Proverbs 1
1 Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
Izaga zikaSolomoni, indodana kaDavida, inkosi yakoIsrayeli;
2 For knowing wisdom and instruction, For understanding sayings of intelligence,
ukwazi inhlakanipho lokulaywa, ukuqedisisa amazwi okuqedisisa,
3 For receiving the instruction of wisdom, Righteousness, judgment, and uprightness,
ukwemukela ukulaya kwenhlakanipho, ukulunga, lesahlulelo, lokuqonda;
4 For giving to simple ones — prudence, To a youth — knowledge and discretion.
ukunika abangelalwazi inhlakanipho, ijaha ulwazi lengqondo.
5 (The wise doth hear and increaseth learning, And the intelligent doth obtain counsels.)
Ohlakaniphileyo uzakuzwa, andise ukufunda, loqedisisayo uzazuza izeluleko,
6 For understanding a proverb and its sweetness, Words of the wise and their acute sayings.
ukuqedisisa isaga lomzekeliso, amazwi abahlakaniphileyo, lamalibho abo.
7 Fear of Jehovah [is] a beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and instruction fools have despised!
Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuqala kolwazi; izithutha ziyadelela inhlakanipho lokulaywa.
8 Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, And leave not the law of thy mother,
Ndodana yami, zwana ukulaya kukayihlo, ungawudeli umlayo kanyoko;
9 For a graceful wreath [are] they to thy head, And chains to thy neck.
ngoba kuzakuba ngumqhele womusa ekhanda lakho, lemigaxo entanyeni yakho.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee be not willing.
Ndodana yami, uba izoni zikuhuga, ungavumi.
11 If they say, 'Come with us, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,
Uba zisithi: Hamba lathi, siyecathamela igazi, sicatshele ongelacala kungelasizatho;
sibaginye bephila njengengcwaba, yebo, ngokupheleleyo, njengabehlela egodini. (Sheol h7585)
13 Every precious substance we find, We fill our houses [with] spoil,
Sizathola yonke impahla eligugu, sigcwalise izindlu zethu ngempango.
14 Thy lot thou dost cast among us, One purse is — to all of us.'
Phosela inkatho yakho phakathi kwethu; sonke sibe lesikhwama semali sinye.
15 My son! go not in the way with them, Withhold thy foot from their path,
Ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo endleleni; unqande unyawo lwakho emkhondweni wazo.
16 For their feet to evil do run, And they haste to shed blood.
Ngoba inyawo zazo zigijimela ebubini, ziphangisa ukuchitha igazi.
17 Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.
Isibili, imbule lendlalelwa ize phambi kwamehlo aloba yiyiphi inyoni.
18 And they for their own blood lay wait, They watch secretly for their own lives.
Lalaba bacathamela igazi labo, bacatshele imiphefumulo yabo.
19 So [are] the paths of every gainer of dishonest gain, The life of its owners it taketh.
Zinjalo indlela zakhe wonke ozuza inzuzo ngokuphanga; ithatha impilo yabaniniyo.
20 Wisdom in an out-place crieth aloud, In broad places she giveth forth her voice,
UkuHlakanipha kuyamemeza ngaphandle, kukhupha ilizwi lakho emidangeni.
21 At the head of the multitudes she calleth, In the openings of the gates, In the city her sayings she saith:
Kuyamemeza endaweni eqakathekileyo yokuxokozela, ekungeneni kwamasango; emzini kutsho amazwi akho,
22 'Till when, ye simple, do ye love simplicity? And have scorners their scorning desired? And do fools hate knowledge?
kusithi: Koze kube nini, lina elingelalwazi, lithanda ukungabi lalwazi, labaklolodayo bezifisela ukukloloda, leziphukuphuku zizonda ulwazi?
23 Turn back at my reproof, lo, I pour forth to you my spirit, I make known my words with you.
Phendukelani ekukhuzeni kwami; khangelani, ngizathululela umoya wami kini, ngilazise amazwi ami.
24 Because I have called, and ye refuse, I stretched out my hand, and none is attending,
Ngoba ngibizile, kodwa lala; ngelulile isandla sami, kodwa kakho onanzayo;
25 And ye slight all my counsel, And my reproof ye have not desired.
ladelela sonke iseluleko sami, kalivumanga ukukhuza kwami;
26 I also in your calamity do laugh, I deride when your fear cometh,
mina-ke ngizahleka ukuchitheka kwenu, ngiklolode ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu,
27 When your fear cometh as destruction, And your calamity as a hurricane doth come, When on you come adversity and distress.
ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu njengesiphepho, lokuchitheka kwenu kufika njengesivunguzane, lapho ubuhlungu losizi kulehlela.
28 Then they call me, and I do not answer, They seek me earnestly, and find me not.
Khona bazangibiza, kodwa kangiyikusabela; bazangidingisisa, kodwa kabayikungithola.
29 Because that they have hated knowledge, And the fear of Jehovah have not chosen.
Ngenxa yokuthi babezonda ulwazi, bengakhethanga ukwesaba iNkosi.
30 They have not consented to my counsel, They have despised all my reproof,
Kabavumanga iseluleko sami, bedelela konke ukukhuza kwami.
31 And they eat of the fruit of their way, And from their own counsels they are filled.
Ngakho bazakudla okwesithelo sendlela yabo, basuthiswe ngamacebo abo.
32 For the turning of the simple slayeth them, And the security of the foolish destroyeth them.
Ngoba ukuhlehla kwabangelalwazi kuzababulala, lokonwaba kweziphukuphuku kuzababhubhisa.
33 And whoso is hearkening to me dwelleth confidently, And [is] quiet from fear of evil!'
Kodwa ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile, onwabe ekwesabeni okubi.
