< Izaga 2 >

1 Ndodana yami, nxa usamukela amazwi ami ugcine imilayo yami ngaphakathi kwakho,
My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and lay 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 apply thine heart to understanding;
3 njalo nxa ucela ukuqedisisa ukhalela kakhulu ukuzwisisa,
Yea, if thou cry after discernment, and lift up thy voice for understanding;
4 futhi ukudingisisa njengokudinga isiliva ukuphenye njengento eligugu efihliweyo,
If thou seek her as silver, and search 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 upright, [he is] a shield to them that walk in integrity;
8 ngoba uyayilinda indlela yabalungileyo avikele ukuhamba kwabathembekileyo bakhe.
That he may guard the paths of judgment, and preserve 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.
For wisdom shall enter into thine heart, and knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul;
11 Ukwazi ukukhetha kuzakuvikela, lokuzwisisa kuzakulinda.
Discretion shall watch over thee, understanding shall keep thee:
12 Ukuhlakanipha kuzakusindisa ezindleleni zabantu ababi, abantu abamazwi abolileyo,
To deliver thee from the way of evil, from the men that speak froward things;
13 abatshiya izindlela eziqondileyo, bahambe ngezindlela ezilamathunzi,
Who forsake 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.
Who are crooked in their ways, and perverse 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 friend 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 unto 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 land, and they that deal treacherously shall be rooted out of it.

< Izaga 2 >