Izaga 1
1 Izaga zikaSolomoni, indodana kaDavida, inkosi yakoIsrayeli;
These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
2 ukwazi inhlakanipho lokulaywa, ukuqedisisa amazwi okuqedisisa,
for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,
3 ukwemukela ukulaya kwenhlakanipho, ukulunga, lesahlulelo, lokuqonda;
and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.
4 ukunika abangelalwazi inhlakanipho, ijaha ulwazi lengqondo.
To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,
5 Ohlakaniphileyo uzakuzwa, andise ukufunda, loqedisisayo uzazuza izeluleko,
let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
6 ukuqedisisa isaga lomzekeliso, amazwi abahlakaniphileyo, lamalibho abo.
by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuqala kolwazi; izithutha ziyadelela inhlakanipho lokulaywa.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
8 Ndodana yami, zwana ukulaya kukayihlo, ungawudeli umlayo kanyoko;
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
9 ngoba kuzakuba ngumqhele womusa ekhanda lakho, lemigaxo entanyeni yakho.
For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.
10 Ndodana yami, uba izoni zikuhuga, ungavumi.
My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.
11 Uba zisithi: Hamba lathi, siyecathamela igazi, sicatshele ongelacala kungelasizatho;
If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,
let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 Sizathola yonke impahla eligugu, sigcwalise izindlu zethu ngempango.
We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.
14 Phosela inkatho yakho phakathi kwethu; sonke sibe lesikhwama semali sinye.
Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—
15 Ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo endleleni; unqande unyawo lwakho emkhondweni wazo.
my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.
16 Ngoba inyawo zazo zigijimela ebubini, ziphangisa ukuchitha igazi.
For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
17 Isibili, imbule lendlalelwa ize phambi kwamehlo aloba yiyiphi inyoni.
How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!
18 Lalaba bacathamela igazi labo, bacatshele imiphefumulo yabo.
But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.
19 Zinjalo indlela zakhe wonke ozuza inzuzo ngokuphanga; ithatha impilo yabaniniyo.
Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.
20 UkuHlakanipha kuyamemeza ngaphandle, kukhupha ilizwi lakho emidangeni.
Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
21 Kuyamemeza endaweni eqakathekileyo yokuxokozela, ekungeneni kwamasango; emzini kutsho amazwi akho,
in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:
22 kusithi: Koze kube nini, lina elingelalwazi, lithanda ukungabi lalwazi, labaklolodayo bezifisela ukukloloda, leziphukuphuku zizonda ulwazi?
“How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?
23 Phendukelani ekukhuzeni kwami; khangelani, ngizathululela umoya wami kini, ngilazise amazwi ami.
If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you.
24 Ngoba ngibizile, kodwa lala; ngelulile isandla sami, kodwa kakho onanzayo;
Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
25 ladelela sonke iseluleko sami, kalivumanga ukukhuza kwami;
because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,
26 mina-ke ngizahleka ukuchitheka kwenu, ngiklolode ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu,
in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
27 ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu njengesiphepho, lokuchitheka kwenu kufika njengesivunguzane, lapho ubuhlungu losizi kulehlela.
when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you.
28 Khona bazangibiza, kodwa kangiyikusabela; bazangidingisisa, kodwa kabayikungithola.
Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
29 Ngenxa yokuthi babezonda ulwazi, bengakhethanga ukwesaba iNkosi.
For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
30 Kabavumanga iseluleko sami, bedelela konke ukukhuza kwami.
They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
31 Ngakho bazakudla okwesithelo sendlela yabo, basuthiswe ngamacebo abo.
So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 Ngoba ukuhlehla kwabangelalwazi kuzababulala, lokonwaba kweziphukuphuku kuzababhubhisa.
For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 Kodwa ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile, onwabe ekwesabeni okubi.
But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”
