Izaga 4
1 Zwanini, madodana ami, izeluleko zikayihlo; lalelani lizuze ukuqedisisa.
Heare, O ye children, the instruction of a father, and giue eare to learne vnderstanding.
2 Ngilipha izifundo ezipheleleyo; ngakho lingalahli imfundiso yami.
For I doe giue you a good doctrine: therefore forsake yee not my lawe.
3 Ngathi ngisengumfana emzini kababa, ngisebuthakathaka, ngiyimi ngedwa ingane kamama,
For I was my fathers sonne, tender and deare in the sight of my mother,
4 wangifundisa ubaba wathi, “Abambe amazwi ami ngenhliziyo yakho yonke; gcina imilayo yami ukuze uphile.
When he taught me, and sayde vnto me, Let thine heart holde fast my woordes: keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue.
5 Zuza ukuhlakanipha, zuza ukuqedisisa; ungawakhohlwa amazwi ami, kumbe ugudluke kuwo.
Get wisedom: get vnderstading: forget not, neither decline from the woordes of my mouth.
6 Ungafulatheli ukuhlakanipha, kuzakuvikela; kuthande, kuzakulinda.
Forsake her not, and shee shall keepe thee: loue her and shee shall preserue thee.
7 Ukuhlakanipha kuyinqaba; ngakho zuza ukuhlakanipha. Zuza ukuqedisisa loba kungathatha konke olakho.
Wisedome is the beginning: get wisedome therefore: and aboue all thy possession get vnderstanding.
8 Kugogose, kuzakuphakamisa; kugone, kuzakunika udumo.
Exalt her, and she shall exalt thee: she shall bring thee to honour, if thou embrace her.
9 Kuzakwethesa umqhele wamaluba omusa ekhanda lakho kukwethese umqhele wenkazimulo.”
She shall giue a comely ornamet vnto thine head, yea, she shall giue thee a crowne of glorie.
10 Zwana mntanami, yamukela lokho engikutshoyo, ukuze insuku zokuphila kwakho zibe zinengi.
Heare, my sonne, and receiue my wordes, and the yeeres of thy life shalbe many.
11 Ngiyakukhokhela endleleni yokuhlakanipha, ngikuqondise ezindleleni eziqondileyo.
I haue taught thee in ye way of wisedom, and led thee in the pathes of righteousnesse.
12 Nxa uhamba kawuyikuthikaza; nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
Whe thou goest, thy gate shall not be strait, and when thou runnest, thou shalt not fall.
13 Bambelela iziqondiso, ungayekethisi; zigcine kuhle ngoba ziyikuphila kwakho.
Take holde of instruction, and leaue not: keepe her, for shee is thy life.
14 Ungayingeni indlela yababi njalo ungahambi endleleni yezigangi.
Enter not into the way of the wicked, and walke not in the way of euill men.
15 Ixwaye, ungahambi ngayo; itshiye uqhubeke ngeyakho indlela.
Auoide it, and goe not by it: turne from it, and passe by.
16 Phela kabalali bengenzanga ukuganga; badela ubuthongo ukuze baqale balimaze omunye umuntu.
For they can not sleepe, except they haue done euill, and their sleepe departeth except they cause some to fall.
17 Badla isinkwa sobubi banathe iwayini lobudlwangudlwangu.
For they eate the breade of wickednesse, and drinke the wine of violence.
18 Indlela yabalungileyo injengovivi lokusa, kukhule ukukhanya kwalo kuze kuphelele emini.
But the way of the righteous shineth as the light, that shineth more and more vnto the perfite day.
19 Kodwa indlela yababi ifana lomnyama omkhulu; kabazi ukuthi kuyini okubakhubayo.
The way of the wicked is as the darkenes: they knowe not wherein they shall fall.
20 Ndodana yami, zwana lokhu engikutshoyo; lalelisisa amazwi ami.
My sonne, hearken vnto my wordes, incline thine eare vnto my sayings.
21 Ungawasusi emehlweni akho, agcine enhliziyweni yakho;
Let them not depart from thine eyes, but keepe them in the middes of thine heart.
22 ngoba ayikuphila kulabo abawafumanayo; lokuqina komzimba wonke womuntu.
For they are life vnto those that find them, and health vnto all their flesh.
23 Phezu kwakho konke, gcina inhliziyo yakho, ngoba ingumthombo wokuphila kwakho.
Keepe thine heart with all diligence: for thereout commeth life.
24 Lahla izibozi zamazwi emlonyeni wakho; ungakhuphi inkulumo yokuxhwala ezindebeni zakho.
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and put wicked lippes farre from thee.
25 Khangelisa amehlo akho nta phambili, uwathi nhlo amehlo akho kulokho okuphambi kwakho.
Let thine eyes beholde the right, and let thine eyelids direct thy way before thee.
26 Lungisa izindlela ukuze inyawo zakho zinyathele kuhle, uhambe ngezindlela eziqinileyo kuphela.
Ponder the path of thy feete, and let all thy waies be ordred aright.
27 Ungaphambukeli kwesokunene loba kwesokhohlo; ugcine unyawo lwakho lunganyatheli okubi.
Turne not to the right hande, nor to the left, but remooue thy foote from euill.
