Izaga 4
1 Zwanini, bantwana, umlayo kayihlo, linanzelele ukuze lazi ukuqedisisa.
Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge:
2 Ngoba ngilinika imfundiso enhle, lingawutshiyi umlayo wami.
For I give you good teaching; do not give up the knowledge you are getting from me.
3 Ngoba bengiyindodana kababa, ngithambile, ngingedwa phambi kukamama.
For I was a son to my father, a gentle and an only one to my mother.
4 Wasengifundisa wathi kimi: Inhliziyo yakho kayibambelele emazwini ami; gcina imilayo yami, uphile.
And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life:
5 Zuza inhlakanipho, uzuze ukuqedisisa, ungakhohlwa; ungaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami.
Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth.
6 Ungakutshiyi, njalo kuzakulondoloza; ukuthande, njalo kuzakulinda.
Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe.
7 Okokuqala yinhlakanipho; zuza inhlakanipho; langenzuzo yakho yonke uzuze ukuqedisisa.
The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge.
8 Kukhulise, njalo kuzakuphakamisa; kuzakunika udumo nxa ukugona.
Put her in a high place, and you will be lifted up by her; she will give you honour, when you give her your love.
9 Kuzanika ikhanda lakho umqhele womusa; kuzakulethela umqhele wodumo.
She will put a crown of grace on your head, giving you a head-dress of glory.
10 Zwana, ndodana yami, wemukele amazwi ami, leminyaka yempilo izakuba minengi kuwe.
Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours.
11 Ngikufundisile endleleni yenhlakanipho; ngikwenze wanyathela emikhondweni yobuqotho.
I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way.
12 Ekuhambeni kwakho inyathelo lakho kaliyikufinyezwa, njalo nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall.
13 Bambelela ekulayweni, ungakuyekeli; kugcine, ngoba kuyimpilo yakho.
Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life.
14 Ungangeni emkhondweni wabakhohlakeleyo, ungahambi endleleni yababi.
Do not go in the road of sinners, or be walking in the way of evil men.
15 Iyekele, ungedluli ngayo, phambuka kuyo, wedlule.
Keep far from it, do not go near; be turned from it, and go on your way.
16 Ngoba kabalali uba bengenzanga okubi; lobuthongo babo buyasuswa uba bengakhubekisanga muntu.
For they take no rest till they have done evil; their sleep is taken away if they have not been the cause of someone's fall.
17 Ngoba badla isinkwa senkohlakalo, banathe iwayini lobudlwangudlwangu.
The bread of evil-doing is their food, the wine of violent acts their drink.
18 Kodwa indlela yabalungileyo injengokukhanya okukhanyayo, kuqhubeka kukhanya kuze kube semini enkulu.
But the way of the upright is like the light of early morning, getting brighter and brighter till the full day.
19 Indlela yababi injengomnyama; kabazi ukuthi bazakhutshwa yini.
The way of sinners is dark; they see not the cause of their fall.
20 Ndodana yami, lalela amazwi ami, ubeke indlebe yakho ekukhulumeni kwami.
My son, give attention to my words; let your ear be turned to my sayings.
21 Kakungaphunyuki emehlweni akho; ukugcine phakathi kwenhliziyo yakho.
Let them not go from your eyes; keep them deep in your heart.
22 Ngoba kuyimpilo kwabakutholayo, lempilo enhle yenyama yabo yonke.
For they are life to him who gets them, and strength to all his flesh.
23 Gcina inhliziyo yakho phezu kwakho konke okungagcinwa, ngoba kuvela kikho ukuphuma kwempilo.
And keep watch over your heart with all care; so you will have life.
24 Susa kuwe ukuphambana komlomo, lokuphambeka kwendebe kususele khatshana lawe.
Put away from you an evil tongue, and let false lips be far from you.
25 Amehlo akho kawakhangele phambili, lenkophe zakho ziqonde phambi kwakho.
Keep your eyes on what is in front of you, looking straight before you.
26 Linganisa umkhondo wonyawo lwakho, ukuze zonke indlela zakho ziqine.
Keep a watch on your behaviour; let all your ways be rightly ordered.
27 Ungaphambukeli ngakwesokunene kumbe ngakwesokhohlo; uphambule unyawo lwakho ebubini.
Let there be no turning to the right or to the left, keep your feet from evil.
