Proverbs 8
1 Does not wisdom call out, and prudence bestow her voice?
Ukuhlakanipha kakumemezi yini? Ukuqedisisa kakuphakamisi ilizwi lakho na?
2 At the summits and the tops of exalted places, standing above the ways, in the midst of the paths,
Emiqolweni yezindlela, emahlanganweni ezindlela kulapho okujame khona;
3 beside the gates of the city, at the very doors, she speaks, saying:
emasangweni angena phakathi kwedolobho, ezintubeni kuyamemeza kakhulu kusithi:
4 “O men, to you I call out, and my voice is to the sons of men.
“Ngimemeza lina, madoda; ilizwi lami libiza bonke abantu.
5 O little ones, understand discernment. And you who are unwise, turn your souls.
Lina eliyizithutha, zuzani ukuqonda; lina ziphukuphuku, zuzani ukuqedisisa.
6 Listen, for I will speak about great things, and my lips will be opened, so as to foretell what is right.
Lalelani ngoba ngilitshela izinto eziqakathekileyo; ngivula izindebe zami ngikhuluma okuqondileyo.
7 My throat shall practice truth, and my lips shall detest the impious.
Umlomo wami ukhuluma okuliqiniso, ngoba izindebe zami ziyabenyanya ububi.
8 All my words are just. There is no depravity in them, and no perversity.
Wonke amazwi omlomo wami aqondile; kalikho lelilodwa elitshekileyo loba elingcolileyo.
9 They are upright to those who understand, and equitable to those who discover knowledge.
Kulowo ozwisisayo wonke alungile; akulankohliso kulabo abalolwazi.
10 Accept my discipline, and not money. Choose the doctrine that is greater than gold.
Khetha iseluleko sami kulesiliva, ulwazi kulegolide elikhethiweyo,
11 For wisdom is better than all that is most precious, and everything that is desirable cannot compare to her.
ngoba ukuhlakanipha kuligugu okudlula amarubhi, njalo akulanto ongayifisa ezifisweni zakho okulingana lakho.
12 I, wisdom, dwell in counsel, and I am inside learned thoughts.
Mina, kuhlakanipha, ngihlala ndawonye lokuqondisisa; ngilolwazi lokukhetha kuhle.
13 The fear of the Lord hates evil. I detest arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.
Ukwesaba uThixo yikuzonda ububi; ngiyakuzonda ukuzazisa lobuqholo, ukuziphatha kubi lenkulumo ebolileyo.
14 Counsel is mine, and equity. Prudence is mine. Strength is mine.
Ukweluleka lokwahlulela okuhle kungokwami; ngilokuzwisisa lamandla.
15 Through me, kings reign and legislators decree just conditions.
Amakhosi abusa ngenxa yami lababusi balakho ukutshaya imithetho elungileyo;
16 Through me, princes rule and the powerful decree justice.
amakhosana abusa ngami, lazozonke izikhulu ezibusa emhlabeni.
17 I love those who love me. And those who stand watch for me until morning shall discover me.
Ngiyabathanda labo abangithandayo, labo abangidingayo bayangithola.
18 With me, are wealth and glory, superb riches and justice.
Kimi kukhona inotho lodumo, inotho engapheliyo lokuphumelela.
19 For my fruit is better than gold and precious stones, and my progeny better than choice silver.
Izithelo zami zingcono kulegolide elicengiweyo; okuphuma kimi kwedlula isiliva sekhethelo.
20 I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,
Ngihamba ngendlela yokulunga, ngilandela umkhondo wokuqonda,
21 so that I may enrich those who love me, and thus complete their treasures.
ngiyabela inotho kulabo abangithandayo ngigcwalise iziphala zabo.
22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made anything, from the beginning.
UThixo wangenza ngaba khona ngaqalela konke okukhona, kuqala kokwenza ezinye izinto;
23 I was ordained from eternity, and out of antiquity, before the earth was formed.
ngaba khona ekudabukeni kwezinto, kwasekuqaleni, umhlaba ungakabi khona.
24 The abyss did not yet exist, and I was already conceived; neither had the fountains of waters yet erupted.
Kungakabi lezilwandle, ngasengizelwe, kungakabi khona izihotsha ezigcwele amanzi;
25 The mountains, with their great mass, had not yet been established. Before the hills, I was brought forth.
izintaba zingakamiswa ensikeni zazo, engakabi khona amaqaqa, ngasengizelwe,
26 Still he had not made the earth, and the rivers, and the poles of the globe of the earth.
uThixo engakawenzi umhlaba lamaganga, loba lonke uthuli lomhlaba.
27 I was already present: when he prepared the heavens; when, with a certain law and a circuit, he fortified the abyss;
Ngangikhona uThixo ehlela kuhle izulu, ephawula kuhle imingcele yomkhathi lolwandle,
28 when he made firm the sky above, and set free the fountains of waters;
esenza amayezi emkhathini wazizinzisa inziki zolwandle,
29 when he encompassed the sea within its limits, and laid down a law for the waters, lest they transgress their limits; when he weighed the foundations of the earth.
ebeka imingcele yolwandle ukuze amanzi angedluli izimiso zakhe, ngesikhathi lapho emisa izisekelo zomhlaba.
30 I was with him in composing all things. And I was delighted, throughout every day, by playing in his sight at all times,
Ngalesosikhathi ngangingumbumbi eceleni kwakhe. Ngangilenjabulo enkulu insuku ngensuku, ngithokoza ukuba laye kokuphela,
31 playing in globe of the earth. And my delight was to be with the sons of men.
ngithokoza ngomhlaba wakhe wonke ngijabuliswa yibukhona babantu.
32 Therefore, sons, hear me now. Blessed are those who preserve my ways.
Ngakho-ke, madodana ami, ngilalelani; babusisekile labo abalondoloza izindlela zami.
33 Listen to discipline, and become wise, and do not be willing to cast it aside.
Lalelani imfundiso yami ukuze lihlakaniphe; lingaqali ukuyidela.
34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, and who stands watch at my gates every day, and who observes at the posts of my doors.
Ubusisiwe lowomuntu ongilalelayo, olinda imihla yonke eminyango yami, elindile entubeni yami.
35 He who finds me, finds life, and he will draw salvation from the Lord.
Ngoba lowo ongifumanayo uzuza ukuphila emukeliswe ukuthandwa nguThixo.
36 But he who sins against me will wound his own soul. All who hate me love death.”
Kodwa lowo owehlulekayo ukungifumana uyazilimaza; bonke abangizondayo bathanda ukufa.”
