Izaga 1
1 Izaga zikaSolomoni indodana kaDavida, inkosi yako-Israyeli:
The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, who reigned in Israel;
2 ukuba abantu bazuze ukuhlakanipha lokuzithiba; ukuba bazwisise amazwi okuqedisisa;
to know wisdom and instruction, and to perceive words of understanding;
3 ukuba bazuze impilo yokuzithiba lobuqotho, besenza okulungileyo, okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo;
to receive also hard saying, and to understand true justice, and [how] to direct judgment;
4 ukunika ulwazi kwabayizithutha, ulwazi lokukhetha okuqondileyo kwabatsha
that he might give subtlety to the simple, and to the young man discernment and understanding.
5 ukuthi ohlakaniphileyo alalele engeze ukufunda kwakhe, kuthi obonisisayo azuze izeluleko,
For by the hearing of these a wise man will be wiser, and man of understanding will gain direction;
6 ukuba abantu bazwisise izaga lemizekeliso, izitsho lamalibho abahlakaniphileyo.
and will understand a parable, and a dark speech; the saying of the wise also, and riddles.
7 Ukwesaba uThixo kuyikuqala kwenhlakanipho, kodwa iziwula ziyakweyisa ukuqedisisa lokuzithiba.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and [there is] good understanding to all that practise it: and piety toward God is the beginning of discernment; but the ungodly will set at nothing wisdom and instruction.
8 Lalela, ndodana yami, izeluleko zikayihlo njalo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
Hear, [my] son, the instruction of your father, and reject not the rules of your mother.
9 Kuzakuba ngumqhele omuhle ekhanda lakho lomgaxo wokucecisa intamo yakho.
For you shall receive for your head a crown of graces, and a chain of gold round your neck.
10 Ndodana yami, aluba izoni zikuhuga, ungaze wavuma.
[My] son, let not ungodly men lead you astray, neither consent you [to them].
11 Nxa zisithi, “Woza sihambe; kasicathamele abantu sichithe igazi, kasicwathele omunye umuntu ongelacala;
If they should exhort you, saying, Come with us, partake in blood, and let us unjustly hide the just man in the earth:
and let us swallow him alive, as Hades [would], and remove the memorial of him from the earth: (Sheol h7585)
13 sizazuza impahla ezinhle ezehlukeneyo sigcwalise izindlu zethu ngempango;
let us seize on his valuable property, and let us fill our houses with spoils:
14 phathisana lathi ukuze sibelesikhwama sinye”
but do you cast in your lot with us, and let us all provide a common purse, and let us have one pouch:
15 ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo, ungalugxobi olwakho ezindleleni zazo;
go not in the way with them, but turn aside your foot from their paths:
16 ngoba ezabo inyawo zigijima ekoneni, bachitha igazi lula.
[For their feet run to do evil, and are swift to shed blood. ]
17 Kakusizi ukuthiya ngembule lithe dandalazi emehlweni ezinyoni!
for nets are not without cause spread for birds.
18 Abantu laba bacathamela ukuchitheka kwelabo igazi; bajuma okwabo ukuphila.
For they that are concerned in murder store up evils for themselves; and the overthrow of transgressors is evil.
19 Sinjalo isiphetho salabo abadinga inzuzo ngobugebenga; kuyayichitha impilo yalabo abayitholayo.
These are the ways of all that perform lawless deeds; for by ungodliness they destroy their own life.
20 Ukuhlakanipha kuyamemeza emgwaqweni, kuphakamisa ilizwi lakho ezinkundleni;
Wisdom sings aloud in passages, and in the broad places speaks boldly.
21 kuyanqongoloza lezindleleni okuxokozela khona, kuyatshumayela emasangweni omuzi kuthi:
And she makes proclamation on the top of the walls, and sits by the gates of princes; and at the gates of the city boldly says,
22 “Koze kube nini lina zithutha lithanda ubuthutha benu na? Koze kube nini izideleli zikholisa ukudelela leziphukuphuku zizonda ulwazi na?
So long as the simple cleave to justice, they shall not be ashamed: but the foolish being lovers of haughtiness, having become ungodly have hated knowledge, and are become subject to reproofs.
23 Lalelani ukukhuza kwami liphenduke! Ngizalivulela isifuba sami, ngilivezele imicabango yami.
Behold, I will bring forth to you the utterance of my breath, and I will instruct you in my speech.
24 Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi langifulathela ngilibiza, kwangabi khona onginanzayo ngiselula isandla sami,
Since I called, and you did not listen; and I spoke at length, and you gave no heed;
25 njengoba lala izeluleko zami njalo kalavuma ukukhuza kwami,
but you set at nothing my counsels, and disregarded my reproofs;
26 ngakho lami ngizahleka selihlupheka; ngizaliklolodela nxa lisehlelwa lusizi,
therefore I also will laugh at your destruction; and I will rejoice against [you] when ruin comes upon you:
27 nxa usizi lulehlela njengesiphepho; nxa incithakalo ilikhukhula njengesivunguzane, nxa usizi lezinhlupheko ziligabhela.
yes when dismay suddenly comes upon you, and [your] overthrow shall arrive like a tempest; and when tribulation and distress shall come upon you, or when ruin shall come upon you.
28 Lapho-ke bazangibiza kodwa kangiyikusabela; bazangidinga bangangitholi.
For it shall be that when you call upon me, I will not listen to you: wicked men shall seek me, but shall not find [me].
29 Ngoba babeluzonda ulwazi kabaze bakhetha ukwesaba uThixo
For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the word of the Lord:
30 ngoba kabavumanga iseluleko sami, badelela ukukhuza kwami,
neither would they attend to my counsels, but derided my reproofs.
31 bazakudla izithelo zokuhamba kwabo basuthiswe ngezithelo zamacebo abo.
Therefore shall they eat the fruits of their own way, and shall be filled with their own ungodliness.
32 Phela ubuhlongandlebe bezithutha buzazibulala, lokungananzi kweziphukuphuku kuzazibhubhisa;
For because they wronged the simple, they shall be slain; and an inquisition shall ruin the ungodly.
33 kodwa lowo ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile ekhululekile, engesabi lutho olungamlimaza.”
But he that hearkens to me shall dwell in confidence, and shall rest securely from all evil.
