Izaga 8
1 Ukuhlakanipha kakumemezi yini? Ukuqedisisa kakuphakamisi ilizwi lakho na?
Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding give forth her voice?
2 Emiqolweni yezindlela, emahlanganweni ezindlela kulapho okujame khona;
On the top of high places by the way, at the cross-paths she taketh her stand.
3 emasangweni angena phakathi kwedolobho, ezintubeni kuyamemeza kakhulu kusithi:
Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud.
4 “Ngimemeza lina, madoda; ilizwi lami libiza bonke abantu.
Unto you, men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of man:
5 Lina eliyizithutha, zuzani ukuqonda; lina ziphukuphuku, zuzani ukuqedisisa.
O ye simple, understand prudence; and ye foolish, understand sense.
6 Lalelani ngoba ngilitshela izinto eziqakathekileyo; ngivula izindebe zami ngikhuluma okuqondileyo.
Hear, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7 Umlomo wami ukhuluma okuliqiniso, ngoba izindebe zami ziyabenyanya ububi.
For my palate shall meditate truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 Wonke amazwi omlomo wami aqondile; kalikho lelilodwa elitshekileyo loba elingcolileyo.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing tortuous or perverse in them.
9 Kulowo ozwisisayo wonke alungile; akulankohliso kulabo abalolwazi.
They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
10 Khetha iseluleko sami kulesiliva, ulwazi kulegolide elikhethiweyo,
Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold:
11 ngoba ukuhlakanipha kuligugu okudlula amarubhi, njalo akulanto ongayifisa ezifisweni zakho okulingana lakho.
for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not equal to it.
12 Mina, kuhlakanipha, ngihlala ndawonye lokuqondisisa; ngilolwazi lokukhetha kuhle.
I wisdom dwell [with] prudence, and find the knowledge [which cometh] of reflection.
13 Ukwesaba uThixo yikuzonda ububi; ngiyakuzonda ukuzazisa lobuqholo, ukuziphatha kubi lenkulumo ebolileyo.
The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate.
14 Ukweluleka lokwahlulela okuhle kungokwami; ngilokuzwisisa lamandla.
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am intelligence; I have strength.
15 Amakhosi abusa ngenxa yami lababusi balakho ukutshaya imithetho elungileyo;
By me kings reign, and rulers make just decrees;
16 amakhosana abusa ngami, lazozonke izikhulu ezibusa emhlabeni.
by me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth.
17 Ngiyabathanda labo abangithandayo, labo abangidingayo bayangithola.
I love those that love me; and they that seek me early shall find me.
18 Kimi kukhona inotho lodumo, inotho engapheliyo lokuphumelela.
Riches and honour are with me; durable wealth and righteousness.
19 Izithelo zami zingcono kulegolide elicengiweyo; okuphuma kimi kwedlula isiliva sekhethelo.
My fruit is better than fine gold, yea, than pure gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
20 Ngihamba ngendlela yokulunga, ngilandela umkhondo wokuqonda,
I walk in the path of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
21 ngiyabela inotho kulabo abangithandayo ngigcwalise iziphala zabo.
that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasuries.
22 UThixo wangenza ngaba khona ngaqalela konke okukhona, kuqala kokwenza ezinye izinto;
Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 ngaba khona ekudabukeni kwezinto, kwasekuqaleni, umhlaba ungakabi khona.
I was set up from eternity, from the beginning, before the earth was.
24 Kungakabi lezilwandle, ngasengizelwe, kungakabi khona izihotsha ezigcwele amanzi;
When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 izintaba zingakamiswa ensikeni zazo, engakabi khona amaqaqa, ngasengizelwe,
Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth;
26 uThixo engakawenzi umhlaba lamaganga, loba lonke uthuli lomhlaba.
while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
27 Ngangikhona uThixo ehlela kuhle izulu, ephawula kuhle imingcele yomkhathi lolwandle,
When he prepared the heavens I was there; when he ordained the circle upon the face of the deep;
28 esenza amayezi emkhathini wazizinzisa inziki zolwandle,
when he established the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong;
29 ebeka imingcele yolwandle ukuze amanzi angedluli izimiso zakhe, ngesikhathi lapho emisa izisekelo zomhlaba.
when he imposed on the sea his decree that the waters should not pass his commandment, when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 Ngalesosikhathi ngangingumbumbi eceleni kwakhe. Ngangilenjabulo enkulu insuku ngensuku, ngithokoza ukuba laye kokuphela,
then I was by him [his] nursling, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 ngithokoza ngomhlaba wakhe wonke ngijabuliswa yibukhona babantu.
rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights [were] with the sons of men.
32 Ngakho-ke, madodana ami, ngilalelani; babusisekile labo abalondoloza izindlela zami.
And now, sons, hearken unto me, and blessed are they that keep my ways:
33 Lalelani imfundiso yami ukuze lihlakaniphe; lingaqali ukuyidela.
hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 Ubusisiwe lowomuntu ongilalelayo, olinda imihla yonke eminyango yami, elindile entubeni yami.
Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 Ngoba lowo ongifumanayo uzuza ukuphila emukeliswe ukuthandwa nguThixo.
For whoso findeth me findeth life, and obtaineth favour of Jehovah;
36 Kodwa lowo owehlulekayo ukungifumana uyazilimaza; bonke abangizondayo bathanda ukufa.”
but he that sinneth against me doeth violence to his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
