Proverbs 4

Ukuhlakanipha Kuyinqaba

1Zwanini, madodana ami, izeluleko zikayihlo;
lalelani lizuze ukuqedisisa.
2Ngilipha izifundo ezipheleleyo;
ngakho lingalahli imfundiso yami.
3Ngathi ngisengumfana emzini kababa,
ngisebuthakathaka, ngiyimi ngedwa ingane kamama,
4wangifundisa ubaba wathi,
“Abambe amazwi ami ngenhliziyo yakho yonke;
gcina imilayo yami ukuze uphile.
5Zuza ukuhlakanipha, zuza ukuqedisisa;
ungawakhohlwa amazwi ami, kumbe ugudluke kuwo.
6Ungafulatheli ukuhlakanipha, kuzakuvikela;
kuthande, kuzakulinda.
7Ukuhlakanipha kuyinqaba; ngakho zuza ukuhlakanipha.
Zuza ukuqedisisa loba kungathatha konke olakho.
8Kugogose, kuzakuphakamisa;
kugone, kuzakunika udumo.
9Kuzakwethesa umqhele wamaluba omusa ekhanda lakho
kukwethese umqhele wenkazimulo.”

10Zwana mntanami, yamukela lokho engikutshoyo,
ukuze insuku zokuphila kwakho zibe zinengi.
11Ngiyakukhokhela endleleni yokuhlakanipha,
ngikuqondise ezindleleni eziqondileyo.
12Nxa uhamba kawuyikuthikaza;
nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
13Bambelela iziqondiso, ungayekethisi;
zigcine kuhle ngoba ziyikuphila kwakho.
14Ungayingeni indlela yababi
njalo ungahambi endleleni yezigangi.
15Ixwaye, ungahambi ngayo;
itshiye uqhubeke ngeyakho indlela.
16Phela kabalali bengenzanga ukuganga;
badela ubuthongo ukuze baqale balimaze omunye umuntu.
17Badla isinkwa sobubi
banathe iwayini lobudlwangudlwangu.

18Indlela yabalungileyo injengovivi lokusa,
kukhule ukukhanya kwalo kuze kuphelele emini.
19Kodwa indlela yababi ifana lomnyama omkhulu;
kabazi ukuthi kuyini okubakhubayo.

20Ndodana yami, zwana lokhu engikutshoyo;
lalelisisa amazwi ami.
21Ungawasusi emehlweni akho,
agcine enhliziyweni yakho;
22ngoba ayikuphila kulabo abawafumanayo;
lokuqina komzimba wonke womuntu.
23Phezu kwakho konke, gcina inhliziyo yakho,
ngoba ingumthombo wokuphila kwakho.
24Lahla izibozi zamazwi emlonyeni wakho;
ungakhuphi inkulumo yokuxhwala ezindebeni zakho.
25Khangelisa amehlo akho nta phambili,
uwathi nhlo amehlo akho kulokho okuphambi kwakho.
26Lungisa izindlela ukuze inyawo zakho zinyathele kuhle,
uhambe ngezindlela eziqinileyo kuphela.
27Ungaphambukeli kwesokunene loba kwesokhohlo;
ugcine unyawo lwakho lunganyatheli okubi.