Izaga 1
1 Izaga zikaSolomoni indodana kaDavida, inkosi yako-Israyeli:
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel,
2 ukuba abantu bazuze ukuhlakanipha lokuzithiba; ukuba bazwisise amazwi okuqedisisa;
to know wisdom and instruction, to discern the words of understanding,
3 ukuba bazuze impilo yokuzithiba lobuqotho, besenza okulungileyo, okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo;
to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness and justice and equity,
4 ukunika ulwazi kwabayizithutha, ulwazi lokukhetha okuqondileyo kwabatsha
to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion,
5 ukuthi ohlakaniphileyo alalele engeze ukufunda kwakhe, kuthi obonisisayo azuze izeluleko,
that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning, and that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsels,
6 ukuba abantu bazwisise izaga lemizekeliso, izitsho lamalibho abahlakaniphileyo.
to understand a proverb, and a figure, the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
7 Ukwesaba uThixo kuyikuqala kwenhlakanipho, kodwa iziwula ziyakweyisa ukuqedisisa lokuzithiba.
The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge. The foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
8 Lalela, ndodana yami, izeluleko zikayihlo njalo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.
9 Kuzakuba ngumqhele omuhle ekhanda lakho lomgaxo wokucecisa intamo yakho.
For they shall be a garland of grace to thy head, and chains about thy neck.
10 Ndodana yami, aluba izoni zikuhuga, ungaze wavuma.
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
11 Nxa zisithi, “Woza sihambe; kasicathamele abantu sichithe igazi, kasicwathele omunye umuntu ongelacala;
If they say, Come with us. Let us lay wait for blood. Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.
Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those who go down into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 sizazuza impahla ezinhle ezehlukeneyo sigcwalise izindlu zethu ngempango;
We shall find all precious substance. We shall fill our houses with spoil.
14 phathisana lathi ukuze sibelesikhwama sinye”
Thou shall cast thy lot among us. We will all have one bag.
15 ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo, ungalugxobi olwakho ezindleleni zazo;
My son, walk not thou in the way with them. Restrain thy foot from their path.
16 ngoba ezabo inyawo zigijima ekoneni, bachitha igazi lula.
For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
17 Kakusizi ukuthiya ngembule lithe dandalazi emehlweni ezinyoni!
For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird,
18 Abantu laba bacathamela ukuchitheka kwelabo igazi; bajuma okwabo ukuphila.
and these lay wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 Sinjalo isiphetho salabo abadinga inzuzo ngobugebenga; kuyayichitha impilo yalabo abayitholayo.
So are the ways of everyone who is greedy of gain. It takes away the life of the owners of it.
20 Ukuhlakanipha kuyamemeza emgwaqweni, kuphakamisa ilizwi lakho ezinkundleni;
Wisdom cries aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the broad places.
21 kuyanqongoloza lezindleleni okuxokozela khona, kuyatshumayela emasangweni omuzi kuthi:
She cries in the chief place of concourse, at the entrance of the gates, in the city. She utters her words:
22 “Koze kube nini lina zithutha lithanda ubuthutha benu na? Koze kube nini izideleli zikholisa ukudelela leziphukuphuku zizonda ulwazi na?
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And scoffers delight them in scoffing, and fools hate knowledge?
23 Lalelani ukukhuza kwami liphenduke! Ngizalivulela isifuba sami, ngilivezele imicabango yami.
Turn back at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you. I will make my words known to you.
24 Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi langifulathela ngilibiza, kwangabi khona onginanzayo ngiselula isandla sami,
Because I have called, and ye have refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man has regarded,
25 njengoba lala izeluleko zami njalo kalavuma ukukhuza kwami,
but ye have made all my counsel void, and want none of my reproof,
26 ngakho lami ngizahleka selihlupheka; ngizaliklolodela nxa lisehlelwa lusizi,
I also will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your fear comes,
27 nxa usizi lulehlela njengesiphepho; nxa incithakalo ilikhukhula njengesivunguzane, nxa usizi lezinhlupheko ziligabhela.
when your fear comes as a storm, and your calamity comes on as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Lapho-ke bazangibiza kodwa kangiyikusabela; bazangidinga bangangitholi.
Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me,
29 Ngoba babeluzonda ulwazi kabaze bakhetha ukwesaba uThixo
because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Jehovah.
30 ngoba kabavumanga iseluleko sami, badelela ukukhuza kwami,
They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
31 bazakudla izithelo zokuhamba kwabo basuthiswe ngezithelo zamacebo abo.
Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 Phela ubuhlongandlebe bezithutha buzazibulala, lokungananzi kweziphukuphuku kuzazibhubhisa;
For the backsliding of the simple shall kill them, and the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.
33 kodwa lowo ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile ekhululekile, engesabi lutho olungamlimaza.”
But he who hearkens to me shall dwell securely, and shall be quiet without fear of evil.
