Izaga 4
1 Zwanini, bantwana, umlayo kayihlo, linanzelele ukuze lazi ukuqedisisa.
Heare, O ye children, the instruction of a father, and giue eare to learne vnderstanding.
2 Ngoba ngilinika imfundiso enhle, lingawutshiyi umlayo wami.
For I doe giue you a good doctrine: therefore forsake yee not my lawe.
3 Ngoba bengiyindodana kababa, ngithambile, ngingedwa phambi kukamama.
For I was my fathers sonne, tender and deare in the sight of my mother,
4 Wasengifundisa wathi kimi: Inhliziyo yakho kayibambelele emazwini ami; gcina imilayo yami, uphile.
When he taught me, and sayde vnto me, Let thine heart holde fast my woordes: keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue.
5 Zuza inhlakanipho, uzuze ukuqedisisa, ungakhohlwa; ungaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami.
Get wisedom: get vnderstading: forget not, neither decline from the woordes of my mouth.
6 Ungakutshiyi, njalo kuzakulondoloza; ukuthande, njalo kuzakulinda.
Forsake her not, and shee shall keepe thee: loue her and shee shall preserue thee.
7 Okokuqala yinhlakanipho; zuza inhlakanipho; langenzuzo yakho yonke uzuze ukuqedisisa.
Wisedome is the beginning: get wisedome therefore: and aboue all thy possession get vnderstanding.
8 Kukhulise, njalo kuzakuphakamisa; kuzakunika udumo nxa ukugona.
Exalt her, and she shall exalt thee: she shall bring thee to honour, if thou embrace her.
9 Kuzanika ikhanda lakho umqhele womusa; kuzakulethela umqhele wodumo.
She shall giue a comely ornamet vnto thine head, yea, she shall giue thee a crowne of glorie.
10 Zwana, ndodana yami, wemukele amazwi ami, leminyaka yempilo izakuba minengi kuwe.
Heare, my sonne, and receiue my wordes, and the yeeres of thy life shalbe many.
11 Ngikufundisile endleleni yenhlakanipho; ngikwenze wanyathela emikhondweni yobuqotho.
I haue taught thee in ye way of wisedom, and led thee in the pathes of righteousnesse.
12 Ekuhambeni kwakho inyathelo lakho kaliyikufinyezwa, njalo nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
Whe thou goest, thy gate shall not be strait, and when thou runnest, thou shalt not fall.
13 Bambelela ekulayweni, ungakuyekeli; kugcine, ngoba kuyimpilo yakho.
Take holde of instruction, and leaue not: keepe her, for shee is thy life.
14 Ungangeni emkhondweni wabakhohlakeleyo, ungahambi endleleni yababi.
Enter not into the way of the wicked, and walke not in the way of euill men.
15 Iyekele, ungedluli ngayo, phambuka kuyo, wedlule.
Auoide it, and goe not by it: turne from it, and passe by.
16 Ngoba kabalali uba bengenzanga okubi; lobuthongo babo buyasuswa uba bengakhubekisanga muntu.
For they can not sleepe, except they haue done euill, and their sleepe departeth except they cause some to fall.
17 Ngoba badla isinkwa senkohlakalo, banathe iwayini lobudlwangudlwangu.
For they eate the breade of wickednesse, and drinke the wine of violence.
18 Kodwa indlela yabalungileyo injengokukhanya okukhanyayo, kuqhubeka kukhanya kuze kube semini enkulu.
But the way of the righteous shineth as the light, that shineth more and more vnto the perfite day.
19 Indlela yababi injengomnyama; kabazi ukuthi bazakhutshwa yini.
The way of the wicked is as the darkenes: they knowe not wherein they shall fall.
20 Ndodana yami, lalela amazwi ami, ubeke indlebe yakho ekukhulumeni kwami.
My sonne, hearken vnto my wordes, incline thine eare vnto my sayings.
21 Kakungaphunyuki emehlweni akho; ukugcine phakathi kwenhliziyo yakho.
Let them not depart from thine eyes, but keepe them in the middes of thine heart.
22 Ngoba kuyimpilo kwabakutholayo, lempilo enhle yenyama yabo yonke.
For they are life vnto those that find them, and health vnto all their flesh.
23 Gcina inhliziyo yakho phezu kwakho konke okungagcinwa, ngoba kuvela kikho ukuphuma kwempilo.
Keepe thine heart with all diligence: for thereout commeth life.
24 Susa kuwe ukuphambana komlomo, lokuphambeka kwendebe kususele khatshana lawe.
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and put wicked lippes farre from thee.
25 Amehlo akho kawakhangele phambili, lenkophe zakho ziqonde phambi kwakho.
Let thine eyes beholde the right, and let thine eyelids direct thy way before thee.
26 Linganisa umkhondo wonyawo lwakho, ukuze zonke indlela zakho ziqine.
Ponder the path of thy feete, and let all thy waies be ordred aright.
27 Ungaphambukeli ngakwesokunene kumbe ngakwesokhohlo; uphambule unyawo lwakho ebubini.
Turne not to the right hande, nor to the left, but remooue thy foote from euill.
