Izaga 4
1 Zwanini, madodana ami, izeluleko zikayihlo; lalelani lizuze ukuqedisisa.
Hear, ye 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 ye 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 to me, Let thy 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 thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
7 Ukuhlakanipha kuyinqaba; ngakho zuza ukuhlakanipha. Zuza ukuqedisisa loba kungathatha konke olakho.
Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
8 Kugogose, kuzakuphakamisa; kugone, kuzakunika udumo.
Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.
9 Kuzakwethesa umqhele wamaluba omusa ekhanda lakho kukwethese umqhele wenkazimulo.”
She shall give to thy head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
10 Zwana mntanami, yamukela lokho engikutshoyo, ukuze insuku zokuphila kwakho zibe zinengi.
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11 Ngiyakukhokhela endleleni yokuhlakanipha, ngikuqondise ezindleleni eziqondileyo.
I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
12 Nxa uhamba kawuyikuthikaza; nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt 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] thy 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 shineth more and more to 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 thy ear to my sayings.
21 Ungawasusi emehlweni akho, agcine enhliziyweni yakho;
Let them not depart from thy eyes; keep them in the midst of thy heart.
22 ngoba ayikuphila kulabo abawafumanayo; lokuqina komzimba wonke womuntu.
For they [are] life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Phezu kwakho konke, gcina inhliziyo yakho, ngoba ingumthombo wokuphila kwakho.
Keep thy 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 thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
25 Khangelisa amehlo akho nta phambili, uwathi nhlo amehlo akho kulokho okuphambi kwakho.
Let thy eyes look right on, and let thy eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Lungisa izindlela ukuze inyawo zakho zinyathele kuhle, uhambe ngezindlela eziqinileyo kuphela.
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
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.
