Izaga 8
1 Inhlakanipho kayimemezi yini, lokuqedisisa kukhuphe ilizwi lakho?
Doth not wisdom call, and understanding put forth her voice?
2 Engqongeni yezindawo eziphakemeyo, ngasendleleni, phakathi kwezindlela kumi.
In the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she standeth;
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, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.
5 Lina elingelalwazi, qedisisani inhlakanipho; lani zithutha, qedisisani ngenhliziyo.
O ye thoughtless, understand prudence, and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
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 mouth shall utter 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 perverse or crooked 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 things desirable are not to be compared unto her.
12 Mina nhlakanipho ngihlala lokuqedisisa, ngithola ulwazi lamacebo.
I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of devices.
13 Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuzonda ububi; ukuzigqaja, lokuziqhenya, lendlela embi, lomlomo wokuphambeka ngiyakuzonda.
The fear of the LORD 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 understanding, power 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 princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 Mina ngiyathanda abangithandayo, lalabo abangidingisisayo bazangithola.
I love them that love me, and those that seek me earnestly shall find me.
18 Inotho lodumo kukimi, inotho eqhubekayo lokulunga.
Riches and honour are with me; yea, enduring riches and righteousness.
19 Isithelo sami singcono kulegolide, legolide elicwengekileyo, lokutholakalayo kwami kulesiliva esikhethekileyo.
My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my produce than choice silver.
20 Ngihamba endleleni yokulunga, phakathi kwemikhondo yesahlulelo;
I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice;
21 ukuthi ngenze abangithandayo badle ilifa lemfuyo; ngigcwalise iziphala zabo.
That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and that I may fill their treasuries.
22 INkosi, ngaba ngeyayo, ngaba yikuqala kwendlela yayo, ngaphambi kwemisebenzi yayo yendulo.
The LORD made me as the beginning of His way, the first of His works of old.
23 Ngamiswa kwasephakadeni, kusukela ekuqaleni, kusukela emandulo omhlaba.
I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever 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 established the heavens, I was there; when He set a circle upon the face of the deep,
28 lapho imisa amayezi ngaphezulu; lapho iqinisa imithombo yenziki;
When He made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the deep showed their might,
29 lapho imisela ulwandle umngcele walo ukuze amanzi angeqi umlayo wayo; lapho imisa izisekelo zomhlaba;
When He gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not transgress 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, as a nursling; and I was daily all delight, playing always before Him,
31 ngidlala elizweni lomhlaba wayo, lentokozo zami zisebantwaneni babantu.
Playing in His habitable earth, and my delights are with the sons of men.
32 Ngakho-ke, bantwana bami, ngizweni; ngoba babusisiwe abagcina indlela zami.
Now therefore, ye children, hearken unto me; for happy 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.
Happy is the man that hearkeneth to 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 the LORD.
36 Kodwa owona kimi wona umphefumulo wakhe; bonke abangizondayo bathanda ukufa.
But he that misseth me wrongeth his own soul; all they that hate me love death.'
