Izaga 4
1 Zwanini, madodana ami, izeluleko zikayihlo; lalelani lizuze ukuqedisisa.
Hear, ye children, the correction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 Ngilipha izifundo ezipheleleyo; ngakho lingalahli imfundiso yami.
For good information do I give you: my teaching must ye not forsake.
3 Ngathi ngisengumfana emzini kababa, ngisebuthakathaka, ngiyimi ngedwa ingane kamama,
For I was a son unto my father, a tender and an only child before my mother.
4 wangifundisa ubaba wathi, “Abambe amazwi ami ngenhliziyo yakho yonke; gcina imilayo yami ukuze uphile.
And he instructed me, and said unto me, Let thy heart grasp firmly my words: observe my commandments and live.
5 Zuza ukuhlakanipha, zuza ukuqedisisa; ungawakhohlwa amazwi ami, kumbe ugudluke kuwo.
Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding: forget not, and depart not from the sayings of my mouth.
6 Ungafulatheli ukuhlakanipha, kuzakuvikela; kuthande, kuzakulinda.
Forsake her not, and she will watch over thee: love her, and she will keep thee.
7 Ukuhlakanipha kuyinqaba; ngakho zuza ukuhlakanipha. Zuza ukuqedisisa loba kungathatha konke olakho.
The beginning of wisdom is, Acquire wisdom: and with all thy acquisition acquire understanding.
8 Kugogose, kuzakuphakamisa; kugone, kuzakunika udumo.
Hold her in high esteem, and she will exalt thee: she will bring thee to honor, when thou embracest her.
9 Kuzakwethesa umqhele wamaluba omusa ekhanda lakho kukwethese umqhele wenkazimulo.”
She will give to thy head a wreath of grace: a crown of ornament will she deliver to thee.
10 Zwana mntanami, yamukela lokho engikutshoyo, ukuze insuku zokuphila kwakho zibe zinengi.
Hear, O my son, and accept my sayings: and they will increase unto thee the years of life.
11 Ngiyakukhokhela endleleni yokuhlakanipha, ngikuqondise ezindleleni eziqondileyo.
In the way of wisdom have I instructed thee: I have led thee in the tracks of uprightness.
12 Nxa uhamba kawuyikuthikaza; nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
When thou walkest, thy step shall not be narrowed; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Bambelela iziqondiso, ungayekethisi; zigcine kuhle ngoba ziyikuphila kwakho.
Lay fast hold of correction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
14 Ungayingeni indlela yababi njalo ungahambi endleleni yezigangi.
Enter not into the path of the wicked, and step not on the way of the bad.
15 Ixwaye, ungahambi ngayo; itshiye uqhubeke ngeyakho indlela.
Avoid it, pass not through by it, turn off 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 evil, and their sleep is robbed away, unless they cause some to stumble.
17 Badla isinkwa sobubi banathe iwayini lobudlwangudlwangu.
For they eat the bread of wickedness; and the wine of violence do they drink.
18 Indlela yabalungileyo injengovivi lokusa, kukhule ukukhanya kwalo kuze kuphelele emini.
But the path of the righteous is as the early morning light, that shineth more and more brightly until the height of noonday.
19 Kodwa indlela yababi ifana lomnyama omkhulu; kabazi ukuthi kuyini okubakhubayo.
The way of the wicked is like darkness: they know not against what they stumble.
20 Ndodana yami, zwana lokhu engikutshoyo; lalelisisa amazwi ami.
My son, attend to my words, unto my sayings incline thy ear.
21 Ungawasusi emehlweni akho, agcine enhliziyweni yakho;
Let them not slip away from thy eyes: guard them in the midst of thy heart.
22 ngoba ayikuphila kulabo abawafumanayo; lokuqina komzimba wonke womuntu.
For they are life unto every one of those that find them, and to all his body a healing.
23 Phezu kwakho konke, gcina inhliziyo yakho, ngoba ingumthombo wokuphila kwakho.
Above all that is to be guarded, keep thy heart, for out of it are the issues of life.
24 Lahla izibozi zamazwi emlonyeni wakho; ungakhuphi inkulumo yokuxhwala ezindebeni zakho.
Remove from thee frowardness of mouth; and perverseness of lips put away far from thee.
25 Khangelisa amehlo akho nta phambili, uwathi nhlo amehlo akho kulokho okuphambi kwakho.
Let thy eyes look right forward, and let thy eyelids see straight out before thee.
26 Lungisa izindlela ukuze inyawo zakho zinyathele kuhle, uhambe ngezindlela eziqinileyo kuphela.
Balance well the track of thy foot, and let all thy ways be firmly right.
27 Ungaphambukeli kwesokunene loba kwesokhohlo; ugcine unyawo lwakho lunganyatheli okubi.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
