< Izaga 2 >

1 Ndodana yami, nxa usamukela amazwi ami ugcine imilayo yami ngaphakathi kwakho,
My son, if thou receivest my words, and layest up my commandments with thee,
2 uvule indlebe yakho izwe ukuhlakanipha unikele inhliziyo yakho ukuthi izwisise,
so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom [and] thou apply thy heart to understanding;
3 njalo nxa ucela ukuqedisisa ukhalela kakhulu ukuzwisisa,
yea, if thou criest after discernment [and] liftest up thy voice to understanding;
4 futhi ukudingisisa njengokudinga isiliva ukuphenye njengento eligugu efihliweyo,
if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hidden treasures:
5 lapho-ke uzakuzwisisa ukumesaba uThixo njalo uluzuze ulwazi lukaNkulunkulu.
then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, and find the knowledge of God.
6 Ngoba uThixo uyapha ukuhlakanipha, emlonyeni wakhe kuphuma ulwazi lokuqedisisa.
For Jehovah giveth wisdom; out of his mouth [come] knowledge and understanding.
7 Abaqotho ubapha ukunqoba, ulihawu lalabo abahamba bengasoleki,
He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright; [he] is a shield to them that walk in integrity;
8 ngoba uyayilinda indlela yabalungileyo avikele ukuhamba kwabathembekileyo bakhe.
guarding the paths of just judgment and keeping the way of his godly ones.
9 Yikho uzazwisisa lokho okulungileyo lokuqondileyo lokufaneleyo zonke izindlela ezinhle.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment and equity: every good path.
10 Ngoba ukuhlakanipha kuzangena enhliziyweni yakho, lolwazi lube mnandi emphefumulweni wakho.
When wisdom entereth into thy heart and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul,
11 Ukwazi ukukhetha kuzakuvikela, lokuzwisisa kuzakulinda.
discretion shall keep thee, understanding shall preserve thee:
12 Ukuhlakanipha kuzakusindisa ezindleleni zabantu ababi, abantu abamazwi abolileyo,
To deliver thee from the way of evil, from the man that speaketh froward things;
13 abatshiya izindlela eziqondileyo, bahambe ngezindlela ezilamathunzi,
[from those] who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
14 abathokoza ngokwenza okubi bajabule ngokungcola kokubi,
who rejoice to do evil, [and] delight in the frowardness of evil;
15 abandlela zabo zitshekile lokuhamba kwabo kakuqondakali.
whose paths are crooked, and who are perverted in their course:
16 Kuzakukhulula njalo koyisiphingikazi, lasemfazini olamazwi akhohlisayo,
To deliver thee from the strange woman, from the stranger who flattereth with her words;
17 osetshiye indoda yakhe yobutsha bakhe wadela isifungo asenza phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
who forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God;
18 Ngoba indlu yakhe iholela ekufeni lezindlela zakhe zidonsela kwabafileyo.
— for her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead;
19 Kakho ongena kuye obuyayo kumbe aphinde azuze izindlela zokuphila.
none that go unto her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life:
20 Ngakho uzahamba ezindleleni zabantu abalungileyo walele emikhondweni yabaqondileyo.
— that thou mayest walk in the way of the good, and keep the paths of the righteous.
21 Ngoba abaqotho bazahlala elizweni, labangasolekiyo bazasala kulo;
For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it;
22 kodwa izigangi zizasuswa elizweni, labangathembekanga bazakhutshwa kulo.
but the wicked shall be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful shall be plucked up out of it.

< Izaga 2 >