Izaga 4
1 Zwanini, bantwana, umlayo kayihlo, linanzelele ukuze lazi ukuqedisisa.
Listen, sons, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so you will know what understanding is.
2 Ngoba ngilinika imfundiso enhle, lingawutshiyi umlayo wami.
I am giving you good instructions; do not forsake my teaching.
3 Ngoba bengiyindodana kababa, ngithambile, ngingedwa phambi kukamama.
When I was a son of my father, the tender and only child of my mother,
4 Wasengifundisa wathi kimi: Inhliziyo yakho kayibambelele emazwini ami; gcina imilayo yami, uphile.
he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast to my words; keep my commands and live.
5 Zuza inhlakanipho, uzuze ukuqedisisa, ungakhohlwa; ungaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami.
Acquire wisdom and understanding; do not forget and do not reject the words of my mouth;
6 Ungakutshiyi, njalo kuzakulondoloza; ukuthande, njalo kuzakulinda.
do not abandon wisdom and she will watch over you; love her and she will keep you safe.
7 Okokuqala yinhlakanipho; zuza inhlakanipho; langenzuzo yakho yonke uzuze ukuqedisisa.
Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom and spend all you own so you can get understanding.
8 Kukhulise, njalo kuzakuphakamisa; kuzakunika udumo nxa ukugona.
Cherish wisdom and she will exalt you; she will honor you when you embrace her.
9 Kuzanika ikhanda lakho umqhele womusa; kuzakulethela umqhele wodumo.
She will put a wreath of honor on your head; she will give you a beautiful crown.”
10 Zwana, ndodana yami, wemukele amazwi ami, leminyaka yempilo izakuba minengi kuwe.
Listen, my son, and pay attention to my words, and you will have many years in your life.
11 Ngikufundisile endleleni yenhlakanipho; ngikwenze wanyathela emikhondweni yobuqotho.
I direct you in the way of wisdom; I lead you down straight paths.
12 Ekuhambeni kwakho inyathelo lakho kaliyikufinyezwa, njalo nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
When you walk, no one will stand in your way and if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Bambelela ekulayweni, ungakuyekeli; kugcine, ngoba kuyimpilo yakho.
Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it, for it is your life.
14 Ungangeni emkhondweni wabakhohlakeleyo, ungahambi endleleni yababi.
Do not follow the path of the wicked and do not go along the way of those who do evil.
15 Iyekele, ungedluli ngayo, phambuka kuyo, wedlule.
Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it and go another way.
16 Ngoba kabalali uba bengenzanga okubi; lobuthongo babo buyasuswa uba bengakhubekisanga muntu.
For they cannot sleep until they do evil and they are robbed of sleep until they cause someone to stumble.
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 righteous people is like the first light that grows brighter; it shines more and more until the fullness of the day comes.
19 Indlela yababi injengomnyama; kabazi ukuthi bazakhutshwa yini.
The way of the wicked is like darkness— they do not know what it is they stumble over.
20 Ndodana yami, lalela amazwi ami, ubeke indlebe yakho ekukhulumeni kwami.
My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Kakungaphunyuki emehlweni akho; ukugcine phakathi kwenhliziyo yakho.
Do not let them turn away from your eyes; keep them in your heart.
22 Ngoba kuyimpilo kwabakutholayo, lempilo enhle yenyama yabo yonke.
For my words are life to those who find them and health to their whole body.
23 Gcina inhliziyo yakho phezu kwakho konke okungagcinwa, ngoba kuvela kikho ukuphuma kwempilo.
Keep your heart safe and guard it with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
24 Susa kuwe ukuphambana komlomo, lokuphambeka kwendebe kususele khatshana lawe.
Put crooked speech away from you and put corrupt talk far from you.
25 Amehlo akho kawakhangele phambili, lenkophe zakho ziqonde phambi kwakho.
Let your eyes look straight ahead and fix your gaze straight before you.
26 Linganisa umkhondo wonyawo lwakho, ukuze zonke indlela zakho ziqine.
Make a level path for your foot; then all your ways will be secure.
27 Ungaphambukeli ngakwesokunene kumbe ngakwesokhohlo; uphambule unyawo lwakho ebubini.
Do not turn aside to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
