< Izaga 2 >

1 Ndodana yami, uba usemukela amazwi ami, ugcine kuwe imilayo yami,
My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 ukuthi wenze indlebe yakho ilalele inhlakanipho, uthobise inhliziyo yakho ekuqedisiseni,
make your ears pay attention to wisdom and incline your heart to understanding.
3 yebo, uba ukhalela ukuqedisisa, ukhuphele ilizwi lakho ekuzwisiseni,
If you cry out for understanding and raise your voice for it,
4 uba ukudinga njengesiliva, ukuphenye njengezimpahla eziligugu ezifihliweyo,
if you seek it like you would seek silver and search for understanding as you would seek hidden treasures,
5 khona uzaqedisisa ukuyesaba iNkosi, uthole ulwazi lukaNkulunkulu.
then you will understand the fear of Yahweh and you will find the knowledge of God.
6 Ngoba iNkosi inika inhlakanipho; ulwazi lokuqedisisa kuvela emlonyeni wayo.
For Yahweh gives wisdom, from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
7 Iyababekela abaqotho inhlakanipho eqotho; iyisihlangu kubo abahamba ngokuqonda,
He stores up sound wisdom for those who please him, he is a shield for those who walk in integrity,
8 ukugcina indlela zesahlulelo; izalondoloza indlela zabangcwele bayo.
he guards the paths of justice and he will preserve the way of those who are faithful to him.
9 Khona uzaqedisisa ukulunga, lesahlulelo, lokuqonda; yonke indlela elungileyo.
Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and equity, and every good path.
10 Lapho inhlakanipho izangena enhliziyweni yakho, lolwazi lube mnandi emphefumulweni wakho;
For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 ingqondo izakugcina, ukuqedisisa kukulondoloze;
Discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you.
12 ukukophula endleleni embi, emuntwini okhuluma izinto eziphambeneyo;
They will rescue you from the way of evil, from those who speak perverse things,
13 abatshiya indlela zobuqotho, ukuze bahambe ngendlela zobumnyama;
who abandon the right paths and walk in the ways of darkness.
14 abathokoza ngokwenza okubi, bejabula ekuphambukeni komubi;
They rejoice when they do evil and delight in the perversities of evil.
15 abandlela zabo ziphambene, begobile emikhondweni yabo;
They follow crooked paths, and using deception they hide their tracks.
16 ukukophula kowesifazana wemzini, kowezizwe okhohlisa ngamazwi akhe;
Wisdom and discretion will save you from an adulterous woman, from an immoral woman and her flattering words.
17 otshiya umngane wobutsha bakhe, ekhohlwa isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu wakhe;
She forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God.
18 ngoba indlu yakhe itshonela ekufeni, lemikhondo yakhe emimoyeni efileyo.
For her house leads down to death and her tracks will lead you to those in the grave.
19 Bonke abangena kuye kabayikubuya, njalo kabayikufinyelela endleleni zempilo.
All who go in to her will not return again and they will not find the paths of life.
20 Ukuze uhambe endleleni yabalungileyo, ugcine imikhondo yamalungisa.
So you will walk in the way of good people and follow the paths of righteous people.
21 Ngoba abaqotho bazahlala elizweni, labapheleleyo basale kulo;
For those doing right will make a home in the land, and those with integrity 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 faithless will be cut off from it.

< Izaga 2 >