Izaga 8
1 Ukuhlakanipha kakumemezi yini? Ukuqedisisa kakuphakamisi ilizwi lakho na?
Doth not wisdom cry aloud, and prudence put forth her voice?
2 Emiqolweni yezindlela, emahlanganweni ezindlela kulapho okujame khona;
Standing in the top of the highest places by the way, in the midst of the paths.
3 emasangweni angena phakathi kwedolobho, ezintubeni kuyamemeza kakhulu kusithi:
Beside the gates of the city, in the very doors she speaketh, saying:
4 “Ngimemeza lina, madoda; ilizwi lami libiza bonke abantu.
O ye men, to you I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.
5 Lina eliyizithutha, zuzani ukuqonda; lina ziphukuphuku, zuzani ukuqedisisa.
O little ones, understand subtilty, and ye unwise, take notice.
6 Lalelani ngoba ngilitshela izinto eziqakathekileyo; ngivula izindebe zami ngikhuluma okuqondileyo.
Hear, for I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things.
7 Umlomo wami ukhuluma okuliqiniso, ngoba izindebe zami ziyabenyanya ububi.
My mouth shall meditate truth, and my lips shall hate wickedness.
8 Wonke amazwi omlomo wami aqondile; kalikho lelilodwa elitshekileyo loba elingcolileyo.
All my words are just, there is nothing wicked nor perverse in them.
9 Kulowo ozwisisayo wonke alungile; akulankohliso kulabo abalolwazi.
They are right to them that understand, and just to them that find knowledge.
10 Khetha iseluleko sami kulesiliva, ulwazi kulegolide elikhethiweyo,
Receive my instruction, and not money: choose knowledge rather than gold.
11 ngoba ukuhlakanipha kuligugu okudlula amarubhi, njalo akulanto ongayifisa ezifisweni zakho okulingana lakho.
For wisdom is better than all the most precious things: and whatsoever may be desired cannot be compared to it.
12 Mina, kuhlakanipha, ngihlala ndawonye lokuqondisisa; ngilolwazi lokukhetha kuhle.
I wisdom dwell in counsel, and am present in learned thoughts.
13 Ukwesaba uThixo yikuzonda ububi; ngiyakuzonda ukuzazisa lobuqholo, ukuziphatha kubi lenkulumo ebolileyo.
The fear of the Lord hateth evil: I hate arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.
14 Ukweluleka lokwahlulela okuhle kungokwami; ngilokuzwisisa lamandla.
Counsel and equity is mine, prudence is mine, strength is mine.
15 Amakhosi abusa ngenxa yami lababusi balakho ukutshaya imithetho elungileyo;
By me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things,
16 amakhosana abusa ngami, lazozonke izikhulu ezibusa emhlabeni.
By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice.
17 Ngiyabathanda labo abangithandayo, labo abangidingayo bayangithola.
I love them that love me: and they that in the morning early watch for me, shall find me.
18 Kimi kukhona inotho lodumo, inotho engapheliyo lokuphumelela.
With me are riches and glory, glorious riches and justice.
19 Izithelo zami zingcono kulegolide elicengiweyo; okuphuma kimi kwedlula isiliva sekhethelo.
For my fruit is better than gold and the precious stone, and my blossoms than choice silver.
20 Ngihamba ngendlela yokulunga, ngilandela umkhondo wokuqonda,
I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,
21 ngiyabela inotho kulabo abangithandayo ngigcwalise iziphala zabo.
That I may enrich them that love me, and may fill their treasures.
22 UThixo wangenza ngaba khona ngaqalela konke okukhona, kuqala kokwenza ezinye izinto;
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing from the beginning.
23 ngaba khona ekudabukeni kwezinto, kwasekuqaleni, umhlaba ungakabi khona.
I was set up from eternity, and of old before the earth was made.
24 Kungakabi lezilwandle, ngasengizelwe, kungakabi khona izihotsha ezigcwele amanzi;
The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived. neither had the fountains of waters as yet sprung out:
25 izintaba zingakamiswa ensikeni zazo, engakabi khona amaqaqa, ngasengizelwe,
The mountains with their huge bulk had not as yet been established: before the hills I was brought forth:
26 uThixo engakawenzi umhlaba lamaganga, loba lonke uthuli lomhlaba.
He had not yet made the earth, nor the rivers, nor the poles of the world.
27 Ngangikhona uThixo ehlela kuhle izulu, ephawula kuhle imingcele yomkhathi lolwandle,
When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law and compass he enclosed the depths:
28 esenza amayezi emkhathini wazizinzisa inziki zolwandle,
When he established the sky above, and poised the fountains of waters:
29 ebeka imingcele yolwandle ukuze amanzi angedluli izimiso zakhe, ngesikhathi lapho emisa izisekelo zomhlaba.
When he compassed the sea with its bounds, and set a law to the waters that they should not pass their limits: when be balanced the foundations of the earth;
30 Ngalesosikhathi ngangingumbumbi eceleni kwakhe. Ngangilenjabulo enkulu insuku ngensuku, ngithokoza ukuba laye kokuphela,
I was with him forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him at all times;
31 ngithokoza ngomhlaba wakhe wonke ngijabuliswa yibukhona babantu.
Playing in the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men.
32 Ngakho-ke, madodana ami, ngilalelani; babusisekile labo abalondoloza izindlela zami.
Now therefore, ye children, hear me: 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, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors.
35 Ngoba lowo ongifumanayo uzuza ukuphila emukeliswe ukuthandwa nguThixo.
He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord:
36 Kodwa lowo owehlulekayo ukungifumana uyazilimaza; bonke abangizondayo bathanda ukufa.”
But he that shall sin against me, shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death.
