Izaga 1
1 Izaga zikaSolomoni indodana kaDavida, inkosi yako-Israyeli:
Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
2 ukuba abantu bazuze ukuhlakanipha lokuzithiba; ukuba bazwisise amazwi okuqedisisa;
For knowing wisdom and instruction, For understanding sayings of intelligence,
3 ukuba bazuze impilo yokuzithiba lobuqotho, besenza okulungileyo, okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo;
For receiving the instruction of wisdom, Righteousness, judgment, and uprightness,
4 ukunika ulwazi kwabayizithutha, ulwazi lokukhetha okuqondileyo kwabatsha
For giving to simple ones — prudence, To a youth — knowledge and discretion.
5 ukuthi ohlakaniphileyo alalele engeze ukufunda kwakhe, kuthi obonisisayo azuze izeluleko,
(The wise doth hear and increaseth learning, And the intelligent doth obtain counsels.)
6 ukuba abantu bazwisise izaga lemizekeliso, izitsho lamalibho abahlakaniphileyo.
For understanding a proverb and its sweetness, Words of the wise and their acute sayings.
7 Ukwesaba uThixo kuyikuqala kwenhlakanipho, kodwa iziwula ziyakweyisa ukuqedisisa lokuzithiba.
Fear of Jehovah [is] a beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and instruction fools have despised!
8 Lalela, ndodana yami, izeluleko zikayihlo njalo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, And leave not the law of thy mother,
9 Kuzakuba ngumqhele omuhle ekhanda lakho lomgaxo wokucecisa intamo yakho.
For a graceful wreath [are] they to thy head, And chains to thy neck.
10 Ndodana yami, aluba izoni zikuhuga, ungaze wavuma.
My son, if sinners entice thee be not willing.
11 Nxa zisithi, “Woza sihambe; kasicathamele abantu sichithe igazi, kasicwathele omunye umuntu ongelacala;
If they say, 'Come with us, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,
We swallow them as Sheol — alive, And whole — as those going down [to] the pit, (Sheol h7585)
13 sizazuza impahla ezinhle ezehlukeneyo sigcwalise izindlu zethu ngempango;
Every precious substance we find, We fill our houses [with] spoil,
14 phathisana lathi ukuze sibelesikhwama sinye”
Thy lot thou dost cast among us, One purse is — to all of us.'
15 ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo, ungalugxobi olwakho ezindleleni zazo;
My son! go not in the way with them, Withhold thy foot from their path,
16 ngoba ezabo inyawo zigijima ekoneni, bachitha igazi lula.
For their feet to evil do run, And they haste to shed blood.
17 Kakusizi ukuthiya ngembule lithe dandalazi emehlweni ezinyoni!
Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.
18 Abantu laba bacathamela ukuchitheka kwelabo igazi; bajuma okwabo ukuphila.
And they for their own blood lay wait, They watch secretly for their own lives.
19 Sinjalo isiphetho salabo abadinga inzuzo ngobugebenga; kuyayichitha impilo yalabo abayitholayo.
So [are] the paths of every gainer of dishonest gain, The life of its owners it taketh.
20 Ukuhlakanipha kuyamemeza emgwaqweni, kuphakamisa ilizwi lakho ezinkundleni;
Wisdom in an out-place crieth aloud, In broad places she giveth forth her voice,
21 kuyanqongoloza lezindleleni okuxokozela khona, kuyatshumayela emasangweni omuzi kuthi:
At the head of the multitudes she calleth, In the openings of the gates, In the city her sayings she saith:
22 “Koze kube nini lina zithutha lithanda ubuthutha benu na? Koze kube nini izideleli zikholisa ukudelela leziphukuphuku zizonda ulwazi na?
'Till when, ye simple, do ye love simplicity? And have scorners their scorning desired? And do fools hate knowledge?
23 Lalelani ukukhuza kwami liphenduke! Ngizalivulela isifuba sami, ngilivezele imicabango yami.
Turn back at my reproof, lo, I pour forth to you my spirit, I make known my words with you.
24 Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi langifulathela ngilibiza, kwangabi khona onginanzayo ngiselula isandla sami,
Because I have called, and ye refuse, I stretched out my hand, and none is attending,
25 njengoba lala izeluleko zami njalo kalavuma ukukhuza kwami,
And ye slight all my counsel, And my reproof ye have not desired.
26 ngakho lami ngizahleka selihlupheka; ngizaliklolodela nxa lisehlelwa lusizi,
I also in your calamity do laugh, I deride when your fear cometh,
27 nxa usizi lulehlela njengesiphepho; nxa incithakalo ilikhukhula njengesivunguzane, nxa usizi lezinhlupheko ziligabhela.
When your fear cometh as destruction, And your calamity as a hurricane doth come, When on you come adversity and distress.
28 Lapho-ke bazangibiza kodwa kangiyikusabela; bazangidinga bangangitholi.
Then they call me, and I do not answer, They seek me earnestly, and find me not.
29 Ngoba babeluzonda ulwazi kabaze bakhetha ukwesaba uThixo
Because that they have hated knowledge, And the fear of Jehovah have not chosen.
30 ngoba kabavumanga iseluleko sami, badelela ukukhuza kwami,
They have not consented to my counsel, They have despised all my reproof,
31 bazakudla izithelo zokuhamba kwabo basuthiswe ngezithelo zamacebo abo.
And they eat of the fruit of their way, And from their own counsels they are filled.
32 Phela ubuhlongandlebe bezithutha buzazibulala, lokungananzi kweziphukuphuku kuzazibhubhisa;
For the turning of the simple slayeth them, And the security of the foolish destroyeth them.
33 kodwa lowo ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile ekhululekile, engesabi lutho olungamlimaza.”
And whoso is hearkening to me dwelleth confidently, And [is] quiet from fear of evil!'
