Izaga 2
1 Ndodana yami, nxa usamukela amazwi ami ugcine imilayo yami ngaphakathi kwakho,
My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 uvule indlebe yakho izwe ukuhlakanipha unikele inhliziyo yakho ukuthi izwisise,
make your ears pay attention to wisdom and incline your heart to understanding.
3 njalo nxa ucela ukuqedisisa ukhalela kakhulu ukuzwisisa,
If you cry out for understanding and raise your voice for it,
4 futhi ukudingisisa njengokudinga isiliva ukuphenye njengento eligugu efihliweyo,
if you seek it like you would seek silver and search for understanding as you would seek hidden treasures,
5 lapho-ke uzakuzwisisa ukumesaba uThixo njalo uluzuze ulwazi lukaNkulunkulu.
then you will understand the fear of Yahweh and you will find the knowledge of God.
6 Ngoba uThixo uyapha ukuhlakanipha, emlonyeni wakhe kuphuma ulwazi lokuqedisisa.
For Yahweh gives wisdom, from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
7 Abaqotho ubapha ukunqoba, ulihawu lalabo abahamba bengasoleki,
He stores up sound wisdom for those who please him, he is a shield for those who walk in integrity,
8 ngoba uyayilinda indlela yabalungileyo avikele ukuhamba kwabathembekileyo bakhe.
he guards the paths of justice and he will preserve the way of those who are faithful to him.
9 Yikho uzazwisisa lokho okulungileyo lokuqondileyo lokufaneleyo zonke izindlela ezinhle.
Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and equity, and every good path.
10 Ngoba ukuhlakanipha kuzangena enhliziyweni yakho, lolwazi lube mnandi emphefumulweni wakho.
For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Ukwazi ukukhetha kuzakuvikela, lokuzwisisa kuzakulinda.
Discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you.
12 Ukuhlakanipha kuzakusindisa ezindleleni zabantu ababi, abantu abamazwi abolileyo,
They will rescue you from the way of evil, from those who speak perverse things,
13 abatshiya izindlela eziqondileyo, bahambe ngezindlela ezilamathunzi,
who abandon the right paths and walk in the ways of darkness.
14 abathokoza ngokwenza okubi bajabule ngokungcola kokubi,
They rejoice when they do evil and delight in the perversities of evil.
15 abandlela zabo zitshekile lokuhamba kwabo kakuqondakali.
They follow crooked paths, and using deception they hide their tracks.
16 Kuzakukhulula njalo koyisiphingikazi, lasemfazini olamazwi akhohlisayo,
Wisdom and discretion will save you from an adulterous woman, from an immoral woman and her flattering words.
17 osetshiye indoda yakhe yobutsha bakhe wadela isifungo asenza phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
She forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God.
18 Ngoba indlu yakhe iholela ekufeni lezindlela zakhe zidonsela kwabafileyo.
For her house leads down to death and her tracks will lead you to those in the grave.
19 Kakho ongena kuye obuyayo kumbe aphinde azuze izindlela zokuphila.
All who go in to her will not return again and they will not find the paths of life.
20 Ngakho uzahamba ezindleleni zabantu abalungileyo walele emikhondweni yabaqondileyo.
So you will walk in the way of good people and follow the paths of righteous people.
21 Ngoba abaqotho bazahlala elizweni, labangasolekiyo bazasala kulo;
For those doing right will make a home in the land, and those with integrity will remain in it.
22 kodwa izigangi zizasuswa elizweni, labangathembekanga bazakhutshwa kulo.
But the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the faithless will be cut off from it.
