Izaga 8
1 Inhlakanipho kayimemezi yini, lokuqedisisa kukhuphe ilizwi lakho?
You shall proclaim wisdom, that understanding may be obedient to you.
2 Engqongeni yezindawo eziphakemeyo, ngasendleleni, phakathi kwezindlela kumi.
For she is on lofty eminences, and stands in the midst of the ways.
3 Eceleni kwamasango, entubeni yomuzi, ekungeneni kweminyango kuyamemeza kakhulu kuthi:
For she sits by the gates of princes, and sings in the entrances, [saying],
4 Kini, madoda, ngiyamemeza, lelizwi lami lisebantwaneni babantu.
You, O men, I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men.
5 Lina elingelalwazi, qedisisani inhlakanipho; lani zithutha, qedisisani ngenhliziyo.
O you simple, understand subtlety, and you that are untaught, imbibe knowledge.
6 Zwanini, ngoba ngizakhuluma izinto zobukhosi, lokuvula kwendebe zami kuzakuba yikuqonda.
Listen to me; for I will speak solemn [truths]; and will produce right [sayings] from my lips.
7 Ngoba umlomo wami ukhuluma iqiniso, lenkohlakalo iyisinengiso endebeni zami.
For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me.
8 Wonke amazwi omlomo wami asekulungeni; kakukho okutshilekileyo lokugobileyo kuwo.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing in them wrong or perverse.
9 Wonke aqondile kulowo oqedisisayo, alungile kulabo abathola ulwazi.
They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge.
10 Yemukelani ukufundisa kwami, hatshi isiliva, lolwazi kulegolide elikhethekileyo.
Receive instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than tried gold.
11 Ngoba inhlakanipho ingcono kulamatshe amahle, lakho konke okufisekayo kakulakulinganiswa layo.
For wisdom is better than precious stones; and no valuable substance is of equal worth with it.
12 Mina nhlakanipho ngihlala lokuqedisisa, ngithola ulwazi lamacebo.
I wisdom have lived [with] counsel and knowledge, and I have called upon understanding.
13 Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuzonda ububi; ukuzigqaja, lokuziqhenya, lendlela embi, lomlomo wokuphambeka ngiyakuzonda.
The fear of the Lord hates unrighteousness, and insolence, and pride, and the ways of wicked men; and I hate the perverse ways of bad men.
14 Iseluleko ngesami, lenhlakanipho eqotho; ngiyikuqedisisa; amandla ngawami.
Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine.
15 Ngami amakhosi ayabusa, lababusi bamisa ukulunga.
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 Ngami iziphathamandla ziyabusa, lezikhulu, bonke abehluleli bomhlaba.
By me nobles become great, and monarchs by me rule over the earth.
17 Mina ngiyathanda abangithandayo, lalabo abangidingisisayo bazangithola.
I love those that love me; and they that seek me shall find [me].
18 Inotho lodumo kukimi, inotho eqhubekayo lokulunga.
Wealth and glory belong to me; yes, abundant possessions and righteousness.
19 Isithelo sami singcono kulegolide, legolide elicwengekileyo, lokutholakalayo kwami kulesiliva esikhethekileyo.
[It is] better to have my fruit than [to have] gold and precious stones; and my produce is better than choice silver.
20 Ngihamba endleleni yokulunga, phakathi kwemikhondo yesahlulelo;
I walk in ways of righteousness, and [am] conversant with the paths of judgement;
21 ukuthi ngenze abangithandayo badle ilifa lemfuyo; ngigcwalise iziphala zabo.
that I may divide substance to them that love me, and may fill their treasures with good things. If I declare to you the things that daily happen, I will remember [also] to recount the things of old.
22 INkosi, ngaba ngeyayo, ngaba yikuqala kwendlela yayo, ngaphambi kwemisebenzi yayo yendulo.
The Lord made me the beginning of his ways for his works.
23 Ngamiswa kwasephakadeni, kusukela ekuqaleni, kusukela emandulo omhlaba.
He established me before time [was] in the beginning, before he made the earth:
24 Kungakabi khona izinziki ngasengizelwe, ingakabi khona imithombo enzima ngamanzi.
even before he made the depths; before the fountains of water came forth:
25 Intaba zingakamiswa, kungakabi khona amaqaqa, ngasengizelwe.
before the mountains were settled, and before all hills, he begets me.
26 Ingakawenzi umhlaba lemimango, lokuqala kwentuli zomhlaba.
The Lord made countries and uninhabited [tracks], and the highest inhabited parts of the world.
27 Lapho ilungisa amazulu ngangikhonapho; lapho imisa umkhathi ngaphezu kwenziki;
When he prepared the heaven, I was present with him; and when he prepared his throne upon the winds:
28 lapho imisa amayezi ngaphezulu; lapho iqinisa imithombo yenziki;
and when he strengthened the clouds above; and when he secured the fountains of the earth:
29 lapho imisela ulwandle umngcele walo ukuze amanzi angeqi umlayo wayo; lapho imisa izisekelo zomhlaba;
decree. and when he strengthened the foundations of the earth:
30 khona ngangiseduze layo njengowakhuliswa yiyo, ngizintokozo zayo usuku ngosuku, ngithokoza phambi kwayo ngaso sonke isikhathi,
I was by him, suiting [myself to him], I was that wherein he took delight; and daily I rejoiced in his presence continually.
31 ngidlala elizweni lomhlaba wayo, lentokozo zami zisebantwaneni babantu.
For he rejoiced when he had completed the world, and rejoiced amongst the children of men.
32 Ngakho-ke, bantwana bami, ngizweni; ngoba babusisiwe abagcina indlela zami.
Now then, [my] son, hear me: blessed is the man who shall listen to me, and the mortal who shall keep my ways;
33 Zwanini ukulaya, lihlakaniphe, lingakudeli.
[Hear wisdom and be wise, and be not strangers to it. ]
34 Ubusisiwe umuntu ongizwayo, alinde insuku ngensuku emasangweni ami, alinde emigubazini yeminyango yami.
watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my entrances.
35 Ngoba ongitholayo uthola impilo, azuze umusa eNkosini.
For my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and [in them] is prepared favour from the Lord.
36 Kodwa owona kimi wona umphefumulo wakhe; bonke abangizondayo bathanda ukufa.
But they that sin against me act wickedly against their own souls: and they that hate me love death.
