Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
Zwanini, madodana ami, izeluleko zikayihlo; lalelani lizuze ukuqedisisa.
2 for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
Ngilipha izifundo ezipheleleyo; ngakho lingalahli imfundiso yami.
3 For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
Ngathi ngisengumfana emzini kababa, ngisebuthakathaka, ngiyimi ngedwa ingane kamama,
4 He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
wangifundisa ubaba wathi, “Abambe amazwi ami ngenhliziyo yakho yonke; gcina imilayo yami ukuze uphile.
5 Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
Zuza ukuhlakanipha, zuza ukuqedisisa; ungawakhohlwa amazwi ami, kumbe ugudluke kuwo.
6 Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
Ungafulatheli ukuhlakanipha, kuzakuvikela; kuthande, kuzakulinda.
7 Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
Ukuhlakanipha kuyinqaba; ngakho zuza ukuhlakanipha. Zuza ukuqedisisa loba kungathatha konke olakho.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.
Kugogose, kuzakuphakamisa; kugone, kuzakunika udumo.
9 She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”
Kuzakwethesa umqhele wamaluba omusa ekhanda lakho kukwethese umqhele wenkazimulo.”
10 Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
Zwana mntanami, yamukela lokho engikutshoyo, ukuze insuku zokuphila kwakho zibe zinengi.
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
Ngiyakukhokhela endleleni yokuhlakanipha, ngikuqondise ezindleleni eziqondileyo.
12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
Nxa uhamba kawuyikuthikaza; nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
13 Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
Bambelela iziqondiso, ungayekethisi; zigcine kuhle ngoba ziyikuphila kwakho.
14 Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
Ungayingeni indlela yababi njalo ungahambi endleleni yezigangi.
15 Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
Ixwaye, ungahambi ngayo; itshiye uqhubeke ngeyakho indlela.
16 For they don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
Phela kabalali bengenzanga ukuganga; badela ubuthongo ukuze baqale balimaze omunye umuntu.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
Badla isinkwa sobubi banathe iwayini lobudlwangudlwangu.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.
Indlela yabalungileyo injengovivi lokusa, kukhule ukukhanya kwalo kuze kuphelele emini.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
Kodwa indlela yababi ifana lomnyama omkhulu; kabazi ukuthi kuyini okubakhubayo.
20 My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
Ndodana yami, zwana lokhu engikutshoyo; lalelisisa amazwi ami.
21 Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart.
Ungawasusi emehlweni akho, agcine enhliziyweni yakho;
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
ngoba ayikuphila kulabo abawafumanayo; lokuqina komzimba wonke womuntu.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
Phezu kwakho konke, gcina inhliziyo yakho, ngoba ingumthombo wokuphila kwakho.
24 Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
Lahla izibozi zamazwi emlonyeni wakho; ungakhuphi inkulumo yokuxhwala ezindebeni zakho.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
Khangelisa amehlo akho nta phambili, uwathi nhlo amehlo akho kulokho okuphambi kwakho.
26 Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
Lungisa izindlela ukuze inyawo zakho zinyathele kuhle, uhambe ngezindlela eziqinileyo kuphela.
27 Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
Ungaphambukeli kwesokunene loba kwesokhohlo; ugcine unyawo lwakho lunganyatheli okubi.
