< Izaga 2 >

1 Ndodana yami, uba usemukela amazwi ami, ugcine kuwe imilayo yami,
My son, if you accept my words and hide my commandments within you,
2 ukuthi wenze indlebe yakho ilalele inhlakanipho, uthobise inhliziyo yakho ekuqedisiseni,
if you incline your ear to wisdom and direct your heart to understanding,
3 yebo, uba ukhalela ukuqedisisa, ukhuphele ilizwi lakho ekuzwisiseni,
if you truly call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding,
4 uba ukudinga njengesiliva, ukuphenye njengezimpahla eziligugu ezifihliweyo,
if you seek it like silver and search it out like hidden treasure,
5 khona uzaqedisisa ukuyesaba iNkosi, uthole ulwazi lukaNkulunkulu.
then you will discern the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God.
6 Ngoba iNkosi inika inhlakanipho; ulwazi lokuqedisisa kuvela emlonyeni wayo.
For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 Iyababekela abaqotho inhlakanipho eqotho; iyisihlangu kubo abahamba ngokuqonda,
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk with integrity,
8 ukugcina indlela zesahlulelo; izalondoloza indlela zabangcwele bayo.
to guard the paths of justice and protect the way of His saints.
9 Khona uzaqedisisa ukulunga, lesahlulelo, lokuqonda; yonke indlela elungileyo.
Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity—every good path.
10 Lapho inhlakanipho izangena enhliziyweni yakho, lolwazi lube mnandi emphefumulweni wakho;
For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will delight your soul.
11 ingqondo izakugcina, ukuqedisisa kukulondoloze;
Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you,
12 ukukophula endleleni embi, emuntwini okhuluma izinto eziphambeneyo;
to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perversity,
13 abatshiya indlela zobuqotho, ukuze bahambe ngendlela zobumnyama;
from those who leave the straight paths to walk in the ways of darkness,
14 abathokoza ngokwenza okubi, bejabula ekuphambukeni komubi;
from those who enjoy doing evil and rejoice in the twistedness of evil,
15 abandlela zabo ziphambene, begobile emikhondweni yabo;
whose paths are crooked and whose ways are devious.
16 ukukophula kowesifazana wemzini, kowezizwe okhohlisa ngamazwi akhe;
It will rescue you from the forbidden woman, from the stranger with seductive words
17 otshiya umngane wobutsha bakhe, ekhohlwa isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu wakhe;
who abandons the partner of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God.
18 ngoba indlu yakhe itshonela ekufeni, lemikhondo yakhe emimoyeni efileyo.
For her house sinks down to death, and her tracks to the departed spirits.
19 Bonke abangena kuye kabayikubuya, njalo kabayikufinyelela endleleni zempilo.
None who go to her return or negotiate the paths of life.
20 Ukuze uhambe endleleni yabalungileyo, ugcine imikhondo yamalungisa.
So you will follow in the ways of the good, and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 Ngoba abaqotho bazahlala elizweni, labapheleleyo basale kulo;
For the upright will inhabit the land, and the blameless will remain in it;
22 kodwa abakhohlakeleyo bazaqunywa basuswe elizweni, labaphambekayo badatshulwe basuswe kulo.
but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be uprooted.

< Izaga 2 >