< Izaga 8 >

1 Ukuhlakanipha kakumemezi yini? Ukuqedisisa kakuphakamisi ilizwi lakho na?
You shall proclaim wisdom, that understanding may be obedient to you.
2 Emiqolweni yezindlela, emahlanganweni ezindlela kulapho okujame khona;
For she is on lofty eminences, and stands in the midst of the ways.
3 emasangweni angena phakathi kwedolobho, ezintubeni kuyamemeza kakhulu kusithi:
For she sits by the gates of princes, and sings in the entrances, [saying],
4 “Ngimemeza lina, madoda; ilizwi lami libiza bonke abantu.
You, O men, I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men.
5 Lina eliyizithutha, zuzani ukuqonda; lina ziphukuphuku, zuzani ukuqedisisa.
O you simple, understand subtlety, and you that are untaught, imbibe knowledge.
6 Lalelani ngoba ngilitshela izinto eziqakathekileyo; ngivula izindebe zami ngikhuluma okuqondileyo.
Listen to me; for I will speak solemn [truths]; and will produce right [sayings] from my lips.
7 Umlomo wami ukhuluma okuliqiniso, ngoba izindebe zami ziyabenyanya ububi.
For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me.
8 Wonke amazwi omlomo wami aqondile; kalikho lelilodwa elitshekileyo loba elingcolileyo.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing in them wrong or perverse.
9 Kulowo ozwisisayo wonke alungile; akulankohliso kulabo abalolwazi.
They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge.
10 Khetha iseluleko sami kulesiliva, ulwazi kulegolide elikhethiweyo,
Receive instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than tried gold.
11 ngoba ukuhlakanipha kuligugu okudlula amarubhi, njalo akulanto ongayifisa ezifisweni zakho okulingana lakho.
For wisdom is better than precious stones; and no valuable substance is of equal worth with it.
12 Mina, kuhlakanipha, ngihlala ndawonye lokuqondisisa; ngilolwazi lokukhetha kuhle.
I wisdom have lived [with] counsel and knowledge, and I have called upon understanding.
13 Ukwesaba uThixo yikuzonda ububi; ngiyakuzonda ukuzazisa lobuqholo, ukuziphatha kubi lenkulumo ebolileyo.
The fear of the Lord hates unrighteousness, and insolence, and pride, and the ways of wicked men; and I hate the perverse ways of bad men.
14 Ukweluleka lokwahlulela okuhle kungokwami; ngilokuzwisisa lamandla.
Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine.
15 Amakhosi abusa ngenxa yami lababusi balakho ukutshaya imithetho elungileyo;
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 amakhosana abusa ngami, lazozonke izikhulu ezibusa emhlabeni.
By me nobles become great, and monarchs by me rule over the earth.
17 Ngiyabathanda labo abangithandayo, labo abangidingayo bayangithola.
I love those that love me; and they that seek me shall find [me].
18 Kimi kukhona inotho lodumo, inotho engapheliyo lokuphumelela.
Wealth and glory belong to me; yes, abundant possessions and righteousness.
19 Izithelo zami zingcono kulegolide elicengiweyo; okuphuma kimi kwedlula isiliva sekhethelo.
[It is] better to have my fruit than [to have] gold and precious stones; and my produce is better than choice silver.
20 Ngihamba ngendlela yokulunga, ngilandela umkhondo wokuqonda,
I walk in ways of righteousness, and [am] conversant with the paths of judgment;
21 ngiyabela inotho kulabo abangithandayo ngigcwalise iziphala zabo.
that I may divide substance to them that love me, and may fill their treasures with good things. If I declare to you the things that daily happen, I will remember [also] to recount the things of old.
22 UThixo wangenza ngaba khona ngaqalela konke okukhona, kuqala kokwenza ezinye izinto;
The Lord made me the beginning of his ways for his works.
23 ngaba khona ekudabukeni kwezinto, kwasekuqaleni, umhlaba ungakabi khona.
He established me before time [was] in the beginning, before he made the earth:
24 Kungakabi lezilwandle, ngasengizelwe, kungakabi khona izihotsha ezigcwele amanzi;
even before he made the depths; before the fountains of water came forth:
25 izintaba zingakamiswa ensikeni zazo, engakabi khona amaqaqa, ngasengizelwe,
before the mountains were settled, and before all hills, he begets me.
26 uThixo engakawenzi umhlaba lamaganga, loba lonke uthuli lomhlaba.
The Lord made countries and uninhabited [tracks], and the highest inhabited parts of the world.
27 Ngangikhona uThixo ehlela kuhle izulu, ephawula kuhle imingcele yomkhathi lolwandle,
When he prepared the heaven, I was present with him; and when he prepared his throne upon the winds:
28 esenza amayezi emkhathini wazizinzisa inziki zolwandle,
and when he strengthened the clouds above; and when he secured the fountains of the earth:
29 ebeka imingcele yolwandle ukuze amanzi angedluli izimiso zakhe, ngesikhathi lapho emisa izisekelo zomhlaba.
decree. and when he strengthened the foundations of the earth:
30 Ngalesosikhathi ngangingumbumbi eceleni kwakhe. Ngangilenjabulo enkulu insuku ngensuku, ngithokoza ukuba laye kokuphela,
I was by him, suiting [myself to him], I was that wherein he took delight; and daily I rejoiced in his presence continually.
31 ngithokoza ngomhlaba wakhe wonke ngijabuliswa yibukhona babantu.
For he rejoiced when he had completed the world, and rejoiced among the children of men.
32 Ngakho-ke, madodana ami, ngilalelani; babusisekile labo abalondoloza izindlela zami.
Now then, [my] son, hear me: blessed is the man who shall listen to me, and the mortal who shall keep my ways;
33 Lalelani imfundiso yami ukuze lihlakaniphe; lingaqali ukuyidela.
[Hear wisdom and be wise, and be not strangers to it. ]
34 Ubusisiwe lowomuntu ongilalelayo, olinda imihla yonke eminyango yami, elindile entubeni yami.
watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my entrances.
35 Ngoba lowo ongifumanayo uzuza ukuphila emukeliswe ukuthandwa nguThixo.
For my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and [in them] is prepared favor from the Lord.
36 Kodwa lowo owehlulekayo ukungifumana uyazilimaza; bonke abangizondayo bathanda ukufa.”
But they that sin against me act wickedly against their own souls: and they that hate me love death.

< Izaga 8 >