Izaga 2
1 Ndodana yami, nxa usamukela amazwi ami ugcine imilayo yami ngaphakathi kwakho,
My son, if thou dost accept my sayings, And my commands dost lay up with thee,
2 uvule indlebe yakho izwe ukuhlakanipha unikele inhliziyo yakho ukuthi izwisise,
To cause thine ear to attend to wisdom, Thou inclinest thy heart to understanding,
3 njalo nxa ucela ukuqedisisa ukhalela kakhulu ukuzwisisa,
For, if for intelligence thou callest, For understanding givest forth thy voice,
4 futhi ukudingisisa njengokudinga isiliva ukuphenye njengento eligugu efihliweyo,
If thou dost seek her as silver, And as hid treasures searchest for her,
5 lapho-ke uzakuzwisisa ukumesaba uThixo njalo uluzuze ulwazi lukaNkulunkulu.
Then understandest thou fear of Jehovah, And knowledge of God thou findest.
6 Ngoba uThixo uyapha ukuhlakanipha, emlonyeni wakhe kuphuma ulwazi lokuqedisisa.
For Jehovah giveth wisdom, From His mouth knowledge and understanding.
7 Abaqotho ubapha ukunqoba, ulihawu lalabo abahamba bengasoleki,
Even to lay up for the upright substance, A shield for those walking uprightly.
8 ngoba uyayilinda indlela yabalungileyo avikele ukuhamba kwabathembekileyo bakhe.
To keep the paths of judgment, And the way of His saints He preserveth.
9 Yikho uzazwisisa lokho okulungileyo lokuqondileyo lokufaneleyo zonke izindlela ezinhle.
Then understandest thou righteousness, And judgment, and uprightness — every good path.
10 Ngoba ukuhlakanipha kuzangena enhliziyweni yakho, lolwazi lube mnandi emphefumulweni wakho.
For wisdom cometh into thy heart, And knowledge to thy soul is pleasant,
11 Ukwazi ukukhetha kuzakuvikela, lokuzwisisa kuzakulinda.
Thoughtfulness doth watch over thee, Understanding doth keep thee,
12 Ukuhlakanipha kuzakusindisa ezindleleni zabantu ababi, abantu abamazwi abolileyo,
To deliver thee from an evil way, From any speaking froward things,
13 abatshiya izindlela eziqondileyo, bahambe ngezindlela ezilamathunzi,
Who are forsaking paths of uprightness, To walk in ways of darkness,
14 abathokoza ngokwenza okubi bajabule ngokungcola kokubi,
Who are rejoicing to do evil, They delight in frowardness of the wicked,
15 abandlela zabo zitshekile lokuhamba kwabo kakuqondakali.
Whose paths [are] crooked, Yea, they are perverted in their ways.
16 Kuzakukhulula njalo koyisiphingikazi, lasemfazini olamazwi akhohlisayo,
To deliver thee from the strange woman, From the stranger who hath made smooth her sayings,
17 osetshiye indoda yakhe yobutsha bakhe wadela isifungo asenza phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
Who is forsaking the guide of her youth, And the covenant of her God hath forgotten.
18 Ngoba indlu yakhe iholela ekufeni lezindlela zakhe zidonsela kwabafileyo.
For her house hath inclined unto death, And unto Rephaim her paths.
19 Kakho ongena kuye obuyayo kumbe aphinde azuze izindlela zokuphila.
None going in unto her turn back, Nor do they reach the paths of life.
20 Ngakho uzahamba ezindleleni zabantu abalungileyo walele emikhondweni yabaqondileyo.
That thou dost go in the way of the good, And the paths of the righteous dost keep.
21 Ngoba abaqotho bazahlala elizweni, labangasolekiyo bazasala kulo;
For the upright do inhabit the earth, And the perfect are left in it,
22 kodwa izigangi zizasuswa elizweni, labangathembekanga bazakhutshwa kulo.
And the wicked from the earth are cut off, And treacherous dealers plucked out of it!
