Izaga 2
1 Ndodana yami, uba usemukela amazwi ami, ugcine kuwe imilayo yami,
My son, if thou wouldst but accept my words, and treasure up my commandments with thee;
2 ukuthi wenze indlebe yakho ilalele inhlakanipho, uthobise inhliziyo yakho ekuqedisiseni,
To let thy ear listen unto wisdom: [if] thou wouldst incline thy heart to understanding.
3 yebo, uba ukhalela ukuqedisisa, ukhuphele ilizwi lakho ekuzwisiseni,
For if thou wilt call after intelligence; if after understanding thou wilt lift up thy voice;
4 uba ukudinga njengesiliva, ukuphenye njengezimpahla eziligugu ezifihliweyo,
If thou wilt seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures:
5 khona uzaqedisisa ukuyesaba iNkosi, uthole ulwazi lukaNkulunkulu.
Then wilt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and the knowledge of God wilt thou find.
6 Ngoba iNkosi inika inhlakanipho; ulwazi lokuqedisisa kuvela emlonyeni wayo.
For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth [come] knowledge and understanding.
7 Iyababekela abaqotho inhlakanipho eqotho; iyisihlangu kubo abahamba ngokuqonda,
He treasureth up sound wisdom for the righteous, as a shield to those that walk in integrity:
8 ukugcina indlela zesahlulelo; izalondoloza indlela zabangcwele bayo.
That men may keep the paths of justice; and the way of his pious servants doth he guard.
9 Khona uzaqedisisa ukulunga, lesahlulelo, lokuqonda; yonke indlela elungileyo.
Then wilt thou understand righteousness, and justice, and equity: yea, every track of goodness.
10 Lapho inhlakanipho izangena enhliziyweni yakho, lolwazi lube mnandi emphefumulweni wakho;
For wisdom will enter thy heart, and knowledge will be pleasant unto thy soul;
11 ingqondo izakugcina, ukuqedisisa kukulondoloze;
Discretion will watch over thee, understanding will keep thee;
12 ukukophula endleleni embi, emuntwini okhuluma izinto eziphambeneyo;
To deliver thee from the way of the bad, from the man that speaketh perverse things;
13 abatshiya indlela zobuqotho, ukuze bahambe ngendlela zobumnyama;
[From those] who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
14 abathokoza ngokwenza okubi, bejabula ekuphambukeni komubi;
Who rejoice to do evil, who are delighted in the perverseness of the bad;
15 abandlela zabo ziphambene, begobile emikhondweni yabo;
Who as regardeth their paths are crooked, and froward in their tracks.
16 ukukophula kowesifazana wemzini, kowezizwe okhohlisa ngamazwi akhe;
To deliver thee from the adulteress, from the alien woman that useth flattering speeches;
17 otshiya umngane wobutsha bakhe, ekhohlwa isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu wakhe;
That forsaketh the friend of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
18 ngoba indlu yakhe itshonela ekufeni, lemikhondo yakhe emimoyeni efileyo.
For she sinketh unto death—her house, and unto the departed [lead] her tracks.
19 Bonke abangena kuye kabayikubuya, njalo kabayikufinyelela endleleni zempilo.
All that come unto her return not again, and they will not reach the paths of life.
20 Ukuze uhambe endleleni yabalungileyo, ugcine imikhondo yamalungisa.
In order that thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and observe the paths of the righteous.
21 Ngoba abaqotho bazahlala elizweni, labapheleleyo basale kulo;
For the upright will dwell on the earth, and the perfect will be left remaining on it.
22 kodwa abakhohlakeleyo bazaqunywa basuswe elizweni, labaphambekayo badatshulwe basuswe kulo.
But the wicked will be cut off from the earth, and the treacherous shall be plucked up therefrom.
