Izaga 1
1 Izaga zikaSolomoni indodana kaDavida, inkosi yako-Israyeli:
The parables of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel.
2 ukuba abantu bazuze ukuhlakanipha lokuzithiba; ukuba bazwisise amazwi okuqedisisa;
To know wisdom, and instruction:
3 ukuba bazuze impilo yokuzithiba lobuqotho, besenza okulungileyo, okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo;
To understand the words of prudence: and to receive the instruction of doctrine, justice, and judgment, and equity:
4 ukunika ulwazi kwabayizithutha, ulwazi lokukhetha okuqondileyo kwabatsha
To give subtilty to little ones, to the young man knowledge and understanding.
5 ukuthi ohlakaniphileyo alalele engeze ukufunda kwakhe, kuthi obonisisayo azuze izeluleko,
A wise man shall hear and shall be wiser: and he that understandeth, shall possess governments.
6 ukuba abantu bazwisise izaga lemizekeliso, izitsho lamalibho abahlakaniphileyo.
He shall understand a parable, and the interpretation, the words of the wise, and their mysterious sayings.
7 Ukwesaba uThixo kuyikuqala kwenhlakanipho, kodwa iziwula ziyakweyisa ukuqedisisa lokuzithiba.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Fools 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.
That grace may be added to thy head, and a chain of gold to thy neck.
10 Ndodana yami, aluba izoni zikuhuga, ungaze wavuma.
My son, if sinners shall entice thee, consent not to them.
11 Nxa zisithi, “Woza sihambe; kasicathamele abantu sichithe igazi, kasicwathele omunye umuntu ongelacala;
If they shall say: Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us hide snares for the innocent without cause:
Let us swallow him up alive like hell, and whole as one that goeth 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 spoils.
14 phathisana lathi ukuze sibelesikhwama sinye”
Cast in thy lot with us, let us all have one purse.
15 ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo, ungalugxobi olwakho ezindleleni zazo;
My son, walk not thou with them, restrain thy foot from their paths.
16 ngoba ezabo inyawo zigijima ekoneni, bachitha igazi lula.
For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
17 Kakusizi ukuthiya ngembule lithe dandalazi emehlweni ezinyoni!
But a net is spread in vain before the eyes of them that have wings.
18 Abantu laba bacathamela ukuchitheka kwelabo igazi; bajuma okwabo ukuphila.
And they themselves lie in wait for their own blood, and practise deceits against their own souls.
19 Sinjalo isiphetho salabo abadinga inzuzo ngobugebenga; kuyayichitha impilo yalabo abayitholayo.
So the wage of every covetous man destroy the souls of the possessors.
20 Ukuhlakanipha kuyamemeza emgwaqweni, kuphakamisa ilizwi lakho ezinkundleni;
Wisdom preacheth abroad, she uttereth her voice in the streets:
21 kuyanqongoloza lezindleleni okuxokozela khona, kuyatshumayela emasangweni omuzi kuthi:
At the head of multitudes she crieth out, in the entrance of the gates of the city she uttereth her words, saying:
22 “Koze kube nini lina zithutha lithanda ubuthutha benu na? Koze kube nini izideleli zikholisa ukudelela leziphukuphuku zizonda ulwazi na?
O children, how long will you love childishness, and fools covet those things which are hurtful to themselves, and the unwise hate knowledge?
23 Lalelani ukukhuza kwami liphenduke! Ngizalivulela isifuba sami, ngilivezele imicabango yami.
Turn ye at my reproof: behold I will utter my spirit to you, and will shew you my words.
24 Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi langifulathela ngilibiza, kwangabi khona onginanzayo ngiselula isandla sami,
Because I called, and you refused: I stretched out my hand, and there was none that regarded.
25 njengoba lala izeluleko zami njalo kalavuma ukukhuza kwami,
You have despised all my counsel, and have neglected my reprehensions.
26 ngakho lami ngizahleka selihlupheka; ngizaliklolodela nxa lisehlelwa lusizi,
I also will laugh in your destruction, and will mock when that shall come to you which you feared.
27 nxa usizi lulehlela njengesiphepho; nxa incithakalo ilikhukhula njengesivunguzane, nxa usizi lezinhlupheko ziligabhela.
When sudden calamity shall fall on you, and destruction, as a tempest, shall be at hand: when tribulation and distress shall come upon you:
28 Lapho-ke bazangibiza kodwa kangiyikusabela; bazangidinga bangangitholi.
Then shall they call upon me, and I will not hear: they shall rise in the morning and shall not find me:
29 Ngoba babeluzonda ulwazi kabaze bakhetha ukwesaba uThixo
Because they have hated instruction and received not the fear of the Lord,
30 ngoba kabavumanga iseluleko sami, badelela ukukhuza kwami,
Nor consented to my counsel, but despised all my reproof.
31 bazakudla izithelo zokuhamba kwabo basuthiswe ngezithelo zamacebo abo.
Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and shall be filled with their own devices.
32 Phela ubuhlongandlebe bezithutha buzazibulala, lokungananzi kweziphukuphuku kuzazibhubhisa;
The turning away of little ones shall kill them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
33 kodwa lowo ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile ekhululekile, engesabi lutho olungamlimaza.”
But he that shall hear me, shall rest without terror, and shall enjoy abundance, without fear of evils.
