Izaga 1
1 Izaga zikaSolomoni, indodana kaDavida, inkosi yakoIsrayeli;
These are the (proverbs/wise sayings) that come from Solomon, the King of Israel, who was the son of [King] David.
2 ukwazi inhlakanipho lokulaywa, ukuqedisisa amazwi okuqedisisa,
(These proverbs [PRS] can teach people/By studying these proverbs, people can learn) how to be wise and how to obey what these proverbs teach them. They will [also] help people to understand which teachings are wise.
3 ukwemukela ukulaya kwenhlakanipho, ukulunga, lesahlulelo, lokuqonda;
These proverbs [PRS] will teach you how to discipline/control yourselves, how to conduct your lives, and how to do what is right and just [DOU].
4 ukunika abangelalwazi inhlakanipho, ijaha ulwazi lengqondo.
They will show [people] who do not [yet] know much how to do things that are smart. They will show young people how to become wise and how to make good plans/decisions.
5 Ohlakaniphileyo uzakuzwa, andise ukufunda, loqedisisayo uzazuza izeluleko,
Those who are wise should also pay attention [to these proverbs], in order to become more wise, and those who understand [these teachings] will receive good advice/guidance.
6 ukuqedisisa isaga lomzekeliso, amazwi abahlakaniphileyo, lamalibho abo.
Then they will be able to understand the meaning of proverbs and parables/metaphors, these wise sayings and (riddles/sayings that are difficult to understand).
7 Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuqala kolwazi; izithutha ziyadelela inhlakanipho lokulaywa.
If [you want to be] wise, you must begin by revering Yahweh. [Only] foolish people despise wisdom and good advice/discipline.
8 Ndodana yami, zwana ukulaya kukayihlo, ungawudeli umlayo kanyoko;
My son, pay attention to what [I], your father, am teaching you. And do not reject what your mother teaches you.
9 ngoba kuzakuba ngumqhele womusa ekhanda lakho, lemigaxo entanyeni yakho.
What we teach you [will make you respected like having] a lovely turban around your head and [like] a [beautiful] necklace to put around your neck.
10 Ndodana yami, uba izoni zikuhuga, ungavumi.
My son, if sinners tempt/entice you [to do what is wrong], say “No” to them.
11 Uba zisithi: Hamba lathi, siyecathamela igazi, sicatshele ongelacala kungelasizatho;
They may say, “Come with us! Join us! We will hide and then kill [MTY] someone [who passes by]. We will ambush some helpless/innocent people.
We will kill them [HYP] and get rid of them completely, [just] like [people who are buried in] graves are gone forever. While they are in good health, we will send them to the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
13 Sizathola yonke impahla eligugu, sigcwalise izindlu zethu ngempango.
And we will seize all the things that they own. We will fill our houses with these things!
14 Phosela inkatho yakho phakathi kwethu; sonke sibe lesikhwama semali sinye.
[So], come with us! Join our group! We will share with you the things that we steal.”
15 Ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo endleleni; unqande unyawo lwakho emkhondweni wazo.
My son, do not accompany them! Do not walk on the roads with them!
16 Ngoba inyawo zazo zigijimela ebubini, ziphangisa ukuchitha igazi.
They rush to do evil deeds! They hurry to murder [MTY] people.
17 Isibili, imbule lendlalelwa ize phambi kwamehlo aloba yiyiphi inyoni.
It is useless to put out a (trap/net to catch a bird) because when a bird sees it, [it stays away from it].
18 Lalaba bacathamela igazi labo, bacatshele imiphefumulo yabo.
But those wicked people are not like the birds, [because they do not realize] that when they prepare to ambush someone to kill him, they will be killed themselves!
19 Zinjalo indlela zakhe wonke ozuza inzuzo ngokuphanga; ithatha impilo yabaniniyo.
That is what happens to people who eagerly try to get things [by violently attacking others]. They will only destroy themselves!
20 UkuHlakanipha kuyamemeza ngaphandle, kukhupha ilizwi lakho emidangeni.
Wisdom [PRS] shouts to people in the streets, and calls out to people in the (plazas/town squares).
21 Kuyamemeza endaweni eqakathekileyo yokuxokozela, ekungeneni kwamasango; emzini kutsho amazwi akho,
Wisdom calls out in noisy places, and at the entrances to cities.
22 kusithi: Koze kube nini, lina elingelalwazi, lithanda ukungabi lalwazi, labaklolodayo bezifisela ukukloloda, leziphukuphuku zizonda ulwazi?
[Wisdom says], “How long will you stupid people continue to enjoy doing foolish things [RHQ]? How long will you people who ridicule God enjoy doing that [RHQ]? How long will you foolish people refuse to know [what things are right] [RHQ]?
23 Phendukelani ekukhuzeni kwami; khangelani, ngizathululela umoya wami kini, ngilazise amazwi ami.
If you pay attention to me when I rebuke you, I will tell you what I am thinking in my inner being; I will give you some good advice.
24 Ngoba ngibizile, kodwa lala; ngelulile isandla sami, kodwa kakho onanzayo;
But when I called to you, you refused to listen. I beckoned to you to come to me, but you ignored me.
25 ladelela sonke iseluleko sami, kalivumanga ukukhuza kwami;
I tried to advise you, but you refused to listen to me. I tried to correct you, but you rejected what I told you.
26 mina-ke ngizahleka ukuchitheka kwenu, ngiklolode ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu,
So [now], when you are experiencing troubles/disasters, I will laugh at you. When things happen that cause you to be afraid, I will make fun of you.
27 ekufikeni kokwesaba kwenu njengesiphepho, lokuchitheka kwenu kufika njengesivunguzane, lapho ubuhlungu losizi kulehlela.
When calamities strike you like a big storm, when disasters hit you like a violent wind, when [all kinds of things] distress you and give you trouble, [I will ridicule you!]
28 Khona bazangibiza, kodwa kangiyikusabela; bazangidingisisa, kodwa kabayikungithola.
[Wisdom also says], “When foolish people call to me [to help them], I will not answer them. They will search for me diligently/everywhere, but they will not find me.
29 Ngenxa yokuthi babezonda ulwazi, bengakhethanga ukwesaba iNkosi.
They refused to know [what things are right], and they decided not to revere Yahweh.
30 Kabavumanga iseluleko sami, bedelela konke ukukhuza kwami.
They would not accept my advice, and they did not pay attention when I tried to correct them.
31 Ngakho bazakudla okwesithelo sendlela yabo, basuthiswe ngamacebo abo.
So they will endure what will result [MET, DOU] from the evil way they have lived/behaved and the evil things they have planned to do.
32 Ngoba ukuhlehla kwabangelalwazi kuzababulala, lokonwaba kweziphukuphuku kuzababhubhisa.
Those who turn away from me are stupid/foolish; they will die because of doing that.
33 Kodwa ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile, onwabe ekwesabeni okubi.
But those who pay attention to me will live peacefully and safely, and they will not be afraid that something will harm them.”
