Izaga 8
1 Inhlakanipho kayimemezi yini, lokuqedisisa kukhuphe ilizwi lakho?
Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding give forth her voice?
2 Engqongeni yezindawo eziphakemeyo, ngasendleleni, phakathi kwezindlela kumi.
On the top of high places by the way, at the cross-paths she taketh her stand.
3 Eceleni kwamasango, entubeni yomuzi, ekungeneni kweminyango kuyamemeza kakhulu kuthi:
Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud.
4 Kini, madoda, ngiyamemeza, lelizwi lami lisebantwaneni babantu.
Unto you, men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of man:
5 Lina elingelalwazi, qedisisani inhlakanipho; lani zithutha, qedisisani ngenhliziyo.
O ye simple, understand prudence; and ye foolish, understand sense.
6 Zwanini, ngoba ngizakhuluma izinto zobukhosi, lokuvula kwendebe zami kuzakuba yikuqonda.
Hear, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7 Ngoba umlomo wami ukhuluma iqiniso, lenkohlakalo iyisinengiso endebeni zami.
For my palate shall meditate truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 Wonke amazwi omlomo wami asekulungeni; kakukho okutshilekileyo lokugobileyo kuwo.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing tortuous or perverse in them.
9 Wonke aqondile kulowo oqedisisayo, alungile kulabo abathola ulwazi.
They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
10 Yemukelani ukufundisa kwami, hatshi isiliva, lolwazi kulegolide elikhethekileyo.
Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold:
11 Ngoba inhlakanipho ingcono kulamatshe amahle, lakho konke okufisekayo kakulakulinganiswa layo.
for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not equal to it.
12 Mina nhlakanipho ngihlala lokuqedisisa, ngithola ulwazi lamacebo.
I wisdom dwell [with] prudence, and find the knowledge [which cometh] of reflection.
13 Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuzonda ububi; ukuzigqaja, lokuziqhenya, lendlela embi, lomlomo wokuphambeka ngiyakuzonda.
The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate.
14 Iseluleko ngesami, lenhlakanipho eqotho; ngiyikuqedisisa; amandla ngawami.
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am intelligence; I have strength.
15 Ngami amakhosi ayabusa, lababusi bamisa ukulunga.
By me kings reign, and rulers make just decrees;
16 Ngami iziphathamandla ziyabusa, lezikhulu, bonke abehluleli bomhlaba.
by me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth.
17 Mina ngiyathanda abangithandayo, lalabo abangidingisisayo bazangithola.
I love those that love me; and they that seek me early shall find me.
18 Inotho lodumo kukimi, inotho eqhubekayo lokulunga.
Riches and honour are with me; durable wealth and righteousness.
19 Isithelo sami singcono kulegolide, legolide elicwengekileyo, lokutholakalayo kwami kulesiliva esikhethekileyo.
My fruit is better than fine gold, yea, than pure gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
20 Ngihamba endleleni yokulunga, phakathi kwemikhondo yesahlulelo;
I walk in the path of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
21 ukuthi ngenze abangithandayo badle ilifa lemfuyo; ngigcwalise iziphala zabo.
that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasuries.
22 INkosi, ngaba ngeyayo, ngaba yikuqala kwendlela yayo, ngaphambi kwemisebenzi yayo yendulo.
Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 Ngamiswa kwasephakadeni, kusukela ekuqaleni, kusukela emandulo omhlaba.
I was set up from eternity, from the beginning, before the earth was.
24 Kungakabi khona izinziki ngasengizelwe, ingakabi khona imithombo enzima ngamanzi.
When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Intaba zingakamiswa, kungakabi khona amaqaqa, ngasengizelwe.
Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth;
26 Ingakawenzi umhlaba lemimango, lokuqala kwentuli zomhlaba.
while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
27 Lapho ilungisa amazulu ngangikhonapho; lapho imisa umkhathi ngaphezu kwenziki;
When he prepared the heavens I was there; when he ordained the circle upon the face of the deep;
28 lapho imisa amayezi ngaphezulu; lapho iqinisa imithombo yenziki;
when he established the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong;
29 lapho imisela ulwandle umngcele walo ukuze amanzi angeqi umlayo wayo; lapho imisa izisekelo zomhlaba;
when he imposed on the sea his decree that the waters should not pass his commandment, when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 khona ngangiseduze layo njengowakhuliswa yiyo, ngizintokozo zayo usuku ngosuku, ngithokoza phambi kwayo ngaso sonke isikhathi,
then I was by him [his] nursling, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 ngidlala elizweni lomhlaba wayo, lentokozo zami zisebantwaneni babantu.
rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights [were] with the sons of men.
32 Ngakho-ke, bantwana bami, ngizweni; ngoba babusisiwe abagcina indlela zami.
And now, sons, hearken unto me, and blessed are they that keep my ways:
33 Zwanini ukulaya, lihlakaniphe, lingakudeli.
hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 Ubusisiwe umuntu ongizwayo, alinde insuku ngensuku emasangweni ami, alinde emigubazini yeminyango yami.
Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 Ngoba ongitholayo uthola impilo, azuze umusa eNkosini.
For whoso findeth me findeth life, and obtaineth favour of Jehovah;
36 Kodwa owona kimi wona umphefumulo wakhe; bonke abangizondayo bathanda ukufa.
but he that sinneth against me doeth violence to his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
