] like [people who are buried in] graves are gone forever. While they are in good health, we will send them to the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
sibaginye bephila njengengcwaba, yebo, ngokupheleleyo, njengabehlela egodini. (Sheol h7585)
13 And we will seize all the things that they own. We will fill our houses with these things!
Sizathola yonke impahla eligugu, sigcwalise izindlu zethu ngempango.
14 [So], come with us! Join our group! We will share with you the things that we steal.”
Phosela inkatho yakho phakathi kwethu; sonke sibe lesikhwama semali sinye.
15 My son, do not accompany them! Do not walk on the roads with them!
Ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo endleleni; unqande unyawo lwakho emkhondweni wazo.
16 They rush to do evil deeds! They hurry to murder [MTY] people.
Ngoba inyawo zazo zigijimela ebubini, ziphangisa ukuchitha igazi.
17 It is useless to put out a (trap/net to catch a bird) because when a bird sees it, [it stays away from it].
Isibili, imbule lendlalelwa ize phambi kwamehlo aloba yiyiphi inyoni.
18 But those wicked people are not like the birds, [because they do not realize] that when they prepare to ambush someone to kill him, they will be killed themselves!
Lalaba bacathamela igazi labo, bacatshele imiphefumulo yabo.
19 That is what happens to people who eagerly try to get things [by violently attacking others]. They will only destroy themselves!
Zinjalo indlela zakhe wonke ozuza inzuzo ngokuphanga; ithatha impilo yabaniniyo.
20 Wisdom [PRS] shouts to people in the streets, and calls out to people in the (plazas/town squares).
UkuHlakanipha kuyamemeza ngaphandle, kukhupha ilizwi lakho emidangeni.
21 Wisdom calls out in noisy places, and at the entrances to cities.
Kuyamemeza endaweni eqakathekileyo yokuxokozela, ekungeneni kwamasango; emzini kutsho amazwi akho,
22 [Wisdom says], “How long will you stupid people continue to enjoy doing foolish things [RHQ]? How long will you people who ridicule God enjoy doing that [RHQ]? How long will you foolish people refuse to know [what things are right] [RHQ]?
kusithi: Koze kube nini, lina elingelalwazi, lithanda ukungabi lalwazi, labaklolodayo bezifisela ukukloloda, leziphukuphuku zizonda ulwazi?
23 If you pay attention to me when I rebuke you, I will tell you what I am thinking in my inner being; I will give you some good advice.
Phendukelani ekukhuzeni kwami; khangelani, ngizathululela umoya wami kini, ngilazise amazwi ami.
24 But when I called to you, you refused to listen. I beckoned to you to come to me, but you ignored me.
Ngoba ngibizile, kodwa lala; ngelulile isandla sami, kodwa kakho onanzayo;
25 I tried to advise you, but you refused to listen to me. I tried to correct you, but you rejected what I told you.
ladelela sonke iseluleko sami, kalivumanga ukukhuza kwami;
26 So [now], when you are experiencing troubles/disasters, I will laugh at you. When things happen that cause you to be afraid, I will make fun of you.
mina-ke ngizahleka ukuchitheka kwenu, ngiklolode ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu,
27 When calamities strike you like a big storm, when disasters hit you like a violent wind, when [all kinds of things] distress you and give you trouble, [I will ridicule you!]
ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu njengesiphepho, lokuchitheka kwenu kufika njengesivunguzane, lapho ubuhlungu losizi kulehlela.
28 [Wisdom also says], “When foolish people call to me [to help them], I will not answer them. They will search for me diligently/everywhere, but they will not find me.
Khona bazangibiza, kodwa kangiyikusabela; bazangidingisisa, kodwa kabayikungithola.
29 They refused to know [what things are right], and they decided not to revere Yahweh.
Ngenxa yokuthi babezonda ulwazi, bengakhethanga ukwesaba iNkosi.
30 They would not accept my advice, and they did not pay attention when I tried to correct them.
Kabavumanga iseluleko sami, bedelela konke ukukhuza kwami.
31 So they will endure what will result [MET, DOU] from the evil way they have lived/behaved and the evil things they have planned to do.
Ngakho bazakudla okwesithelo sendlela yabo, basuthiswe ngamacebo abo.
32 Those who turn away from me are stupid/foolish; they will die because of doing that.
Ngoba ukuhlehla kwabangelalwazi kuzababulala, lokonwaba kweziphukuphuku kuzababhubhisa.
33 But those who pay attention to me will live peacefully and safely, and they will not be afraid that something will harm them.”
Kodwa ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile, onwabe ekwesabeni okubi.
