Izaga 1
1 Izaga zikaSolomoni, indodana kaDavida, inkosi yakoIsrayeli;
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, the king of Israel.
2 ukwazi inhlakanipho lokulaywa, ukuqedisisa amazwi okuqedisisa,
These proverbs are to teach wisdom and instruction, to teach words of insight,
3 ukwemukela ukulaya kwenhlakanipho, ukulunga, lesahlulelo, lokuqonda;
that you may receive instruction in order to live by doing what is right, just, and fair.
4 ukunika abangelalwazi inhlakanipho, ijaha ulwazi lengqondo.
These proverbs are also to give wisdom to the naive, and to give knowledge and discretion to young people.
5 Ohlakaniphileyo uzakuzwa, andise ukufunda, loqedisisayo uzazuza izeluleko,
Let wise people listen and increase their learning, and let discerning people get guidance,
6 ukuqedisisa isaga lomzekeliso, amazwi abahlakaniphileyo, lamalibho abo.
to understand proverbs, sayings, and words of wise people and their riddles.
7 Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuqala kolwazi; izithutha ziyadelela inhlakanipho lokulaywa.
The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge— fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 Ndodana yami, zwana ukulaya kukayihlo, ungawudeli umlayo kanyoko;
My son, hear the instruction of your father and do not lay aside the rules of your mother;
9 ngoba kuzakuba ngumqhele womusa ekhanda lakho, lemigaxo entanyeni yakho.
they will be a graceful wreath for your head and pendants hanging from your neck.
10 Ndodana yami, uba izoni zikuhuga, ungavumi.
My son, if sinners try to entice you into their sin, refuse to follow them.
11 Uba zisithi: Hamba lathi, siyecathamela igazi, sicatshele ongelacala kungelasizatho;
If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us hide and attack innocent people for no reason.
Let us swallow them up alive, like Sheol takes away those who are healthy, and make them like those who fall into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 Sizathola yonke impahla eligugu, sigcwalise izindlu zethu ngempango.
We shall find all kinds of valuable things; we will fill our houses with what we steal from others.
14 Phosela inkatho yakho phakathi kwethu; sonke sibe lesikhwama semali sinye.
Throw in your lot with us; we will all have one purse together.”
15 Ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo endleleni; unqande unyawo lwakho emkhondweni wazo.
My son, do not walk down that road with them; do not let your foot touch where they walk;
16 Ngoba inyawo zazo zigijimela ebubini, ziphangisa ukuchitha igazi.
their feet run to evil and they hurry to shed blood.
17 Isibili, imbule lendlalelwa ize phambi kwamehlo aloba yiyiphi inyoni.
For it is useless to spread the net in the sight of any bird.
18 Lalaba bacathamela igazi labo, bacatshele imiphefumulo yabo.
These men lie in wait for their own blood— they set an ambush for their own lives.
19 Zinjalo indlela zakhe wonke ozuza inzuzo ngokuphanga; ithatha impilo yabaniniyo.
So are the ways of everyone who gains riches by injustice; unjust gain takes away the lives of those who hold on to it.
20 UkuHlakanipha kuyamemeza ngaphandle, kukhupha ilizwi lakho emidangeni.
Wisdom cries aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the open places;
21 Kuyamemeza endaweni eqakathekileyo yokuxokozela, ekungeneni kwamasango; emzini kutsho amazwi akho,
at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, at the entrance of the city gates she speaks,
22 kusithi: Koze kube nini, lina elingelalwazi, lithanda ukungabi lalwazi, labaklolodayo bezifisela ukukloloda, leziphukuphuku zizonda ulwazi?
“How long, you naive people, will you love being naive? How long, you mockers, will you delight in mockery, and how long, you fools, will you hate knowledge?
23 Phendukelani ekukhuzeni kwami; khangelani, ngizathululela umoya wami kini, ngilazise amazwi ami.
Pay attention to my correction; I will pour out my thoughts to you; I will make my words known to you.
24 Ngoba ngibizile, kodwa lala; ngelulile isandla sami, kodwa kakho onanzayo;
I have called, and you have refused to listen; I reached out with my hand, but there was no one who paid attention.
25 ladelela sonke iseluleko sami, kalivumanga ukukhuza kwami;
But you have ignored all my instruction and paid no attention to my correction.
26 mina-ke ngizahleka ukuchitheka kwenu, ngiklolode ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu,
I will laugh at your calamity, I will mock you when the terror comes—
27 ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu njengesiphepho, lokuchitheka kwenu kufika njengesivunguzane, lapho ubuhlungu losizi kulehlela.
when your fearful dread comes like a storm and disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Khona bazangibiza, kodwa kangiyikusabela; bazangidingisisa, kodwa kabayikungithola.
Then they will call upon me, and I will not answer; they will desperately call for me, but they will not find me.
29 Ngenxa yokuthi babezonda ulwazi, bengakhethanga ukwesaba iNkosi.
Because they hate knowledge and did not choose the fear of Yahweh,
30 Kabavumanga iseluleko sami, bedelela konke ukukhuza kwami.
they would not follow my instruction, and they despised all my correction.
31 Ngakho bazakudla okwesithelo sendlela yabo, basuthiswe ngamacebo abo.
They will eat the fruit of their ways, and with the fruit of their schemes they will be filled.
32 Ngoba ukuhlehla kwabangelalwazi kuzababulala, lokonwaba kweziphukuphuku kuzababhubhisa.
For the naive are killed when they turn away, and the indifference of fools will destroy them.
33 Kodwa ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile, onwabe ekwesabeni okubi.
But whoever listens to me will live in safety and will rest secure with no fear of disaster.”
