Izaga 3
1 Ndodana yami, ungakhohlwa imfundiso yami, kodwa ugcine imilayo yami enhliziyweni yakho,
[My] son, forget not my laws; but let your heart keep my words:
2 ngoba izakwandisa impilo yakho okweminyaka eminengi, ikuphe ukuthula.
for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to you.
3 Akungasuki kuwe loba nini uthando lokuthembeka; kubophele entanyeni yakho, ukubhale egwalibeni lenhliziyo yakho.
Let not mercy and truth forsake you; but bind them about your neck:
4 Ngalokho uzathandeka uzuze ibizo elihle emehlweni kaNkulunkulu laphambi kwabantu.
so shall you find favour: and do you provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.
5 Themba kuThixo ngenhliziyo yakho yonke, ungathembi ekuzwisiseni kwakho;
Trust in God with all your heart; and be not exalted in your own wisdom.
6 mvume kuzozonke izindlela zakho, yena uzaqondisa zonke izindlela zakho.
In all your ways acquaint yourself with her, that she may rightly direct your paths.
7 Ungazenzi ohlakaniphileyo ngokubona kwakho; yesaba uThixo uxwaye okubi.
Be not wise in your own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.
8 Lokho kuzawuphilisa umzimba wakho kuwaqinise lamathambo akho.
Then shall there be health to your body, and good keeping to your bones.
9 Dumisa uThixo ngenotho yakho; ngezithelo zakho zokuqala zonke;
Honour the Lord with your just labours, and give him the first of your fruits of righteousness:
10 ngalokho iziphala zakho zizagcwala ziphuphume, lezimbiza zakho zewayini zize zichitheke ngewayini elitsha.
that your storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that your presses may burst forth with wine.
11 Ndodana yami, ungeyisi ukulaya kukaThixo njalo ungacaphukeli ukukhuza kwakhe,
[My] son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when you are rebuked of him:
12 ngoba uThixo ulaya labo abathandayo, njengoyise elaya indodana yakhe ayithandayo.
for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.
13 Ubusisiwe umuntu ozuza ukuhlakanipha, umuntu ozuza ukuqedisisa,
Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.
14 ngoba khona kulenzuzo eyedlula isiliva lenzuzo eyedlula igolide.
For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.
15 Kuligugu elidlula amarubhi; kakukho okuloyisayo okungalinganiswa lakho.
And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value.
16 Impilo ende isesandleni sakho sokunene; kwesokhohlo kulenotho lodumo.
For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue.
17 Izindlela zakhe zilokuthokoza, lemikhondo yakhe ilokuthula.
Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful.
18 Kuyisihlahla sokuphila kulabo abakwamukelayo; labo abakuphathayo bazabusiswa.
She is a tree of life to all that lay hold upon her; and she is [a] secure [help] to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord.
19 Ngokuhlakanipha uThixo wabeka izisekelo zomhlaba, ngokuqedisisa wamisa izulu endaweni yalo;
God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.
20 ngolwazi lwakhe inlwandle zehlukaniswa, lamayezi athontisa amazolo.
By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.
21 Ndodana yami, gogosa ingqondo ehlela ngolwazi, ungayekeli kukucatshele;
[My] son, let [them] not pass from [you], but keep my counsel and understanding:
22 kuzakuba yikuphila kuwe, kube ngumceciso omuhle entanyeni yakho.
that your soul may live, and that there may be grace round your neck; and it shall be health to your flesh, and safety to your bones:
23 Lapho-ke uzahamba ngendlela evikelweyo unyawo lwakho lungakhubeki;
that you may go confidently in peace in all your ways, and that your foot may not stumble.
24 nxa ulala kawuyikwesaba; uzalala ubuthongo obumnandi.
For if you rest, you shall be undismayed; and if you sleep, you shall slumber sweetly.
25 Ungabi lovalo nxa ujunywa ngumonakalo kumbe yikubhidlika lokho okwehlela ababi,
And you shall not be afraid of alarm coming upon you, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.
26 ngoba uThixo uzakuba lithemba lakho avikele unyawo lwakho emjibileni.
For the Lord shall be over all your ways, and shall establish your foot that you be not moved.
27 Ungaze wala ukusiza labo abadinga uncedo, wena ulakho ongabasiza ngakho.
Forbear not to do good to the poor, whenever your hand may have [power] to help [him].
28 Ungabokuthi kumakhelwane wakho: “Ubobuya kwesinye isikhathi; ngizakunika kusasa” wena ulalo lololutho.
Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while you are able to do [him] good: for you know not what the next day will bring forth.
29 Ungacebi okubi ngomakhelwane wakho, ohlezi lawe ekwethemba.
Devise not evil against your friend, living near you and trusting in you.
30 Ungaxabani lomuntu kungelasizatho yena engakonelanga ngalutho.
Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do you some harm.
31 Ungamhawukeli umuntu othanda ukulwa loba nje ufise lakuphi ukwenza kwakhe,
Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do you covet their ways.
32 ngoba uThixo uyamenyanya umuntu oxhwalileyo kodwa oqotho umbeka ekhwapheni lakhe.
For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit amongst the righteous.
33 Isiqalekiso sikaThixo sehlela endlini yababi, kodwa uyayibusisa indlu yabalungileyo.
The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.
34 Uyabahleka usulu abayizideleli ezizithembayo, kodwa abe lomusa kwabathobekileyo.
The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.
35 Abahlakaniphileyo baphiwa udumo kodwa abayiziwula ubathela ihlazo.
The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted [their own] dishonour.
