Izaga 23

1 Nxa uhlalela ukudla lesiphathamandla, qaphelisa lokuqaphelisa okuphambi kwakho.

2 Ubeke ingqamu emphinjeni wakho uba uyisiminzi.

3 Ungafisi izibondlo zaso, ngoba ziyikudla kwamanga.

4 Ungatshikatshikeli ukunotha; pheza ekuqedisiseni kwakho.

5 Uzandizisa yini amehlo akho kokungekho? Ngoba kuzazenzela lokuzenzela izimpiko njengokhozi oluphaphela emazulwini.

6 Ungadli ukudla kolelihlo elibi, ungafisi izibondlo zakhe.

7 Ngoba njengoba ecabangile emphefumulweni wakhe, unjalo. Uzakuthi: Dlana unathe; kodwa inhliziyo yakhe kayilawe.

8 Ucezu oludlileyo uzaluhlanza, wone amazwi akho amnandi.

9 Ungakhulumi endlebeni zoyisithutha, ngoba uzadelela inhlakanipho yamazwi akho.

10 Ungatshedisi isikhonkwane esidala somngcele; ungangeni emasimini ezintandane;

11 ngoba uMhlengi wazo ulamandla; yena uzamela udaba lwazo kuwe.

12 Beka inhliziyo yakho ekufundisweni, lezindlebe zakho emazwini olwazi.

13 Ungagodleli umntwana isijeziso; nxa umtshaya ngoswazi kayikufa.

14 Wena uzamtshaya ngoswazi, ukhulule umphefumulo wakhe esihogweni. (Sheol h7585)

15 Ndodana yami, uba inhliziyo yakho ihlakanipha, inhliziyo yami izathokoza, yebo eyami;

16 lezinso zami zizajabula ekukhulumeni kwendebe zakho izinto eziqondileyo.

17 Inhliziyo yakho kayingahawukeli izoni; kodwa bana ekwesabeni iNkosi lonke usuku.

18 Ngoba isibili kukhona umvuzo, lomlindelo wakho kawuyikuqunywa.

19 Lalela wena, ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, uqondise inhliziyo yakho endleleni.

20 Ungabi phakathi kwabanathi bewayini, phakathi kwezihwaba zenyama.

21 Ngoba isidakwa lesihwaba sizakuba ngumyanga, lokuwozela kugqokisa amadabudabu.

22 Lalela uyihlo owakuzalayo, ungamdeleli unyoko esemdala.

23 Thenga iqiniso, ungalithengisi; inhlakanipho, lemfundiso, lokuqedisisa.

24 Uyise wolungileyo uzathaba lokuthaba; lozala ohlakaniphileyo uzathokoza ngaye.

25 Uyihlo lonyoko kabathokoze, lokuzeleyo kathabe.

26 Ndodana yami, ngiphe inhliziyo yakho, lamehlo akho kawananzelele indlela zami.

27 Ngoba iwule lingumgodi otshonayo, lowesifazana owemzini ungumthombo ongumcingo.

28 Laye ucathama njengomphangi, andise abangathembekanga phakathi kwabantu.

29 Ngubani olo: Maye? Ngubani olo: Wo? Ngubani olenkani? Ngubani olesililo? Ngubani olamanxeba ngeze? Ngubani olamehlo abomvu?

30 Yilabo abalibala ewayinini, yilabo abazedinga iwayini elixutshanisiweyo.

31 Ungakhangeli iwayini, lapho lizibonakalisa libomvu, nxa linika umbala walo enkomitshini, lihamba liqondile.

32 Ekucineni kwalo liluma njengenyoka, lilume njengebululu.

33 Amehlo akho azabona abesifazana bemzini, lenhliziyo yakho ikhulume izinto eziphambeneyo.

34 Yebo, uzakuba njengolala enhliziyweni yolwandle, lanjengolala esihlokweni sensika yomkhumbi.

35 Bangitshayile, kangizwanga buhlungu; bangidutshuzile, kangikunanzanga. Ngizavuka nini? Ngiphinde ngilidinge futhi.