Proverbs 1

Injongo Lendikimba

1Izaga zikaSolomoni indodana kaDavida, inkosi yako-Israyeli:

2ukuba abantu bazuze ukuhlakanipha lokuzithiba;
ukuba bazwisise amazwi okuqedisisa;
3ukuba bazuze impilo yokuzithiba lobuqotho,
besenza okulungileyo, okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo;
4ukunika ulwazi kwabayizithutha,
ulwazi lokukhetha okuqondileyo kwabatsha
5ukuthi ohlakaniphileyo alalele engeze ukufunda kwakhe,
kuthi obonisisayo azuze izeluleko,
6ukuba abantu bazwisise izaga lemizekeliso,
izitsho lamalibho abahlakaniphileyo.

7Ukwesaba uThixo kuyikuqala kwenhlakanipho,
kodwa iziwula ziyakweyisa ukuqedisisa lokuzithiba.

Isandulelo: Isikhuthazo Sokubambelela Elwazini

Isixwayiso Ngokukhangwa Yizoni

8Lalela, ndodana yami, izeluleko zikayihlo
njalo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.
9Kuzakuba ngumqhele omuhle ekhanda lakho
lomgaxo wokucecisa intamo yakho.

10Ndodana yami, aluba izoni zikuhuga,
ungaze wavuma.
11Nxa zisithi, “Woza sihambe;
kasicathamele abantu sichithe igazi,
kasicwathele omunye umuntu ongelacala;
12kasibaginye bephila njengengcwaba,
sibajwamule njengabawele emgodini;
13sizazuza impahla ezinhle ezehlukeneyo
sigcwalise izindlu zethu ngempango;
14phathisana lathi
ukuze sibelesikhwama sinye”
15ndodana yami, ungahambi lazo,
ungalugxobi olwakho ezindleleni zazo;
16ngoba ezabo inyawo zigijima ekoneni,
bachitha igazi lula.
17Kakusizi ukuthiya ngembule
lithe dandalazi emehlweni ezinyoni!
18Abantu laba bacathamela ukuchitheka kwelabo igazi;
bajuma okwabo ukuphila.
19Sinjalo isiphetho salabo abadinga inzuzo ngobugebenga;
kuyayichitha impilo yalabo abayitholayo.

Isixwayiso Ngokufulathela Inhlakanipho

20Ukuhlakanipha kuyamemeza emgwaqweni,
kuphakamisa ilizwi lakho ezinkundleni;
21kuyanqongoloza lezindleleni okuxokozela khona,
kuyatshumayela emasangweni omuzi kuthi:

22“Koze kube nini lina zithutha lithanda ubuthutha benu na?
Koze kube nini izideleli zikholisa ukudelela
leziphukuphuku zizonda ulwazi na?
23Lalelani ukukhuza kwami liphenduke!
Ngizalivulela isifuba sami,
ngilivezele imicabango yami.
24Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi langifulathela ngilibiza,
kwangabi khona onginanzayo ngiselula isandla sami,
25njengoba lala izeluleko zami
njalo kalavuma ukukhuza kwami,
26ngakho lami ngizahleka selihlupheka;
ngizaliklolodela nxa lisehlelwa lusizi,
27nxa usizi lulehlela njengesiphepho;
nxa incithakalo ilikhukhula njengesivunguzane,
nxa usizi lezinhlupheko ziligabhela.

28Lapho-ke bazangibiza kodwa kangiyikusabela;
bazangidinga bangangitholi.
29Ngoba babeluzonda ulwazi
kabaze bakhetha ukwesaba uThixo
30ngoba kabavumanga iseluleko sami,
badelela ukukhuza kwami,
31bazakudla izithelo zokuhamba kwabo
basuthiswe ngezithelo zamacebo abo.
32Phela ubuhlongandlebe bezithutha buzazibulala,
lokungananzi kweziphukuphuku kuzazibhubhisa;
33kodwa lowo ongilalelayo uzahlala evikelekile ekhululekile,
engesabi lutho olungamlimaza.”