Izaga 3
1 Ndodana yami, ungakhohlwa imfundiso yami, kodwa ugcine imilayo yami enhliziyweni yakho,
My son, do not forget what I have taught you. Keep my commands in your inner being,
2 ngoba izakwandisa impilo yakho okweminyaka eminengi, ikuphe ukuthula.
because [if you obey them] you will live a long time and things will go well for you
3 Akungasuki kuwe loba nini uthando lokuthembeka; kubophele entanyeni yakho, ukubhale egwalibeni lenhliziyo yakho.
Always faithfully love others and (be faithful/do what you say that you will do); doing those things [will cause others to be pleased with you]; it will be as though you are wearing a beautiful necklace. Keep those things in your mind/inner being.
4 Ngalokho uzathandeka uzuze ibizo elihle emehlweni kaNkulunkulu laphambi kwabantu.
If you do, God and people will approve of you and think highly of you [MTY].
5 Themba kuThixo ngenhliziyo yakho yonke, ungathembi ekuzwisiseni kwakho;
Trust in Yahweh completely, and do not rely on what you yourself understand.
6 mvume kuzozonke izindlela zakho, yena uzaqondisa zonke izindlela zakho.
Always allow him to lead you. If you do that, he will (show you the right path/direct your life).
7 Ungazenzi ohlakaniphileyo ngokubona kwakho; yesaba uThixo uxwaye okubi.
Do not be proud of being wise. [Instead], revere Yahweh and turn away from doing evil.
8 Lokho kuzawuphilisa umzimba wakho kuwaqinise lamathambo akho.
If you do that, your body will be healthy/strong; it will be [like] medicine for you.
9 Dumisa uThixo ngenotho yakho; ngezithelo zakho zokuqala zonke;
Honor Yahweh by [what you do with] your money; and [by giving him] the first part of your harvest.
10 ngalokho iziphala zakho zizagcwala ziphuphume, lezimbiza zakho zewayini zize zichitheke ngewayini elitsha.
If you do that, [you will have a good harvest]. Yahweh will fill your barns [with grain], and your vats/containers will be overflowing with [grape juice for making] wine.
11 Ndodana yami, ungeyisi ukulaya kukaThixo njalo ungacaphukeli ukukhuza kwakhe,
My son, when Yahweh disciplines/corrects you, do not despise it, and if he rebukes you, do not resent it.
12 ngoba uThixo ulaya labo abathandayo, njengoyise elaya indodana yakhe ayithandayo.
[I say that] because it is the people whom Yahweh loves that he corrects/reproves, [just] like parents correct/reprove their sons whom they love.
13 Ubusisiwe umuntu ozuza ukuhlakanipha, umuntu ozuza ukuqedisisa,
[Yahweh] is pleased with those who become wise and have good understanding.
14 ngoba khona kulenzuzo eyedlula isiliva lenzuzo eyedlula igolide.
Being wise and having good understanding is worth more than silver, better than gold.
15 Kuligugu elidlula amarubhi; kakukho okuloyisayo okungalinganiswa lakho.
Being wise is more precious than (jewels/precious stones); there is nothing that you could desire [that would be as valuable] as wisdom.
16 Impilo ende isesandleni sakho sokunene; kwesokhohlo kulenotho lodumo.
On the one hand, wisdom [PRS] enables [you] to live a long life, and on the other hand, wisdom enables [you] to become rich and to be honored.
17 Izindlela zakhe zilokuthokoza, lemikhondo yakhe ilokuthula.
If [you] are wise, [your] life will be pleasant, and things will go well [for you].
18 Kuyisihlahla sokuphila kulabo abakwamukelayo; labo abakuphathayo bazabusiswa.
Wisdom is [like] a tree that gives long life to those who [eagerly] take hold of it, and [Yahweh] is pleased with those who hold onto it tightly.
19 Ngokuhlakanipha uThixo wabeka izisekelo zomhlaba, ngokuqedisisa wamisa izulu endaweni yalo;
By his wisdom Yahweh created the earth, and by his understanding he put everything in the skies.
20 ngolwazi lwakhe inlwandle zehlukaniswa, lamayezi athontisa amazolo.
By his knowledge [he caused] the water that was beneath the earth to burst forth, and he caused rain to fall from the clouds.
21 Ndodana yami, gogosa ingqondo ehlela ngolwazi, ungayekeli kukucatshele;
My son, [always] keep doing things that are right and things that are smart. If you do that,
22 kuzakuba yikuphila kuwe, kube ngumceciso omuhle entanyeni yakho.
you will live [many years] and be honored and respected {people will honor and respect you}.
23 Lapho-ke uzahamba ngendlela evikelweyo unyawo lwakho lungakhubeki;
If you do what is right and wise, you will [be able to] walk safely, and you will not (stumble/do things that are wrong) [MET].
24 nxa ulala kawuyikwesaba; uzalala ubuthongo obumnandi.
You will [be able to] lie down [at night] and not be afraid [of anything], and you will sleep peacefully.
25 Ungabi lovalo nxa ujunywa ngumonakalo kumbe yikubhidlika lokho okwehlela ababi,
You will not be afraid that something disastrous will happen to you or that storms that strike the wicked will strike you,
26 ngoba uThixo uzakuba lithemba lakho avikele unyawo lwakho emjibileni.
because you will be confident that Yahweh [will take care of you]. He will not let your foot be caught in a trap/snare.
27 Ungaze wala ukusiza labo abadinga uncedo, wena ulakho ongabasiza ngakho.
If you are able to help people who deserve it, do not refuse to help them.
28 Ungabokuthi kumakhelwane wakho: “Ubobuya kwesinye isikhathi; ngizakunika kusasa” wena ulalo lololutho.
If you are able to help someone you interact with, do not say, “Come back later; [perhaps] I can help you tomorrow.”
29 Ungacebi okubi ngomakhelwane wakho, ohlezi lawe ekwethemba.
Do not make plans to harm those you interact with regularly, [because] they live near you, and they trust you.
30 Ungaxabani lomuntu kungelasizatho yena engakonelanga ngalutho.
If someone has not harmed you, do not accuse him [by saying that he has harmed you].
31 Ungamhawukeli umuntu othanda ukulwa loba nje ufise lakuphi ukwenza kwakhe,
Do not envy people who [obtain things by] violent actions, and do not imitate/do what they do.
32 ngoba uThixo uyamenyanya umuntu oxhwalileyo kodwa oqotho umbeka ekhwapheni lakhe.
[I say that] because Yahweh considers such people to be abominable/detestable; but he is a friend to [all] those who do what is right.
33 Isiqalekiso sikaThixo sehlela endlini yababi, kodwa uyayibusisa indlu yabalungileyo.
Yahweh curses the families [MTY] of those who are wicked, but he blesses the families of those who are good/righteous.
34 Uyabahleka usulu abayizideleli ezizithembayo, kodwa abe lomusa kwabathobekileyo.
Yahweh makes fun of those who make fun [of others], but he kindly helps those who are humble.
35 Abahlakaniphileyo baphiwa udumo kodwa abayiziwula ubathela ihlazo.
Wise [people] will be honored {people will honor wise people}, but foolish people will be dishonored/disgraced.
