Izaga 2

1 Ndodana yami, nxa usamukela amazwi ami ugcine imilayo yami ngaphakathi kwakho,

My son, if you would accept my words, and conceal my commandments within you,

2 uvule indlebe yakho izwe ukuhlakanipha unikele inhliziyo yakho ukuthi izwisise,

so that your ears may listen to wisdom, then bend your heart in order to know prudence.

3 njalo nxa ucela ukuqedisisa ukhalela kakhulu ukuzwisisa,

For if you would call upon wisdom and bend your heart to prudence,

4 futhi ukudingisisa njengokudinga isiliva ukuphenye njengento eligugu efihliweyo,

if you will seek her like money, and dig for her as if for treasure,

5 lapho-ke uzakuzwisisa ukumesaba uThixo njalo uluzuze ulwazi lukaNkulunkulu.

then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and you will discover the knowledge of God.

6 Ngoba uThixo uyapha ukuhlakanipha, emlonyeni wakhe kuphuma ulwazi lokuqedisisa.

For the Lord bestows wisdom, and out of his mouth, prudence and knowledge.

7 Abaqotho ubapha ukunqoba, ulihawu lalabo abahamba bengasoleki,

He will preserve the salvation of the righteous, and he will protect those who walk in simplicity:

8 ngoba uyayilinda indlela yabalungileyo avikele ukuhamba kwabathembekileyo bakhe.

serving the paths of justice, and guarding the ways of sanctity.

9 Yikho uzazwisisa lokho okulungileyo lokuqondileyo lokufaneleyo zonke izindlela ezinhle.

Then you shall understand justice and judgment, and equity, and every good path.

10 Ngoba ukuhlakanipha kuzangena enhliziyweni yakho, lolwazi lube mnandi emphefumulweni wakho.

If wisdom is to enter into your heart, and if knowledge is to become pleasing to your soul,

11 Ukwazi ukukhetha kuzakuvikela, lokuzwisisa kuzakulinda.

then counsel must guard you, and prudence must serve you,

12 Ukuhlakanipha kuzakusindisa ezindleleni zabantu ababi, abantu abamazwi abolileyo,

so that you may be rescued from the evil way, and from the man who speaks perversities,

13 abatshiya izindlela eziqondileyo, bahambe ngezindlela ezilamathunzi,

from those who leave the straight path to walk in dark ways,

14 abathokoza ngokwenza okubi bajabule ngokungcola kokubi,

who rejoice when they have done evil, and who exult in the most wicked things.

15 abandlela zabo zitshekile lokuhamba kwabo kakuqondakali.

Their ways are perverse, and their steps are infamous.

16 Kuzakukhulula njalo koyisiphingikazi, lasemfazini olamazwi akhohlisayo,

So may you be rescued from the foreign woman, and from the outsider, who softens her speech,

17 osetshiye indoda yakhe yobutsha bakhe wadela isifungo asenza phambi kukaNkulunkulu.

and who leaves behind the Guide of her youth,

18 Ngoba indlu yakhe iholela ekufeni lezindlela zakhe zidonsela kwabafileyo.

and who has forgotten the covenant of her God. For her household inclines toward death, and her paths toward Hell. (questioned)

19 Kakho ongena kuye obuyayo kumbe aphinde azuze izindlela zokuphila.

All those who enter to her will not return again, nor will they take hold of the paths of life.

20 Ngakho uzahamba ezindleleni zabantu abalungileyo walele emikhondweni yabaqondileyo.

So may you walk in the good way, and keep to the difficult paths of the just.

21 Ngoba abaqotho bazahlala elizweni, labangasolekiyo bazasala kulo;

For those who are upright shall live upon the earth, and the simple shall continue upon it.

22 kodwa izigangi zizasuswa elizweni, labangathembekanga bazakhutshwa kulo.

Yet truly, the impious shall perish from the earth, and those who act unjustly shall be taken away from it.