Izaga 8
1 Inhlakanipho kayimemezi yini, lokuqedisisa kukhuphe ilizwi lakho?
Doth not wisdom cry aloud, And understanding put forth her voice?
2 Engqongeni yezindawo eziphakemeyo, ngasendleleni, phakathi kwezindlela kumi.
Upon the top of the high places, By the wayside, In the cross-ways, She taketh her station.
3 Eceleni kwamasango, entubeni yomuzi, ekungeneni kweminyango kuyamemeza kakhulu kuthi:
By the side of the gates, In the entrance of the city, In the approaches to the doors, she crieth aloud.
4 Kini, madoda, ngiyamemeza, lelizwi lami lisebantwaneni babantu.
“To you, O men! do I call, And my voice is to the sons of men!
5 Lina elingelalwazi, qedisisani inhlakanipho; lani zithutha, qedisisani ngenhliziyo.
O ye simple ones! learn wisdom, And ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart!
6 Zwanini, ngoba ngizakhuluma izinto zobukhosi, lokuvula kwendebe zami kuzakuba yikuqonda.
Hear, for I speak excellent things, And my lips utter that which is right.
7 Ngoba umlomo wami ukhuluma iqiniso, lenkohlakalo iyisinengiso endebeni zami.
For my mouth speaketh 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 uprightness; There is nothing crooked or deceitful in them;
9 Wonke aqondile kulowo oqedisisayo, alungile kulabo abathola ulwazi.
They are all plain to the man of understanding, And right to those who 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 pearls, And no precious things are to be compared with her.
12 Mina nhlakanipho ngihlala lokuqedisisa, ngithola ulwazi lamacebo.
“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out the knowledge of sagacious counsels.
13 Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuzonda ububi; ukuzigqaja, lokuziqhenya, lendlela embi, lomlomo wokuphambeka ngiyakuzonda.
The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, And the deceitful mouth, do I hate.
14 Iseluleko ngesami, lenhlakanipho eqotho; ngiyikuqedisisa; amandla ngawami.
Counsel is mine, and sound reason; I am understanding; I have strength.
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 they who seek me early shall find me.
18 Inotho lodumo kukimi, inotho eqhubekayo lokulunga.
Riches and honor are with me; Yea, durable riches and prosperity.
19 Isithelo sami singcono kulegolide, legolide elicwengekileyo, lokutholakalayo kwami kulesiliva esikhethekileyo.
My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold. And my revenue than choice silver.
20 Ngihamba endleleni yokulunga, phakathi kwemikhondo yesahlulelo;
I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of equity.
21 ukuthi ngenze abangithandayo badle ilifa lemfuyo; ngigcwalise iziphala zabo.
I cause those who love me to possess substance; Yea, I fill their treasuries.
22 INkosi, ngaba ngeyayo, ngaba yikuqala kwendlela yayo, ngaphambi kwemisebenzi yayo yendulo.
“The LORD created me, the firstling of his course, Before his works, of old;
23 Ngamiswa kwasephakadeni, kusukela ekuqaleni, kusukela emandulo omhlaba.
I was anointed from everlasting, From the beginning, even before the earth was made.
24 Kungakabi khona izinziki ngasengizelwe, ingakabi khona imithombo enzima ngamanzi.
When as yet there were no deeps, I was brought forth. When there were no springs, abounding with water.
25 Intaba zingakamiswa, kungakabi khona amaqaqa, ngasengizelwe.
Before the mountains were settled, Yea, before the hills, I was brought forth;
26 Ingakawenzi umhlaba lemimango, lokuqala kwentuli zomhlaba.
Ere yet he had made the land and the wastes, And the first of the clods of the earth.
27 Lapho ilungisa amazulu ngangikhonapho; lapho imisa umkhathi ngaphezu kwenziki;
When he framed the heavens, I was there; When he drew a circle upon the face of the deep;
28 lapho imisa amayezi ngaphezulu; lapho iqinisa imithombo yenziki;
When he made firm the sky above, And the fountains of the deep rushed forth;
29 lapho imisela ulwandle umngcele walo ukuze amanzi angeqi umlayo wayo; lapho imisa izisekelo zomhlaba;
When he gave to the sea its bounds, that the waters should not pass their border; When he marked out the foundations of the earth, —
30 khona ngangiseduze layo njengowakhuliswa yiyo, ngizintokozo zayo usuku ngosuku, ngithokoza phambi kwayo ngaso sonke isikhathi,
Then was I by him as a master-builder; I was his delight day by day, Exulting before him at all times;
31 ngidlala elizweni lomhlaba wayo, lentokozo zami zisebantwaneni babantu.
Exulting in the habitable part of his earth, And my delight was with the sons of men.
32 Ngakho-ke, bantwana bami, ngizweni; ngoba babusisiwe abagcina indlela zami.
“Now, therefore, ye children, hearken to me! For happy are they who keep my ways!
33 Zwanini ukulaya, lihlakaniphe, lingakudeli.
Hear instruction, and be wise! Yea, reject it not!
34 Ubusisiwe umuntu ongizwayo, alinde insuku ngensuku emasangweni ami, alinde emigubazini yeminyango yami.
Happy the man who hearkeneth to me, Who watcheth day by day at my gates, Who waiteth at the posts of my doors;
35 Ngoba ongitholayo uthola impilo, azuze umusa eNkosini.
For he that findeth me findeth life, And obtaineth favor from the LORD;
36 Kodwa owona kimi wona umphefumulo wakhe; bonke abangizondayo bathanda ukufa.
But he who misseth me doeth violence to himself; All they who hate me love death.”
