Izaga 2
1 Ndodana yami, uba usemukela amazwi ami, ugcine kuwe imilayo yami,
My son, if you accept what I say and value my instructions,
2 ukuthi wenze indlebe yakho ilalele inhlakanipho, uthobise inhliziyo yakho ekuqedisiseni,
if you pay attention to wisdom and really try to understand;
3 yebo, uba ukhalela ukuqedisisa, ukhuphele ilizwi lakho ekuzwisiseni,
if you cry out for insight and call loudly for help in understanding;
4 uba ukudinga njengesiliva, ukuphenye njengezimpahla eziligugu ezifihliweyo,
if you look for it as if it were silver and search for it as if it were hidden treasure;
5 khona uzaqedisisa ukuyesaba iNkosi, uthole ulwazi lukaNkulunkulu.
then you will understand how to relate to the Lord and discover the truth about God.
6 Ngoba iNkosi inika inhlakanipho; ulwazi lokuqedisisa kuvela emlonyeni wayo.
The Lord is the source of wisdom; what he says provides knowledge that makes sense.
7 Iyababekela abaqotho inhlakanipho eqotho; iyisihlangu kubo abahamba ngokuqonda,
He gives good judgment to those who live right; he defends those who have good sense.
8 ukugcina indlela zesahlulelo; izalondoloza indlela zabangcwele bayo.
He supports those who act fairly and protects those who trust in him.
9 Khona uzaqedisisa ukulunga, lesahlulelo, lokuqonda; yonke indlela elungileyo.
Then you will be able to recognize what is right and just and fair, in fact all that is good in the way you should live.
10 Lapho inhlakanipho izangena enhliziyweni yakho, lolwazi lube mnandi emphefumulweni wakho;
For wisdom will fill your mind, and knowledge will make you happy.
11 ingqondo izakugcina, ukuqedisisa kukulondoloze;
Good decisions will keep you on track; thinking logically will keep you safe.
12 ukukophula endleleni embi, emuntwini okhuluma izinto eziphambeneyo;
Doing this will save you from the ways of evil, from men who tell twisted lies,
13 abatshiya indlela zobuqotho, ukuze bahambe ngendlela zobumnyama;
who turn away from following what is right to walk down paths of darkness.
14 abathokoza ngokwenza okubi, bejabula ekuphambukeni komubi;
They happily do wrong; they love how twisted evil is.
15 abandlela zabo ziphambene, begobile emikhondweni yabo;
They live crooked lives doing deceitful things.
16 ukukophula kowesifazana wemzini, kowezizwe okhohlisa ngamazwi akhe;
Doing this will also save you from a woman who acts immorally, from a woman who like a prostitute tries to seduce you with flattering words.
17 otshiya umngane wobutsha bakhe, ekhohlwa isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu wakhe;
Such a woman has left her husband she married when she was young, forgetting the promises she made before God.
18 ngoba indlu yakhe itshonela ekufeni, lemikhondo yakhe emimoyeni efileyo.
What happens in her house leads to death; following her way leads to the grave.
19 Bonke abangena kuye kabayikubuya, njalo kabayikufinyelela endleleni zempilo.
No one who goes to her comes back; they don't ever find the way back to life again.
20 Ukuze uhambe endleleni yabalungileyo, ugcine imikhondo yamalungisa.
So you should follow the way of the good, and make sure you stay on the paths of those who do right.
21 Ngoba abaqotho bazahlala elizweni, labapheleleyo basale kulo;
For only people who live right will live in the land; only honest people will remain there.
22 kodwa abakhohlakeleyo bazaqunywa basuswe elizweni, labaphambekayo badatshulwe basuswe kulo.
But the wicked will be thrown out of the land; those who are untrustworthy will be pulled out by the roots.
