Izaga 1
1 Izaga zikaSolomoni indodana kaDavida, inkosi yako-Israyeli:
Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
2 ukuba abantu bazuze ukuhlakanipha lokuzithiba; ukuba bazwisise amazwi okuqedisisa;
For knowing wisdom and instruction, For understanding sayings of intelligence,
3 ukuba bazuze impilo yokuzithiba lobuqotho, besenza okulungileyo, okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo;
For receiving the instruction of wisdom, Righteousness, judgment, and uprightness,
4 ukunika ulwazi kwabayizithutha, ulwazi lokukhetha okuqondileyo kwabatsha
For giving to simple ones—prudence, To a youth—knowledge and discretion.
5 ukuthi ohlakaniphileyo alalele engeze ukufunda kwakhe, kuthi obonisisayo azuze izeluleko,
(The wise hear and increase learning, And the intelligent obtain counsels.)
6 ukuba abantu bazwisise izaga lemizekeliso, izitsho lamalibho abahlakaniphileyo.
For understanding a proverb and its sweetness, Words of the wise and their acute sayings.
7 Ukwesaba uThixo kuyikuqala kwenhlakanipho, kodwa iziwula ziyakweyisa ukuqedisisa lokuzithiba.
Fear of YHWH [is the] beginning of knowledge, Fools have despised wisdom and instruction!
8 Lalela, ndodana yami, izeluleko zikayihlo njalo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, And do not leave the law of your mother,
9 Kuzakuba ngumqhele omuhle ekhanda lakho lomgaxo wokucecisa intamo yakho.
For they [are] a graceful wreath to your head, And chains to your neck.
10 Ndodana yami, aluba izoni zikuhuga, ungaze wavuma.
My son, if sinners entice you, do not be willing.
11 Nxa zisithi, “Woza sihambe; kasicathamele abantu sichithe igazi, kasicwathele omunye umuntu ongelacala;
If they say, “Come with us, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,
We swallow them as Sheol—alive, And whole—as those going down [to] the pit, (Sheol h7585)
13 sizazuza impahla ezinhle ezehlukeneyo sigcwalise izindlu zethu ngempango;
We find every precious substance, We fill our houses [with] spoil,
14 phathisana lathi ukuze sibelesikhwama sinye”
You cast your lot among us, One purse is—to all of us.”
15 ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo, ungalugxobi olwakho ezindleleni zazo;
My son! Do not go in the way with them, Withhold your foot from their path,
16 ngoba ezabo inyawo zigijima ekoneni, bachitha igazi lula.
For their feet run to evil, And they hurry to shed blood.
17 Kakusizi ukuthiya ngembule lithe dandalazi emehlweni ezinyoni!
Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.
18 Abantu laba bacathamela ukuchitheka kwelabo igazi; bajuma okwabo ukuphila.
And they lay wait for their own blood, They watch secretly for their own lives.
19 Sinjalo isiphetho salabo abadinga inzuzo ngobugebenga; kuyayichitha impilo yalabo abayitholayo.
So [are] the paths of every gainer of dishonest gain, It takes the life of its owners.
20 Ukuhlakanipha kuyamemeza emgwaqweni, kuphakamisa ilizwi lakho ezinkundleni;
Wisdom cries aloud in an out-place, She gives forth her voice in broad places,
21 kuyanqongoloza lezindleleni okuxokozela khona, kuyatshumayela emasangweni omuzi kuthi:
She calls at the head of the multitudes, In the openings of the gates, In the city she says her sayings:
22 “Koze kube nini lina zithutha lithanda ubuthutha benu na? Koze kube nini izideleli zikholisa ukudelela leziphukuphuku zizonda ulwazi na?
“Until when, you simple, do you love simplicity? And have scorners desired their scorning? And do fools hate knowledge?
23 Lalelani ukukhuza kwami liphenduke! Ngizalivulela isifuba sami, ngilivezele imicabango yami.
Turn back at my reproof, behold, I pour forth my spirit to you, I make known my words with you.
24 Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi langifulathela ngilibiza, kwangabi khona onginanzayo ngiselula isandla sami,
Because I have called, and you refuse, I stretched out my hand, and none is attending,
25 njengoba lala izeluleko zami njalo kalavuma ukukhuza kwami,
And you slight all my counsel, And you have not desired my reproof.
26 ngakho lami ngizahleka selihlupheka; ngizaliklolodela nxa lisehlelwa lusizi,
I also laugh in your calamity, I deride when your fear comes,
27 nxa usizi lulehlela njengesiphepho; nxa incithakalo ilikhukhula njengesivunguzane, nxa usizi lezinhlupheko ziligabhela.
When your fear comes as destruction, And your calamity comes as a windstorm, When adversity and distress come on you.
28 Lapho-ke bazangibiza kodwa kangiyikusabela; bazangidinga bangangitholi.
Then they call me, and I do not answer, They seek me earnestly, and do not find me.
29 Ngoba babeluzonda ulwazi kabaze bakhetha ukwesaba uThixo
Because that they have hated knowledge, And have not chosen the fear of YHWH.
30 ngoba kabavumanga iseluleko sami, badelela ukukhuza kwami,
They have not consented to my counsel, They have despised all my reproof,
31 bazakudla izithelo zokuhamba kwabo basuthiswe ngezithelo zamacebo abo.
And they eat of the fruit of their way, And they are filled from their own counsels.
32 Phela ubuhlongandlebe bezithutha buzazibulala, lokungananzi kweziphukuphuku kuzazibhubhisa;
For the turning of the simple slays them, And the security of the foolish destroys them.
33 kodwa lowo ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile ekhululekile, engesabi lutho olungamlimaza.”
And whoever is listening to me dwells confidently, And [is] quiet from fear of evil!”
