Izaga 8
1 Inhlakanipho kayimemezi yini, lokuqedisisa kukhuphe ilizwi lakho?
Doth not wisedome crie? and vnderstanding vtter her voyce?
2 Engqongeni yezindawo eziphakemeyo, ngasendleleni, phakathi kwezindlela kumi.
She standeth in the top of the high places by the way in the place of the paths.
3 Eceleni kwamasango, entubeni yomuzi, ekungeneni kweminyango kuyamemeza kakhulu kuthi:
She cryeth besides the gates before the citie at the entrie of the doores,
4 Kini, madoda, ngiyamemeza, lelizwi lami lisebantwaneni babantu.
O men, I call vnto you, and vtter my voyce to the children of men.
5 Lina elingelalwazi, qedisisani inhlakanipho; lani zithutha, qedisisani ngenhliziyo.
O ye foolish men, vnderstand wisedome, and ye, O fooles, be wise in heart.
6 Zwanini, ngoba ngizakhuluma izinto zobukhosi, lokuvula kwendebe zami kuzakuba yikuqonda.
Giue eare, for I will speake of excellent things, and the opening of my lippes, shall teache things that be right.
7 Ngoba umlomo wami ukhuluma iqiniso, lenkohlakalo iyisinengiso endebeni zami.
For my mouth shall speake the trueth, and my lippes abhorre wickednesse.
8 Wonke amazwi omlomo wami asekulungeni; kakukho okutshilekileyo lokugobileyo kuwo.
All the wordes of my mouth are righteous: there is no lewdenes, nor frowardnesse in them.
9 Wonke aqondile kulowo oqedisisayo, alungile kulabo abathola ulwazi.
They are all plaine to him that will vnderstande, and streight to them that woulde finde knowledge.
10 Yemukelani ukufundisa kwami, hatshi isiliva, lolwazi kulegolide elikhethekileyo.
Receiue mine instruction, and not siluer, and knowledge rather then fine golde.
11 Ngoba inhlakanipho ingcono kulamatshe amahle, lakho konke okufisekayo kakulakulinganiswa layo.
For wisdome is better then precious stones: and all pleasures are not to be compared vnto her.
12 Mina nhlakanipho ngihlala lokuqedisisa, ngithola ulwazi lamacebo.
I wisdome dwell with prudence, and I find foorth knowledge and counsels.
13 Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuzonda ububi; ukuzigqaja, lokuziqhenya, lendlela embi, lomlomo wokuphambeka ngiyakuzonda.
The feare of the Lord is to hate euill as pride, and arrogancie, and the euill way: and a mouth that speaketh lewde things, I doe hate.
14 Iseluleko ngesami, lenhlakanipho eqotho; ngiyikuqedisisa; amandla ngawami.
I haue counsell and wisedome: I am vnderstanding, and I haue strength.
15 Ngami amakhosi ayabusa, lababusi bamisa ukulunga.
By me, Kings reigne, and princes decree iustice.
16 Ngami iziphathamandla ziyabusa, lezikhulu, bonke abehluleli bomhlaba.
By me princes rule and the nobles, and all the iudges of the earth.
17 Mina ngiyathanda abangithandayo, lalabo abangidingisisayo bazangithola.
I loue them that loue me: and they that seeke me earely, shall finde me.
18 Inotho lodumo kukimi, inotho eqhubekayo lokulunga.
Riches and honour are with me: euen durable riches and righteousnesse.
19 Isithelo sami singcono kulegolide, legolide elicwengekileyo, lokutholakalayo kwami kulesiliva esikhethekileyo.
My fruite is better then golde, euen then fine golde, and my reuenues better then fine siluer.
20 Ngihamba endleleni yokulunga, phakathi kwemikhondo yesahlulelo;
I cause to walke in the way of righteousnes, and in the middes of the paths of iudgement,
21 ukuthi ngenze abangithandayo badle ilifa lemfuyo; ngigcwalise iziphala zabo.
That I may cause them that loue me, to inherite substance, and I will fill their treasures.
22 INkosi, ngaba ngeyayo, ngaba yikuqala kwendlela yayo, ngaphambi kwemisebenzi yayo yendulo.
The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his way: I was before his workes of olde.
23 Ngamiswa kwasephakadeni, kusukela ekuqaleni, kusukela emandulo omhlaba.
I was set vp from euerlasting, from the beginning and before the earth.
24 Kungakabi khona izinziki ngasengizelwe, ingakabi khona imithombo enzima ngamanzi.
When there were no depths, was I begotten, when there were no fountaines abounding with water.
25 Intaba zingakamiswa, kungakabi khona amaqaqa, ngasengizelwe.
Before the mountaines were setled: and before the hilles, was I begotten.
26 Ingakawenzi umhlaba lemimango, lokuqala kwentuli zomhlaba.
He had not yet made the earth, nor the open places, nor the height of the dust in the worlde.
27 Lapho ilungisa amazulu ngangikhonapho; lapho imisa umkhathi ngaphezu kwenziki;
When hee prepared the heauens, I was there, when he set the compasse vpon the deepe.
28 lapho imisa amayezi ngaphezulu; lapho iqinisa imithombo yenziki;
When he established the cloudes aboue, when he confirmed the fountaines of the deepe,
29 lapho imisela ulwandle umngcele walo ukuze amanzi angeqi umlayo wayo; lapho imisa izisekelo zomhlaba;
When he gaue his decree to the Sea, that the waters shoulde not passe his commandement: 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 was I with him as a nourisher, and I was dayly his delight reioycing alway before him,
31 ngidlala elizweni lomhlaba wayo, lentokozo zami zisebantwaneni babantu.
And tooke my solace in the compasse of his earth: and my delite is with the children of men.
32 Ngakho-ke, bantwana bami, ngizweni; ngoba babusisiwe abagcina indlela zami.
Therefore nowe hearken, O children, vnto me: for blessed are they that keepe my wayes.
33 Zwanini ukulaya, lihlakaniphe, lingakudeli.
Heare instruction, and be ye wise, and refuse it not:
34 Ubusisiwe umuntu ongizwayo, alinde insuku ngensuku emasangweni ami, alinde emigubazini yeminyango yami.
blessed is the man that heareth mee, watching dayly at my gates, and giuing attendance at the postes of my doores.
35 Ngoba ongitholayo uthola impilo, azuze umusa eNkosini.
For he that findeth me, findeth life, and shall obteine fauour of the Lord.
36 Kodwa owona kimi wona umphefumulo wakhe; bonke abangizondayo bathanda ukufa.
But he that sinneth against me, hurteth his owne soule: and all that hate me, loue death.
