Izaga 8
1 Ukuhlakanipha kakumemezi yini? Ukuqedisisa kakuphakamisi ilizwi lakho na?
Doth not wisdom cry aloud, And understanding put forth her voice?
2 Emiqolweni yezindlela, emahlanganweni ezindlela kulapho okujame khona;
Upon the top of the high places, By the wayside, In the cross-ways, She taketh her station.
3 emasangweni angena phakathi kwedolobho, ezintubeni kuyamemeza kakhulu kusithi:
By the side of the gates, In the entrance of the city, In the approaches to the doors, she crieth aloud.
4 “Ngimemeza lina, madoda; ilizwi lami libiza bonke abantu.
“To you, O men! do I call, And my voice is to the sons of men!
5 Lina eliyizithutha, zuzani ukuqonda; lina ziphukuphuku, zuzani ukuqedisisa.
O ye simple ones! learn wisdom, And ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart!
6 Lalelani ngoba ngilitshela izinto eziqakathekileyo; ngivula izindebe zami ngikhuluma okuqondileyo.
Hear, for I speak excellent things, And my lips utter that which is right.
7 Umlomo wami ukhuluma okuliqiniso, ngoba izindebe zami ziyabenyanya ububi.
For my mouth speaketh 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 uprightness; There is nothing crooked or deceitful in them;
9 Kulowo ozwisisayo wonke alungile; akulankohliso kulabo abalolwazi.
They are all plain to the man of understanding, And right to those who 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 pearls, And no precious things are to be compared with her.
12 Mina, kuhlakanipha, ngihlala ndawonye lokuqondisisa; ngilolwazi lokukhetha kuhle.
“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out the knowledge of sagacious counsels.
13 Ukwesaba uThixo yikuzonda ububi; ngiyakuzonda ukuzazisa lobuqholo, ukuziphatha kubi lenkulumo ebolileyo.
The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, And the deceitful mouth, do I hate.
14 Ukweluleka lokwahlulela okuhle kungokwami; ngilokuzwisisa lamandla.
Counsel is mine, and sound reason; I am understanding; I have strength.
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 princes rule, And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 Ngiyabathanda labo abangithandayo, labo abangidingayo bayangithola.
I love them that love me, And they who seek me early shall find me.
18 Kimi kukhona inotho lodumo, inotho engapheliyo lokuphumelela.
Riches and honor are with me; Yea, durable riches and prosperity.
19 Izithelo zami zingcono kulegolide elicengiweyo; okuphuma kimi kwedlula isiliva sekhethelo.
My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold. And my revenue than choice silver.
20 Ngihamba ngendlela yokulunga, ngilandela umkhondo wokuqonda,
I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of equity.
21 ngiyabela inotho kulabo abangithandayo ngigcwalise iziphala zabo.
I cause those who love me to possess substance; Yea, I fill their treasuries.
22 UThixo wangenza ngaba khona ngaqalela konke okukhona, kuqala kokwenza ezinye izinto;
“The LORD created me, the firstling of his course, Before his works, of old;
23 ngaba khona ekudabukeni kwezinto, kwasekuqaleni, umhlaba ungakabi khona.
I was anointed from everlasting, From the beginning, even before the earth was made.
24 Kungakabi lezilwandle, ngasengizelwe, kungakabi khona izihotsha ezigcwele amanzi;
When as yet there were no deeps, I was brought forth. When there were no springs, abounding with water.
25 izintaba zingakamiswa ensikeni zazo, engakabi khona amaqaqa, ngasengizelwe,
Before the mountains were settled, Yea, before the hills, I was brought forth;
26 uThixo engakawenzi umhlaba lamaganga, loba lonke uthuli lomhlaba.
Ere yet he had made the land and the wastes, And the first of the clods of the earth.
27 Ngangikhona uThixo ehlela kuhle izulu, ephawula kuhle imingcele yomkhathi lolwandle,
When he framed the heavens, I was there; When he drew a circle upon the face of the deep;
28 esenza amayezi emkhathini wazizinzisa inziki zolwandle,
When he made firm the sky above, And the fountains of the deep rushed forth;
29 ebeka imingcele yolwandle ukuze amanzi angedluli izimiso zakhe, ngesikhathi lapho emisa izisekelo zomhlaba.
When he gave to the sea its bounds, that the waters should not pass their border; When he marked out the foundations of the earth, —
30 Ngalesosikhathi ngangingumbumbi eceleni kwakhe. Ngangilenjabulo enkulu insuku ngensuku, ngithokoza ukuba laye kokuphela,
Then was I by him as a master-builder; I was his delight day by day, Exulting before him at all times;
31 ngithokoza ngomhlaba wakhe wonke ngijabuliswa yibukhona babantu.
Exulting in the habitable part of his earth, And my delight was with the sons of men.
32 Ngakho-ke, madodana ami, ngilalelani; babusisekile labo abalondoloza izindlela zami.
“Now, therefore, ye children, hearken to me! For happy are they who keep my ways!
33 Lalelani imfundiso yami ukuze lihlakaniphe; lingaqali ukuyidela.
Hear instruction, and be wise! Yea, reject it not!
34 Ubusisiwe lowomuntu ongilalelayo, olinda imihla yonke eminyango yami, elindile entubeni yami.
Happy the man who hearkeneth to me, Who watcheth day by day at my gates, Who waiteth at the posts of my doors;
35 Ngoba lowo ongifumanayo uzuza ukuphila emukeliswe ukuthandwa nguThixo.
For he that findeth me findeth life, And obtaineth favor from the LORD;
36 Kodwa lowo owehlulekayo ukungifumana uyazilimaza; bonke abangizondayo bathanda ukufa.”
But he who misseth me doeth violence to himself; All they who hate me love death.”
