Proverbs 8

Ubizo Lokuhlakanipha

1Ukuhlakanipha kakumemezi yini? Ukuqedisisa kakuphakamisi ilizwi lakho na?

2Emiqolweni yezindlela, emahlanganweni ezindlela kulapho okujame khona;

3emasangweni angena phakathi kwedolobho, ezintubeni kuyamemeza kakhulu kusithi:

4“Ngimemeza lina, madoda; ilizwi lami libiza bonke abantu.

5Lina eliyizithutha, zuzani ukuqonda; lina ziphukuphuku, zuzani ukuqedisisa.

6Lalelani ngoba ngilitshela izinto eziqakathekileyo; ngivula izindebe zami ngikhuluma okuqondileyo.

7Umlomo wami ukhuluma okuliqiniso, ngokuba izindebe zami ziyabenyanya ububi.

8Wonke amazwi omlomo wami aqondile; kalikho lelilodwa elitshekileyo loba elingcolileyo.

9Kulowo ozwisisayo wonke alungile; akulankohliso kulabo abalolwazi.

10Khetha iseluleko sami kulesiliva, ulwazi kulegolide elikhethiweyo,

11ngoba ukuhlakanipha kuligugu okudlula amarubhi, kakukho ezifisweni zakho okulingana lakho.

12“Mina, kuhlakanipha, ngihlala ndawonye lokuqondisisa; ngilolwazi lokukhetha kuhle.

13Ukwesaba uJehova yikuzonda ububi; ngiyakuzonda ukuzazisa lobuqholo, ukuziphatha kubi lenkulumo ebolileyo.

14Ukweluleka lokwahlulela okuhle kungokwami; ngilokuzwisisa lamandla.

15Amakhosi abusa ngenxa yami lababusi balakho ukutshaya imithetho elungileyo;

16amakhosana abusa ngami, lazo zonke izikhulu ezibusa emhlabeni.

17Ngiyabathanda labo abangithandayo, labo abangidingayo bayangifumana.

18Kimi kukhona inotho lodumo, inotho engapheliyo lokuphumelela.

19Izithelo zami zingcono kulegolide elicengiweyo; okuphuma kimi kwedlula isiliva sekhethelo.

20Ngihamba ngendlela yokulunga, ngilandela umkhondo wokuqonda,

21ngiyabela inotho kulabo abangithandayo ngigcwalise iziphala zabo.

22UJehova wangenza ngaba khona ngaqalela konke okukhona, kuqala kokwenza ezinye izinto;

23ngaba khona ekudabukeni kwezinto, kwasekuqaleni, umhlaba ungakabi khona.

24Kungakabi lezilwandle, ngasengizelwe, kungakabi khona izihotsha ezigcwele amanzi;

25izintaba zingakamiswa ezinsikeni zazo, engakabi khona amaqaqa, ngasengizelwe,

26uJehova engakawenzi umhlaba lamaganga, loba lonke uthuli lomhlaba.

27Ngangikhona uJehova ehlela kuhle izulu, ephawula kuhle imingcele yomkhathi lolwandle,

28esenza amayezi emkhathini wazizinzisa izinziki zolwandle,

29ebeka imingcele yolwandle ukuze amanzi angedluli izimiso zakhe, ngesikhathi lapho emisa izisekelo zomhlaba.

30Ngalesosikhathi ngangingumbumbi eceleni kwakhe. Ngangigcwele injabulo insuku ngensuku, ngithokoza ukuba laye kokuphela,

31ngithokoza ngomhlaba wakhe wonke ngijabuliswa yibukhona babantu.

32“Ngakho-ke, madodana ami, ngilalelani;

33babusisekile labo abalondoloza izindlela zami. Lalelani imfundiso yami ukuze lihlakaniphe; lingaqali ukuyidela.

34Ubusisiwe lowomuntu ongilalelayo, olinda imihla yonke eminyango yami, elindile entubeni yami.

35Ngoba lowo ongifumanayo uzuza ukuphila emukeliswe ukuthandwa nguJehova.

36Kodwa lowo owehlulekayo ukungifumana uyazilimaza; bonke abangizondayo bathanda ukufa.”