Izaga 2
1 Ndodana yami, nxa usamukela amazwi ami ugcine imilayo yami ngaphakathi kwakho,
My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2 uvule indlebe yakho izwe ukuhlakanipha unikele inhliziyo yakho ukuthi izwisise,
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, [and] apply thine heart to understanding;
3 njalo nxa ucela ukuqedisisa ukhalela kakhulu ukuzwisisa,
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, [and] liftest up thy voice for understanding;
4 futhi ukudingisisa njengokudinga isiliva ukuphenye njengento eligugu efihliweyo,
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as [for] hid treasures;
5 lapho-ke uzakuzwisisa ukumesaba uThixo njalo uluzuze ulwazi lukaNkulunkulu.
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
6 Ngoba uThixo uyapha ukuhlakanipha, emlonyeni wakhe kuphuma ulwazi lokuqedisisa.
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding.
7 Abaqotho ubapha ukunqoba, ulihawu lalabo abahamba bengasoleki,
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: [he is] a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
8 ngoba uyayilinda indlela yabalungileyo avikele ukuhamba kwabathembekileyo bakhe.
He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
9 Yikho uzazwisisa lokho okulungileyo lokuqondileyo lokufaneleyo zonke izindlela ezinhle.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; [yea], every good path.
10 Ngoba ukuhlakanipha kuzangena enhliziyweni yakho, lolwazi lube mnandi emphefumulweni wakho.
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
11 Ukwazi ukukhetha kuzakuvikela, lokuzwisisa kuzakulinda.
Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
12 Ukuhlakanipha kuzakusindisa ezindleleni zabantu ababi, abantu abamazwi abolileyo,
To deliver thee from the way of the evil [man], from the man that speaketh froward things;
13 abatshiya izindlela eziqondileyo, bahambe ngezindlela ezilamathunzi,
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 the wicked;
15 abandlela zabo zitshekile lokuhamba kwabo kakuqondakali.
Whose ways [are] crooked, and [they] froward in their paths:
16 Kuzakukhulula njalo koyisiphingikazi, lasemfazini olamazwi akhohlisayo,
To deliver thee from the strange woman, [even] from the stranger [which] flattereth with her words;
17 osetshiye indoda yakhe yobutsha bakhe wadela isifungo asenza phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
Which 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 take they hold of the paths of life.
20 Ngakho uzahamba ezindleleni zabantu abalungileyo walele emikhondweni yabaqondileyo.
That thou mayest walk in the way of good [men], 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 earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
