Izaga 2
1 Ndodana yami, nxa usamukela amazwi ami ugcine imilayo yami ngaphakathi kwakho,
My son, if you accept my words and hide my commandments within you,
2 uvule indlebe yakho izwe ukuhlakanipha unikele inhliziyo yakho ukuthi izwisise,
if you incline your ear to wisdom and direct your heart to understanding,
3 njalo nxa ucela ukuqedisisa ukhalela kakhulu ukuzwisisa,
if you truly call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding,
4 futhi ukudingisisa njengokudinga isiliva ukuphenye njengento eligugu efihliweyo,
if you seek it like silver and search it out like hidden treasure,
5 lapho-ke uzakuzwisisa ukumesaba uThixo njalo uluzuze ulwazi lukaNkulunkulu.
then you will discern the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God.
6 Ngoba uThixo uyapha ukuhlakanipha, emlonyeni wakhe kuphuma ulwazi lokuqedisisa.
For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 Abaqotho ubapha ukunqoba, ulihawu lalabo abahamba bengasoleki,
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk with integrity,
8 ngoba uyayilinda indlela yabalungileyo avikele ukuhamba kwabathembekileyo bakhe.
to guard the paths of justice and protect the way of His saints.
9 Yikho uzazwisisa lokho okulungileyo lokuqondileyo lokufaneleyo zonke izindlela ezinhle.
Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity—every good path.
10 Ngoba ukuhlakanipha kuzangena enhliziyweni yakho, lolwazi lube mnandi emphefumulweni wakho.
For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will delight your soul.
11 Ukwazi ukukhetha kuzakuvikela, lokuzwisisa kuzakulinda.
Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you,
12 Ukuhlakanipha kuzakusindisa ezindleleni zabantu ababi, abantu abamazwi abolileyo,
to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perversity,
13 abatshiya izindlela eziqondileyo, bahambe ngezindlela ezilamathunzi,
from those who leave the straight paths to walk in the ways of darkness,
14 abathokoza ngokwenza okubi bajabule ngokungcola kokubi,
from those who enjoy doing evil and rejoice in the twistedness of evil,
15 abandlela zabo zitshekile lokuhamba kwabo kakuqondakali.
whose paths are crooked and whose ways are devious.
16 Kuzakukhulula njalo koyisiphingikazi, lasemfazini olamazwi akhohlisayo,
It will rescue you from the forbidden woman, from the stranger with seductive words
17 osetshiye indoda yakhe yobutsha bakhe wadela isifungo asenza phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
who abandons the partner of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God.
18 Ngoba indlu yakhe iholela ekufeni lezindlela zakhe zidonsela kwabafileyo.
For her house sinks down to death, and her tracks to the departed spirits.
19 Kakho ongena kuye obuyayo kumbe aphinde azuze izindlela zokuphila.
None who go to her return or negotiate the paths of life.
20 Ngakho uzahamba ezindleleni zabantu abalungileyo walele emikhondweni yabaqondileyo.
So you will follow in the ways of the good, and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 Ngoba abaqotho bazahlala elizweni, labangasolekiyo bazasala kulo;
For the upright will inhabit the land, and the blameless will remain in it;
22 kodwa izigangi zizasuswa elizweni, labangathembekanga bazakhutshwa kulo.
but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be uprooted.
