Izaga 8
1 Inhlakanipho kayimemezi yini, lokuqedisisa kukhuphe ilizwi lakho?
It is as if wisdom, with great understanding [of many things], is calling [PRS] out [to people].
2 Engqongeni yezindawo eziphakemeyo, ngasendleleni, phakathi kwezindlela kumi.
Wisdom stands on hilltops and at crossroads.
3 Eceleni kwamasango, entubeni yomuzi, ekungeneni kweminyango kuyamemeza kakhulu kuthi:
[Wisdom also stands] at the city gates and shouts loudly,
4 Kini, madoda, ngiyamemeza, lelizwi lami lisebantwaneni babantu.
“I am calling to everyone! I am shouting loudly to all people!
5 Lina elingelalwazi, qedisisani inhlakanipho; lani zithutha, qedisisani ngenhliziyo.
You people who do not know how to do things that are smart to do, get sound judgment; you foolish people, get good understanding!
6 Zwanini, ngoba ngizakhuluma izinto zobukhosi, lokuvula kwendebe zami kuzakuba yikuqonda.
Listen to me, because I have some excellent/important things to say. What I say is what is fair/right.
7 Ngoba umlomo wami ukhuluma iqiniso, lenkohlakalo iyisinengiso endebeni zami.
I speak what is true; I detest speaking [MTY] what is false/deceptive.
8 Wonke amazwi omlomo wami asekulungeni; kakukho okutshilekileyo lokugobileyo kuwo.
Everything that I say is honest; there is nothing that I say that deceives [people].
9 Wonke aqondile kulowo oqedisisayo, alungile kulabo abathola ulwazi.
My words are clear to those who have good sense; those who are wise know that what I say is right.
10 Yemukelani ukufundisa kwami, hatshi isiliva, lolwazi kulegolide elikhethekileyo.
[If someone offers you the kind of teaching I give] or offers you silver, choose my teaching. [If he offers to show you how to be wise] or offers you gold, choose to know how to be wise,
11 Ngoba inhlakanipho ingcono kulamatshe amahle, lakho konke okufisekayo kakulakulinganiswa layo.
because wisdom is more valuable than jewels. Nothing that you desire [is as valuable] as being wise.
12 Mina nhlakanipho ngihlala lokuqedisisa, ngithola ulwazi lamacebo.
I, wisdom, and understanding of what is smart to do, cannot be separated. We are like two people who live in the same house. I know how to be wise and how to make smart decisions.
13 Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuzonda ububi; ukuzigqaja, lokuziqhenya, lendlela embi, lomlomo wokuphambeka ngiyakuzonda.
[All the people] who revere Yahweh hate evil. I, wisdom, hate [people who are] proud and [people] who think they are more important [than others]. I hate [people who] behave in an evil way and those who say things to deceive [others].
14 Iseluleko ngesami, lenhlakanipho eqotho; ngiyikuqedisisa; amandla ngawami.
I give [people] good advice and I enable them to do things that are wise. I understand how things really are, and I am strong.
15 Ngami amakhosi ayabusa, lababusi bamisa ukulunga.
When kings are wise, they rule [well]; and when rulers are wise, they make laws that are just/fair.
16 Ngami iziphathamandla ziyabusa, lezikhulu, bonke abehluleli bomhlaba.
Rulers govern their people with the help of me, wisdom, and those who have authority decide things fairly/just with my help.
17 Mina ngiyathanda abangithandayo, lalabo abangidingisisayo bazangithola.
I, [wisdom], love [all] those who love me, and [all] those who truly seek me [will] find me.
18 Inotho lodumo kukimi, inotho eqhubekayo lokulunga.
I enable [people] to become rich and to be honored; [I enable them to have] wealth that will last and to be successful.
19 Isithelo sami singcono kulegolide, legolide elicwengekileyo, lokutholakalayo kwami kulesiliva esikhethekileyo.
What I can give people is more valuable than fine/pure gold and the best silver.
20 Ngihamba endleleni yokulunga, phakathi kwemikhondo yesahlulelo;
I always do what is righteous and just/fair.
21 ukuthi ngenze abangithandayo badle ilifa lemfuyo; ngigcwalise iziphala zabo.
I give wealth to those who love me; I fill their houses with valuable things.
22 INkosi, ngaba ngeyayo, ngaba yikuqala kwendlela yayo, ngaphambi kwemisebenzi yayo yendulo.
Yahweh created me, [wisdom], when he began [to create the world]; he created me [to do my work] before he created anything else.
23 Ngamiswa kwasephakadeni, kusukela ekuqaleni, kusukela emandulo omhlaba.
He appointed me long ago, before he created the earth.
24 Kungakabi khona izinziki ngasengizelwe, ingakabi khona imithombo enzima ngamanzi.
I was born before the oceans were [created], when there were no springs from which water flowed.
25 Intaba zingakamiswa, kungakabi khona amaqaqa, ngasengizelwe.
I was born before the hills and mountains were formed;
26 Ingakawenzi umhlaba lemimango, lokuqala kwentuli zomhlaba.
[I, wisdom], was born before Yahweh made the earth, before he made the fields and the soil on the earth.
27 Lapho ilungisa amazulu ngangikhonapho; lapho imisa umkhathi ngaphezu kwenziki;
I was there when Yahweh put the sky in place, when he marked the place [in the distance] where the sky and the oceans [seem to] come together.
28 lapho imisa amayezi ngaphezulu; lapho iqinisa imithombo yenziki;
I was there when Yahweh put the clouds above [the earth] and when he caused the water that is inside the earth to be secure.
29 lapho imisela ulwandle umngcele walo ukuze amanzi angeqi umlayo wayo; lapho imisa izisekelo zomhlaba;
I was there when he fixed a boundary for the seas, so that the water in the seas would not go past those boundaries, and when he put down the foundations which support the earth.
30 khona ngangiseduze layo njengowakhuliswa yiyo, ngizintokozo zayo usuku ngosuku, ngithokoza phambi kwayo ngaso sonke isikhathi,
I was at the side of Yahweh, the master worker (OR, as though I was his child). I caused him to be happy every day, and I was always rejoicing when I was with him.
31 ngidlala elizweni lomhlaba wayo, lentokozo zami zisebantwaneni babantu.
I was delighted with the world that he created; I was happy with the people whom he created, too.
32 Ngakho-ke, bantwana bami, ngizweni; ngoba babusisiwe abagcina indlela zami.
So, [you people who are like] my sons, listen to me. [I am] pleased with [all] those who obey my teachings.
33 Zwanini ukulaya, lihlakaniphe, lingakudeli.
Listen [carefully] to what I teach you and become wise. Do not reject my teaching!
34 Ubusisiwe umuntu ongizwayo, alinde insuku ngensuku emasangweni ami, alinde emigubazini yeminyango yami.
[I am] pleased with those who listen to me, those who are outside my house every day, waiting [for me to come out].
35 Ngoba ongitholayo uthola impilo, azuze umusa eNkosini.
Those who find me will have [a long] life, and Yahweh [will] be pleased with them.
36 Kodwa owona kimi wona umphefumulo wakhe; bonke abangizondayo bathanda ukufa.
But those who stray away from me [just] harm themselves. All those who hate me, [it is as though] [IRO] they are loving death.”
