Izaga 4
1 Zwanini, bantwana, umlayo kayihlo, linanzelele ukuze lazi ukuqedisisa.
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 Ngoba ngilinika imfundiso enhle, lingawutshiyi umlayo wami.
For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not my teaching.
3 Ngoba bengiyindodana kababa, ngithambile, ngingedwa phambi kukamama.
For I was a son unto my father, tender and an only one in the sight of my mother.
4 Wasengifundisa wathi kimi: Inhliziyo yakho kayibambelele emazwini ami; gcina imilayo yami, uphile.
And he taught me, and said unto me: 'Let thy heart hold fast my words, keep my commandments, and live;
5 Zuza inhlakanipho, uzuze ukuqedisisa, ungakhohlwa; ungaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami.
Get wisdom, get understanding; forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
6 Ungakutshiyi, njalo kuzakulondoloza; ukuthande, njalo kuzakulinda.
Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; love her, and she will keep thee.
7 Okokuqala yinhlakanipho; zuza inhlakanipho; langenzuzo yakho yonke uzuze ukuqedisisa.
The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom; yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
8 Kukhulise, njalo kuzakuphakamisa; kuzakunika udumo nxa ukugona.
Extol her, and she will exalt thee; she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
9 Kuzanika ikhanda lakho umqhele womusa; kuzakulethela umqhele wodumo.
She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow on thee.'
10 Zwana, ndodana yami, wemukele amazwi ami, leminyaka yempilo izakuba minengi kuwe.
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11 Ngikufundisile endleleni yenhlakanipho; ngikwenze wanyathela emikhondweni yobuqotho.
I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
12 Ekuhambeni kwakho inyathelo lakho kaliyikufinyezwa, njalo nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
When thou goest, thy step shall not be straitened; and if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Bambelela ekulayweni, ungakuyekeli; kugcine, ngoba kuyimpilo yakho.
Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go; keep her, for she is thy life.
14 Ungangeni emkhondweni wabakhohlakeleyo, ungahambi endleleni yababi.
Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men.
15 Iyekele, ungedluli ngayo, phambuka kuyo, wedlule.
Avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass on.
16 Ngoba kabalali uba bengenzanga okubi; lobuthongo babo buyasuswa uba bengakhubekisanga muntu.
For they sleep not, except they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17 Ngoba badla isinkwa senkohlakalo, banathe iwayini lobudlwangudlwangu.
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18 Kodwa indlela yabalungileyo injengokukhanya okukhanyayo, kuqhubeka kukhanya kuze kube semini enkulu.
But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19 Indlela yababi injengomnyama; kabazi ukuthi bazakhutshwa yini.
The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble.
20 Ndodana yami, lalela amazwi ami, ubeke indlebe yakho ekukhulumeni kwami.
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Kakungaphunyuki emehlweni akho; ukugcine phakathi kwenhliziyo yakho.
Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thy heart.
22 Ngoba kuyimpilo kwabakutholayo, lempilo enhle yenyama yabo yonke.
For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Gcina inhliziyo yakho phezu kwakho konke okungagcinwa, ngoba kuvela kikho ukuphuma kwempilo.
Above all that thou guardest keep thy heart; for out of it are the issues of life.
24 Susa kuwe ukuphambana komlomo, lokuphambeka kwendebe kususele khatshana lawe.
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
25 Amehlo akho kawakhangele phambili, lenkophe zakho ziqonde phambi kwakho.
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Linganisa umkhondo wonyawo lwakho, ukuze zonke indlela zakho ziqine.
Make plain the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27 Ungaphambukeli ngakwesokunene kumbe ngakwesokhohlo; uphambule unyawo lwakho ebubini.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.
