Izaga 3
1 Ndodana yami, ungakhohlwa imfundiso yami, kodwa ugcine imilayo yami enhliziyweni yakho,
My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart guard my precepts.
2 ngoba izakwandisa impilo yakho okweminyaka eminengi, ikuphe ukuthula.
For they shall set before you length of days, and years of life, and peace.
3 Akungasuki kuwe loba nini uthando lokuthembeka; kubophele entanyeni yakho, ukubhale egwalibeni lenhliziyo yakho.
Let not mercy and truth abandon you: encircle them around your throat, and inscribe them on the tablets of your heart.
4 Ngalokho uzathandeka uzuze ibizo elihle emehlweni kaNkulunkulu laphambi kwabantu.
And so shall you discover grace and good discipline, in the sight of God and men.
5 Themba kuThixo ngenhliziyo yakho yonke, ungathembi ekuzwisiseni kwakho;
Have confidence in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend upon your own prudence.
6 mvume kuzozonke izindlela zakho, yena uzaqondisa zonke izindlela zakho.
In all your ways, consider him, and he himself will direct your steps.
7 Ungazenzi ohlakaniphileyo ngokubona kwakho; yesaba uThixo uxwaye okubi.
Do not seem wise to yourself. Fear God, and withdraw from evil.
8 Lokho kuzawuphilisa umzimba wakho kuwaqinise lamathambo akho.
Certainly, it shall be health to your navel, and refreshment to your bones.
9 Dumisa uThixo ngenotho yakho; ngezithelo zakho zokuqala zonke;
Honor the Lord with your substance, and give to him from the first of all your fruits,
10 ngalokho iziphala zakho zizagcwala ziphuphume, lezimbiza zakho zewayini zize zichitheke ngewayini elitsha.
and then your storehouses will be filled with abundance, and your presses shall overflow with wine.
11 Ndodana yami, ungeyisi ukulaya kukaThixo njalo ungacaphukeli ukukhuza kwakhe,
My son, do not discard the discipline of the Lord, and do not fall away when you are corrected by him.
12 ngoba uThixo ulaya labo abathandayo, njengoyise elaya indodana yakhe ayithandayo.
For whomever the Lord loves, he corrects, and just as a father does with a son, he wins him over.
13 Ubusisiwe umuntu ozuza ukuhlakanipha, umuntu ozuza ukuqedisisa,
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom and who advances to prudence.
14 ngoba khona kulenzuzo eyedlula isiliva lenzuzo eyedlula igolide.
Her acquisition is better than trading in silver, and her fruit is better than the first and purest gold.
15 Kuligugu elidlula amarubhi; kakukho okuloyisayo okungalinganiswa lakho.
She is more precious than all riches, and all that can be desired cannot prevail in comparison to her.
16 Impilo ende isesandleni sakho sokunene; kwesokhohlo kulenotho lodumo.
Length of days is at her right hand, and at her left hand is wealth and glory.
17 Izindlela zakhe zilokuthokoza, lemikhondo yakhe ilokuthula.
Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceful.
18 Kuyisihlahla sokuphila kulabo abakwamukelayo; labo abakuphathayo bazabusiswa.
She is a tree of life to those who overtake her, and he who shall take hold of her is blessed.
19 Ngokuhlakanipha uThixo wabeka izisekelo zomhlaba, ngokuqedisisa wamisa izulu endaweni yalo;
The Lord founded the earth on wisdom. He secured the heavens with prudence.
20 ngolwazi lwakhe inlwandle zehlukaniswa, lamayezi athontisa amazolo.
By his wisdom, the abyss erupted and the clouds increased with dew.
21 Ndodana yami, gogosa ingqondo ehlela ngolwazi, ungayekeli kukucatshele;
My son, let not these things move away from your eyes. Preserve law as well as counsel.
22 kuzakuba yikuphila kuwe, kube ngumceciso omuhle entanyeni yakho.
And so shall there be life in your soul and grace in your voice.
23 Lapho-ke uzahamba ngendlela evikelweyo unyawo lwakho lungakhubeki;
Then you shall walk confidently in your way, and your feet will not stumble.
24 nxa ulala kawuyikwesaba; uzalala ubuthongo obumnandi.
When you slumber, you shall not fear. When you rest, your sleep also will be sweet.
25 Ungabi lovalo nxa ujunywa ngumonakalo kumbe yikubhidlika lokho okwehlela ababi,
Do not fear unexpected terror, nor the power of the impious falling upon you.
26 ngoba uThixo uzakuba lithemba lakho avikele unyawo lwakho emjibileni.
For the Lord will be at your side, and he will guard your feet, so that you may not be seized.
27 Ungaze wala ukusiza labo abadinga uncedo, wena ulakho ongabasiza ngakho.
Do not prevent him who is able from doing good. When you are able, do good yourself too.
28 Ungabokuthi kumakhelwane wakho: “Ubobuya kwesinye isikhathi; ngizakunika kusasa” wena ulalo lololutho.
Do not say to your friend: “Go away, and then return. Tomorrow I will give to you.” When you are able to do so, give in the present.
29 Ungacebi okubi ngomakhelwane wakho, ohlezi lawe ekwethemba.
Do not undertake evil against your friend, even though he has trust in you.
30 Ungaxabani lomuntu kungelasizatho yena engakonelanga ngalutho.
Do not contend against a man without cause, even though he has done no evil to you.
31 Ungamhawukeli umuntu othanda ukulwa loba nje ufise lakuphi ukwenza kwakhe,
Do not rival an unjust man, and do not imitate his ways.
32 ngoba uThixo uyamenyanya umuntu oxhwalileyo kodwa oqotho umbeka ekhwapheni lakhe.
For everyone who ridicules is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is for the simple.
33 Isiqalekiso sikaThixo sehlela endlini yababi, kodwa uyayibusisa indlu yabalungileyo.
Destitution in the house of the impious is from the Lord. But the habitations of the just shall be blessed.
34 Uyabahleka usulu abayizideleli ezizithembayo, kodwa abe lomusa kwabathobekileyo.
He will ridicule those who ridicule, but he will bestow grace upon the mild.
35 Abahlakaniphileyo baphiwa udumo kodwa abayiziwula ubathela ihlazo.
The wise will possess glory. The exaltation of the foolish is disgraceful.
