Proverbs 2
1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you,
Ndodana yami, nxa usamukela amazwi ami ugcine imilayo yami ngaphakathi kwakho,
2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;
uvule indlebe yakho izwe ukuhlakanipha unikele inhliziyo yakho ukuthi izwisise,
3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding;
njalo nxa ucela ukuqedisisa ukhalela kakhulu ukuzwisisa,
4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures;
futhi ukudingisisa njengokudinga isiliva ukuphenye njengento eligugu efihliweyo,
5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
lapho-ke uzakuzwisisa ukumesaba uThixo njalo uluzuze ulwazi lukaNkulunkulu.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
Ngoba uThixo uyapha ukuhlakanipha, emlonyeni wakhe kuphuma ulwazi lokuqedisisa.
7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
Abaqotho ubapha ukunqoba, ulihawu lalabo abahamba bengasoleki,
8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints.
ngoba uyayilinda indlela yabalungileyo avikele ukuhamba kwabathembekileyo bakhe.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path.
Yikho uzazwisisa lokho okulungileyo lokuqondileyo lokufaneleyo zonke izindlela ezinhle.
10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
Ngoba ukuhlakanipha kuzangena enhliziyweni yakho, lolwazi lube mnandi emphefumulweni wakho.
11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you,
Ukwazi ukukhetha kuzakuvikela, lokuzwisisa kuzakulinda.
12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things,
Ukuhlakanipha kuzakusindisa ezindleleni zabantu ababi, abantu abamazwi abolileyo,
13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness,
abatshiya izindlela eziqondileyo, bahambe ngezindlela ezilamathunzi,
14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil,
abathokoza ngokwenza okubi bajabule ngokungcola kokubi,
15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths,
abandlela zabo zitshekile lokuhamba kwabo kakuqondakali.
16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words,
Kuzakukhulula njalo koyisiphingikazi, lasemfazini olamazwi akhohlisayo,
17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God;
osetshiye indoda yakhe yobutsha bakhe wadela isifungo asenza phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits.
Ngoba indlu yakhe iholela ekufeni lezindlela zakhe zidonsela kwabafileyo.
19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life.
Kakho ongena kuye obuyayo kumbe aphinde azuze izindlela zokuphila.
20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
Ngakho uzahamba ezindleleni zabantu abalungileyo walele emikhondweni yabaqondileyo.
21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it.
Ngoba abaqotho bazahlala elizweni, labangasolekiyo bazasala kulo;
22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it.
kodwa izigangi zizasuswa elizweni, labangathembekanga bazakhutshwa kulo.
