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;
That one may learn wisdom and instruction, And receive words of understanding;
3 ukuba bazuze impilo yokuzithiba lobuqotho, besenza okulungileyo, okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo;
That one may gain the instruction of prudence, Justice, equity, and uprightness;
4 ukunika ulwazi kwabayizithutha, ulwazi lokukhetha okuqondileyo kwabatsha
Which will give caution to the simple, To the young man wisdom and discretion;
5 ukuthi ohlakaniphileyo alalele engeze ukufunda kwakhe, kuthi obonisisayo azuze izeluleko,
Let the wise man hear, and he will increase his knowledge, And the man of understanding will gain wise counsels;
6 ukuba abantu bazwisise izaga lemizekeliso, izitsho lamalibho abahlakaniphileyo.
So as to understand a proverb and a deep maxim, The words of the wise and their dark sayings.
7 Ukwesaba uThixo kuyikuqala kwenhlakanipho, kodwa iziwula ziyakweyisa ukuqedisisa lokuzithiba.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 Lalela, ndodana yami, izeluleko zikayihlo njalo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
Hear, O my son! the instruction of thy father, And neglect not the teaching of thy mother!
9 Kuzakuba ngumqhele omuhle ekhanda lakho lomgaxo wokucecisa intamo yakho.
For they shall be a graceful wreath for thy head, And a chain around 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 lie in wait for blood, Let us lurk secretly for him who is innocent in vain;
Let us swallow them up alive, like the underworld, Yea, in full health, as those that go down into the pit; (Sheol h7585)
13 sizazuza impahla ezinhle ezehlukeneyo sigcwalise izindlu zethu ngempango;
We shall find all kinds of precious substance, We shall fill our houses with spoil;
14 phathisana lathi ukuze sibelesikhwama sinye”
Thou shalt cast thy lot among us; We will all have one purse;”—
15 ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo, ungalugxobi olwakho ezindleleni zazo;
My son, walk thou not in their way, Refrain thy foot from their path!
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!
For as the net is spread in vain Before the eyes of any bird,
18 Abantu laba bacathamela ukuchitheka kwelabo igazi; bajuma okwabo ukuphila.
So they lie in wait for their own blood; They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 Sinjalo isiphetho salabo abadinga inzuzo ngobugebenga; kuyayichitha impilo yalabo abayitholayo.
Such are the ways of every one greedy of unjust gain; It taketh away the life of the possessor thereof.
20 Ukuhlakanipha kuyamemeza emgwaqweni, kuphakamisa ilizwi lakho ezinkundleni;
Wisdom crieth out in the highway; In the market-place she uttereth her voice;
21 kuyanqongoloza lezindleleni okuxokozela khona, kuyatshumayela emasangweni omuzi kuthi:
At the head of the noisy streets she crieth aloud; At the entrances of the gates, throughout the city, she proclaimeth her words [[saying]]:
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? How long will scoffers delight themselves in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge?
23 Lalelani ukukhuza kwami liphenduke! Ngizalivulela isifuba sami, ngilivezele imicabango yami.
Turn ye at my reproof! Behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make known my words to you!
24 Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi langifulathela ngilibiza, kwangabi khona onginanzayo ngiselula isandla sami,
“Because I have called, and ye have refused, —Because I have stretched out my hand, and no one hath regarded.
25 njengoba lala izeluleko zami njalo kalavuma ukukhuza kwami,
Because ye have rejected all my counsel, And have slighted my rebuke, —
26 ngakho lami ngizahleka selihlupheka; ngizaliklolodela nxa lisehlelwa lusizi,
I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 nxa usizi lulehlela njengesiphepho; nxa incithakalo ilikhukhula njengesivunguzane, nxa usizi lezinhlupheko ziligabhela.
When your fear cometh upon you like a storm. And destruction overtaketh you like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Lapho-ke bazangibiza kodwa kangiyikusabela; bazangidinga bangangitholi.
Then will they call upon me, but I will not answer! They will seek me early, But they shall not find me!
29 Ngoba babeluzonda ulwazi kabaze bakhetha ukwesaba uThixo
Because they have hated knowledge, And have not chosen the fear of the LORD, —
30 ngoba kabavumanga iseluleko sami, badelela ukukhuza kwami,
Because they would not attend to my counsel, And have despised all my reproof, —
31 bazakudla izithelo zokuhamba kwabo basuthiswe ngezithelo zamacebo abo.
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own devices;
32 Phela ubuhlongandlebe bezithutha buzazibulala, lokungananzi kweziphukuphuku kuzazibhubhisa;
Yea, the turning away of the simple shall slay them, And the carelessness of fools shall destroy them.
33 kodwa lowo ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile ekhululekile, engesabi lutho olungamlimaza.”
But whoso hearkeneth to me shall dwell securely, And shall not be disquieted with the fear of evil.”
