Izaga 8
1 Inhlakanipho kayimemezi yini, lokuqedisisa kukhuphe ilizwi lakho?
Does wisdom not call? And understanding give forth her voice?
2 Engqongeni yezindawo eziphakemeyo, ngasendleleni, phakathi kwezindlela kumi.
At the head of high places by the way, She has stood between the paths,
3 Eceleni kwamasango, entubeni yomuzi, ekungeneni kweminyango kuyamemeza kakhulu kuthi:
At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she cries aloud,
4 Kini, madoda, ngiyamemeza, lelizwi lami lisebantwaneni babantu.
“To you, O men, I call, And my voice [is] to the sons of men.
5 Lina elingelalwazi, qedisisani inhlakanipho; lani zithutha, qedisisani ngenhliziyo.
Understand, you simple ones, prudence, And you fools, understand the heart,
6 Zwanini, ngoba ngizakhuluma izinto zobukhosi, lokuvula kwendebe zami kuzakuba yikuqonda.
Listen, for I speak noble things, And the opening of my lips [is] uprightness.
7 Ngoba umlomo wami ukhuluma iqiniso, lenkohlakalo iyisinengiso endebeni zami.
For my mouth utters truth, And wickedness [is] an abomination to my lips.
8 Wonke amazwi omlomo wami asekulungeni; kakukho okutshilekileyo lokugobileyo kuwo.
All the sayings of my mouth [are] in righteousness, Nothing in them is contrary and perverse.
9 Wonke aqondile kulowo oqedisisayo, alungile kulabo abathola ulwazi.
All of them [are] plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding 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, Indeed, all delights are not comparable with it.
12 Mina nhlakanipho ngihlala lokuqedisisa, ngithola ulwazi lamacebo.
I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And I find out a knowledge of purposes.
13 Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuzonda ububi; ukuzigqaja, lokuziqhenya, lendlela embi, lomlomo wokuphambeka ngiyakuzonda.
The fear of YHWH [is] to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a contrary mouth, I have hated.
14 Iseluleko ngesami, lenhlakanipho eqotho; ngiyikuqedisisa; amandla ngawami.
Counsel and substance [are] mine, I [am] understanding, I have might.
15 Ngami amakhosi ayabusa, lababusi bamisa ukulunga.
By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,
16 Ngami iziphathamandla ziyabusa, lezikhulu, bonke abehluleli bomhlaba.
By me chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of earth.
17 Mina ngiyathanda abangithandayo, lalabo abangidingisisayo bazangithola.
I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly find me.
18 Inotho lodumo kukimi, inotho eqhubekayo lokulunga.
Wealth and honor [are] with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.
19 Isithelo sami singcono kulegolide, legolide elicwengekileyo, lokutholakalayo kwami kulesiliva esikhethekileyo.
My fruit [is] better than gold, even fine gold, And my increase than choice silver.
20 Ngihamba endleleni yokulunga, phakathi kwemikhondo yesahlulelo;
I cause to walk in a path of righteousness, In midst of paths of judgment,
21 ukuthi ngenze abangithandayo badle ilifa lemfuyo; ngigcwalise iziphala zabo.
To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Indeed, I fill their treasures.
22 INkosi, ngaba ngeyayo, ngaba yikuqala kwendlela yayo, ngaphambi kwemisebenzi yayo yendulo.
YHWH possessed me—the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.
23 Ngamiswa kwasephakadeni, kusukela ekuqaleni, kusukela emandulo omhlaba.
I was anointed from the age, from the first, From former states of the earth.
24 Kungakabi khona izinziki ngasengizelwe, ingakabi khona imithombo enzima ngamanzi.
In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy [with] waters,
25 Intaba zingakamiswa, kungakabi khona amaqaqa, ngasengizelwe.
Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.
26 Ingakawenzi umhlaba lemimango, lokuqala kwentuli zomhlaba.
While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.
27 Lapho ilungisa amazulu ngangikhonapho; lapho imisa umkhathi ngaphezu kwenziki;
In His preparing the heavens I [am] there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,
28 lapho imisa amayezi ngaphezulu; lapho iqinisa imithombo yenziki;
In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,
29 lapho imisela ulwandle umngcele walo ukuze amanzi angeqi umlayo wayo; lapho imisa izisekelo zomhlaba;
In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters do not transgress His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,
30 khona ngangiseduze layo njengowakhuliswa yiyo, ngizintokozo zayo usuku ngosuku, ngithokoza phambi kwayo ngaso sonke isikhathi,
Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight—day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,
31 ngidlala elizweni lomhlaba wayo, lentokozo zami zisebantwaneni babantu.
Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights [are] with the sons of men.
32 Ngakho-ke, bantwana bami, ngizweni; ngoba babusisiwe abagcina indlela zami.
And now, you sons, listen to me, Indeed, blessed are they who keep my ways.
33 Zwanini ukulaya, lihlakaniphe, lingakudeli.
Hear instruction, and be wise, and do not slight.
34 Ubusisiwe umuntu ongizwayo, alinde insuku ngensuku emasangweni ami, alinde emigubazini yeminyango yami.
O the blessedness of the man listening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the doorposts of my entrance.
35 Ngoba ongitholayo uthola impilo, azuze umusa eNkosini.
For whoever is finding me, has found life, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
36 Kodwa owona kimi wona umphefumulo wakhe; bonke abangizondayo bathanda ukufa.
And whoever is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!”
