Proverbs 3
1 My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep,
Ndodana yami, ungakhohlwa umlayo wami, kodwa inhliziyo yakho kayigcine imilayo yami.
2 For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee.
Ngoba yengezelela kuwe ubude bezinsuku leminyaka yempilo lokuthula.
3 Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart,
Umusa lothembeko kakungakutshiyi, kubophele entanyeni yakho, ukubhale esibhebheni senhliziyo yakho.
4 And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.
Ngalokho uzathola umusa lokuqedisisa okuhle emehlweni kaNkulunkulu labantu.
5 Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not.
Themba eNkosini ngenhliziyo yakho yonke, ungeyami ekuqedisiseni kwakho.
6 In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.
Ivume endleleni zakho zonke, yona-ke izaqondisa imikhondo yakho.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil.
Ungabi ngohlakaniphileyo emehlweni akho; yesabe iNkosi, usuke ebubini.
8 Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.
Kuzakuba yikwelatshwa kwenkaba yakho, lokunathwayo kwamathambo akho.
9 Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase;
Hlonipha iNkosi ngemfuyo yakho, langezithelo zakho zokuqala zesivuno sakho sonke.
10 And filled are thy barns [with] plenty, And [with] new wine thy presses break forth.
Khona iziphala zakho zizagcwaliswa ngenala, lezikhamelo zakho zewayini ziphuphume iwayini elitsha.
11 Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof,
Ndodana yami, ungadeleli ukulaya kweNkosi, unganengwa yikukhuza kwayo.
12 For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.
Ngoba iNkosi iyamlaya emthandayo, yebo, njengoyise indodana athokoza ngayo.
13 O the happiness of a man [who] hath found wisdom, And of a man [who] bringeth forth understanding.
Ubusisiwe umuntu othola inhlakanipho, lomuntu ozuza ukuqedisisa.
14 For better [is] her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold — her increase.
Ngoba inzuzo yakho ingcono kulenzuzo yesiliva, lokutholakalayo kwakho kulegolide.
15 Precious she [is] above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her.
Kuligugu elidlula amatshe aligugu, lakho konke ongakufisa kakulinganiswa lakho.
16 Length of days [is] in her right hand, In her left [are] wealth and honour.
Ubude bezinsuku busesandleni sakho sokunene, kwesokhohlo sakho inotho lodumo.
17 Her ways [are] ways of pleasantness, And all her paths [are] peace.
Izindlela zakho zizindlela zentokozo, lemikhondo yakho yonke iyikuthula.
18 A tree of life she [is] to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her [is] happy.
Kuyisihlahla sempilo kwabakubambayo, lobambelela kukho ubusisiwe.
19 Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding.
Ngenhlakanipho iNkosi yasekela umhlaba; yamisa amazulu ngokuqedisisa.
20 By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.
Ngolwazi lwayo izinziki zaqhekezwa, lamayezi athonta amazolo.
21 My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,
Ndodana yami, kakungasuki emehlweni akho; gcina inhlakanipho eqotho lengqondo.
22 And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
Njalo kuzakuba yimpilo yomphefumulo wakho, lesisa entanyeni yakho.
23 Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble.
Khona uzahamba indlela yakho uvikelekile, lonyawo lwakho kaluyikukhubeka.
24 If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep.
Nxa ulala phansi, kawuyikwesaba, yebo, uzalala, lobuthongo bakho buzakuba mnandi.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh.
Ungesabi uvalo olujumayo, kumbe ukuchitheka kwababi nxa kufika.
26 For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.
Ngoba iNkosi izakuba sethembeni lakho, igcine unyawo lwakho ukuze lungabanjwa.
27 Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand [is] toward God to do [it].
Ungagodleli umninikho okuhle nxa kusemandleni esandla sakho ukukwenza.
28 Say not thou to thy friend, 'Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee.
Ungathi kumakhelwane wakho: Hamba, ubuye, kusasa ngizakunika; nxa ulakho.
29 Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee.
Ungacebi okubi ngomakhelwane wakho, ngoba yena uhlala lawe evikelekile.
30 Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil.
Ungaphikisani lomuntu kungelasizatho, nxa engakonanga.
31 Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways.
Ungahawukeli umuntu olobudlwangudlwangu; ungakhethi leyodwa yezindlela zakhe.
32 For an abomination to Jehovah [is] the perverted, And with the upright [is] His secret counsel.
Ngoba ophambeneyo uyisinengiso eNkosini, kodwa imfihlo yayo ikwabaqotho.
33 The curse of Jehovah [is] in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth.
Isiqalekiso seNkosi sisendlini yomubi, kodwa iyawubusisa umuzi wabalungileyo.
34 If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace.
Isibili, yona iyabeyisa abeyisayo, kodwa inika umusa kwabathobekileyo.
35 Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!
Abahlakaniphileyo bazakudla ilifa lodumo, kodwa abayizithutha, isabelo sabo silihlazo.
