Izaga 4
1 Zwanini, madodana ami, izeluleko zikayihlo; lalelani lizuze ukuqedisisa.
Hear, ye sons, the correction of a father, and attend, that ye may know understanding.
2 Ngilipha izifundo ezipheleleyo; ngakho lingalahli imfundiso yami.
For, good teaching, have I given you, mine instruction, do not ye forsake.
3 Ngathi ngisengumfana emzini kababa, ngisebuthakathaka, ngiyimi ngedwa ingane kamama,
For, a son, became I to my father, tender and most precious in the sight of my mother.
4 wangifundisa ubaba wathi, “Abambe amazwi ami ngenhliziyo yakho yonke; gcina imilayo yami ukuze uphile.
So he taught me, and said to me—Let thy heart, lay hold of my words, Keep my commandments and live!
5 Zuza ukuhlakanipha, zuza ukuqedisisa; ungawakhohlwa amazwi ami, kumbe ugudluke kuwo.
Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, Do not forget, neither decline thou from the sayings of my mouth.
6 Ungafulatheli ukuhlakanipha, kuzakuvikela; kuthande, kuzakulinda.
Do not forsake her, and she will guard thee, —love her and she will keep thee.
7 Ukuhlakanipha kuyinqaba; ngakho zuza ukuhlakanipha. Zuza ukuqedisisa loba kungathatha konke olakho.
The principal thing, is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition, acquire thou understanding.
8 Kugogose, kuzakuphakamisa; kugone, kuzakunika udumo.
Exalt her, and she will set thee on high, she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her:
9 Kuzakwethesa umqhele wamaluba omusa ekhanda lakho kukwethese umqhele wenkazimulo.”
She will give for thy head, a wreath of beauty, A crown of adorning, will she bestow upon thee.
10 Zwana mntanami, yamukela lokho engikutshoyo, ukuze insuku zokuphila kwakho zibe zinengi.
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and they will multiply to thee the years of life.
11 Ngiyakukhokhela endleleni yokuhlakanipha, ngikuqondise ezindleleni eziqondileyo.
In the way of wisdom, have I taught thee, I have guided thee in tracks of uprightness.
12 Nxa uhamba kawuyikuthikaza; nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
When thou walkest, thy step shall not be hemmed in, and, if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Bambelela iziqondiso, ungayekethisi; zigcine kuhle ngoba ziyikuphila kwakho.
Take fast hold of correction, let her not go, —keep her, for, she, is thy life.
14 Ungayingeni indlela yababi njalo ungahambi endleleni yezigangi.
Upon the path of the lawless, do not thou enter, and do not advance in the way of the wicked:
15 Ixwaye, ungahambi ngayo; itshiye uqhubeke ngeyakho indlela.
Avoid it, do not pass thereon—turn from it, and depart.
16 Phela kabalali bengenzanga ukuganga; badela ubuthongo ukuze baqale balimaze omunye umuntu.
For they sleep not, unless they can do mischief, —They rob themselves of their sleep, if they cannot cause someone to stumble,
17 Badla isinkwa sobubi banathe iwayini lobudlwangudlwangu.
For they consume bread gotten by lawlessness, and, wine obtained by violence, they drink.
18 Indlela yabalungileyo injengovivi lokusa, kukhule ukukhanya kwalo kuze kuphelele emini.
But, the path of the righteous, is as the light of dawn, —going on and brightening, unto meridian day.
19 Kodwa indlela yababi ifana lomnyama omkhulu; kabazi ukuthi kuyini okubakhubayo.
The way of the lawless, is like darkness, they know not, at what they stumble.
20 Ndodana yami, zwana lokhu engikutshoyo; lalelisisa amazwi ami.
My son, to my words, attend, to my sayings, incline thou thine ear;
21 Ungawasusi emehlweni akho, agcine enhliziyweni yakho;
Let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart;
22 ngoba ayikuphila kulabo abawafumanayo; lokuqina komzimba wonke womuntu.
For, life, they are, to them who find them, —and, to every part of one’s flesh, they bring healing.
23 Phezu kwakho konke, gcina inhliziyo yakho, ngoba ingumthombo wokuphila kwakho.
Above all that must be guarded, keep thou 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, perverseness of mouth, and, craftiness of lips, put far from thee.
25 Khangelisa amehlo akho nta phambili, uwathi nhlo amehlo akho kulokho okuphambi kwakho.
Let, thine eyes, right onward, look, —and, thine eyelashes, point straight before thee.
26 Lungisa izindlela ukuze inyawo zakho zinyathele kuhle, uhambe ngezindlela eziqinileyo kuphela.
Make level the track of thy foot, that, all thy ways, may be directed aright:
27 Ungaphambukeli kwesokunene loba kwesokhohlo; ugcine unyawo lwakho lunganyatheli okubi.
Decline not, to the right hand or to the left, —Turn away thy foot from wickedness.
