Izaga 4
1 Zwanini, madodana ami, izeluleko zikayihlo; lalelani lizuze ukuqedisisa.
Hear, all of you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 Ngilipha izifundo ezipheleleyo; ngakho lingalahli imfundiso yami.
For I give you good doctrine, forsake all of you not my law.
3 Ngathi ngisengumfana emzini kababa, ngisebuthakathaka, ngiyimi ngedwa ingane kamama,
For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 wangifundisa ubaba wathi, “Abambe amazwi ami ngenhliziyo yakho yonke; gcina imilayo yami ukuze uphile.
He taught me also, and said unto me, Let your heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
5 Zuza ukuhlakanipha, zuza ukuqedisisa; ungawakhohlwa amazwi ami, kumbe ugudluke kuwo.
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6 Ungafulatheli ukuhlakanipha, kuzakuvikela; kuthande, kuzakulinda.
Forsake her not, and she shall preserve you: love her, and she shall keep you.
7 Ukuhlakanipha kuyinqaba; ngakho zuza ukuhlakanipha. Zuza ukuqedisisa loba kungathatha konke olakho.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting get understanding.
8 Kugogose, kuzakuphakamisa; kugone, kuzakunika udumo.
Exalt her, and she shall promote you: she shall bring you to honour, when you do embrace her.
9 Kuzakwethesa umqhele wamaluba omusa ekhanda lakho kukwethese umqhele wenkazimulo.”
She shall give to your head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to you.
10 Zwana mntanami, yamukela lokho engikutshoyo, ukuze insuku zokuphila kwakho zibe zinengi.
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of your life shall be many.
11 Ngiyakukhokhela endleleni yokuhlakanipha, ngikuqondise ezindleleni eziqondileyo.
I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.
12 Nxa uhamba kawuyikuthikaza; nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
When you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not stumble.
13 Bambelela iziqondiso, ungayekethisi; zigcine kuhle ngoba ziyikuphila kwakho.
Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is your life.
14 Ungayingeni indlela yababi njalo ungahambi endleleni yezigangi.
Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15 Ixwaye, ungahambi ngayo; itshiye uqhubeke ngeyakho indlela.
Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16 Phela kabalali bengenzanga ukuganga; badela ubuthongo ukuze baqale balimaze omunye umuntu.
For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17 Badla isinkwa sobubi banathe iwayini lobudlwangudlwangu.
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18 Indlela yabalungileyo injengovivi lokusa, kukhule ukukhanya kwalo kuze kuphelele emini.
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day.
19 Kodwa indlela yababi ifana lomnyama omkhulu; kabazi ukuthi kuyini okubakhubayo.
The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20 Ndodana yami, zwana lokhu engikutshoyo; lalelisisa amazwi ami.
My son, attend to my words; incline your ear unto my sayings.
21 Ungawasusi emehlweni akho, agcine enhliziyweni yakho;
Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 ngoba ayikuphila kulabo abawafumanayo; lokuqina komzimba wonke womuntu.
For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Phezu kwakho konke, gcina inhliziyo yakho, ngoba ingumthombo wokuphila kwakho.
Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
24 Lahla izibozi zamazwi emlonyeni wakho; ungakhuphi inkulumo yokuxhwala ezindebeni zakho.
Put away from you a perverse mouth, and perverse lips put far from you.
25 Khangelisa amehlo akho nta phambili, uwathi nhlo amehlo akho kulokho okuphambi kwakho.
Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you.
26 Lungisa izindlela ukuze inyawo zakho zinyathele kuhle, uhambe ngezindlela eziqinileyo kuphela.
Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.
27 Ungaphambukeli kwesokunene loba kwesokhohlo; ugcine unyawo lwakho lunganyatheli okubi.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove your foot from evil.
