Izaga 1
1 Izaga zikaSolomoni indodana kaDavida, inkosi yako-Israyeli:
These are the (proverbs/wise sayings) that come from Solomon, the King of Israel, who was the son of [King] David.
2 ukuba abantu bazuze ukuhlakanipha lokuzithiba; ukuba bazwisise amazwi okuqedisisa;
(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.
3 ukuba bazuze impilo yokuzithiba lobuqotho, besenza okulungileyo, okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo;
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].
4 ukunika ulwazi kwabayizithutha, ulwazi lokukhetha okuqondileyo kwabatsha
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.
5 ukuthi ohlakaniphileyo alalele engeze ukufunda kwakhe, kuthi obonisisayo azuze izeluleko,
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.
6 ukuba abantu bazwisise izaga lemizekeliso, izitsho lamalibho abahlakaniphileyo.
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).
7 Ukwesaba uThixo kuyikuqala kwenhlakanipho, kodwa iziwula ziyakweyisa ukuqedisisa lokuzithiba.
If [you want to be] wise, you must begin by revering Yahweh. [Only] foolish people despise wisdom and good advice/discipline.
8 Lalela, ndodana yami, izeluleko zikayihlo njalo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
My son, pay attention to what [I], your father, am teaching you. And do not reject what your mother teaches you.
9 Kuzakuba ngumqhele omuhle ekhanda lakho lomgaxo wokucecisa intamo yakho.
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.
10 Ndodana yami, aluba izoni zikuhuga, ungaze wavuma.
My son, if sinners tempt/entice you [to do what is wrong], say “No” to them.
11 Nxa zisithi, “Woza sihambe; kasicathamele abantu sichithe igazi, kasicwathele omunye umuntu ongelacala;
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.
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)
13 sizazuza impahla ezinhle ezehlukeneyo sigcwalise izindlu zethu ngempango;
And we will seize all the things that they own. We will fill our houses with these things!
14 phathisana lathi ukuze sibelesikhwama sinye”
[So], come with us! Join our group! We will share with you the things that we steal.”
15 ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo, ungalugxobi olwakho ezindleleni zazo;
My son, do not accompany them! Do not walk on the roads with them!
16 ngoba ezabo inyawo zigijima ekoneni, bachitha igazi lula.
They rush to do evil deeds! They hurry to murder [MTY] people.
17 Kakusizi ukuthiya ngembule lithe dandalazi emehlweni ezinyoni!
It is useless to put out a (trap/net to catch a bird) because when a bird sees it, [it stays away from it].
18 Abantu laba bacathamela ukuchitheka kwelabo igazi; bajuma okwabo ukuphila.
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!
19 Sinjalo isiphetho salabo abadinga inzuzo ngobugebenga; kuyayichitha impilo yalabo abayitholayo.
That is what happens to people who eagerly try to get things [by violently attacking others]. They will only destroy themselves!
20 Ukuhlakanipha kuyamemeza emgwaqweni, kuphakamisa ilizwi lakho ezinkundleni;
Wisdom [PRS] shouts to people in the streets, and calls out to people in the (plazas/town squares).
21 kuyanqongoloza lezindleleni okuxokozela khona, kuyatshumayela emasangweni omuzi kuthi:
Wisdom calls out in noisy places, and at the entrances to cities.
22 “Koze kube nini lina zithutha lithanda ubuthutha benu na? Koze kube nini izideleli zikholisa ukudelela leziphukuphuku zizonda ulwazi na?
[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]?
23 Lalelani ukukhuza kwami liphenduke! Ngizalivulela isifuba sami, ngilivezele imicabango yami.
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.
24 Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi langifulathela ngilibiza, kwangabi khona onginanzayo ngiselula isandla sami,
But when I called to you, you refused to listen. I beckoned to you to come to me, but you ignored me.
25 njengoba lala izeluleko zami njalo kalavuma ukukhuza kwami,
I tried to advise you, but you refused to listen to me. I tried to correct you, but you rejected what I told you.
26 ngakho lami ngizahleka selihlupheka; ngizaliklolodela nxa lisehlelwa lusizi,
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.
27 nxa usizi lulehlela njengesiphepho; nxa incithakalo ilikhukhula njengesivunguzane, nxa usizi lezinhlupheko ziligabhela.
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!]
28 Lapho-ke bazangibiza kodwa kangiyikusabela; bazangidinga bangangitholi.
[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.
29 Ngoba babeluzonda ulwazi kabaze bakhetha ukwesaba uThixo
They refused to know [what things are right], and they decided not to revere Yahweh.
30 ngoba kabavumanga iseluleko sami, badelela ukukhuza kwami,
They would not accept my advice, and they did not pay attention when I tried to correct them.
31 bazakudla izithelo zokuhamba kwabo basuthiswe ngezithelo zamacebo abo.
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.
32 Phela ubuhlongandlebe bezithutha buzazibulala, lokungananzi kweziphukuphuku kuzazibhubhisa;
Those who turn away from me are stupid/foolish; they will die because of doing that.
33 kodwa lowo ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile ekhululekile, engesabi lutho olungamlimaza.”
But those who pay attention to me will live peacefully and safely, and they will not be afraid that something will harm them.”
