Proverbs 22

1Ibizo elihle liyathandeka kulenotho enengi;
ukuhlonitshwa kungcono kulesiliva kumbe igolide.

2Abanothileyo labayanga bayafanana ngalokhu:
UThixo unguMenzi wabo bonke.

3Umuntu olengqondo uthi ebona ingozi acatshe,
kodwa isithutha siyaphikelela singena enkathazweni.

4Ukuzithoba lokwesaba uThixo
kuletha inotho lodumo lokuphila.

5Endleleni yababi kugcwele ameva lemjibila,
kodwa onanzelela umphefumulo wakhe unqenqela khatshana.

6Fundisa umntwana indlela amele ahambe ngayo,
kuzakuthi esemdala kayikuphambuka kuyo.

7Abanothileyo babusa abayanga,
lalowo owebolekayo uyisichaka salowo omebolekayo.

8Lowo ohlanyele ububi uvuna ukuhlupheka,
njalo uswazi lolaka lwakhe luzakwephulwa.

9Umuntu ophanayo uzabusiswa,
ngoba wabela abayanga ukudla kwakhe.

10Xotsha isideleli, lenkani ihle iphume;
ukuxabana lokuthukana kuyaphela.

11Othanda inhliziyo ehlanzekileyo, onkulumo yakhe ipholile
uzakuba ngumngane wombusi.

12Amehlo kaThixo ayaluvikela ulwazi
kodwa uyawadiliza amazwi abangathembekanga.

13Ivilavoxo lithi, “Kulesilwane phandle!
Ngizabulawa ezindleleni!”

14Umlomo wesifebekazi unjengomgodi otshonayo;
lowo othukwe nguThixo uzawobokela kuwo.

15Ubuwula bugxilile enhliziyweni yomntwana,
kodwa uswazi lokuqondisa luzabuxotshela khatshana.

16Lowo oncindezela abayanga ukuze anothe ngabo,
lalowo oncenga abanothileyo ngezipho,
bonke bacina sebengabayanga.

Amazwi Angamatshumi Amathathu Ezihlakaniphi

Ilizwi Lakuqala

17Lalela uzwe amazwi ezihlakaniphi;
nikela inhliziyo yakho ezifundweni zami,
18ngoba kuyathokozisa nxa uzigcina enhliziyweni yakho,
uzitsho kalula ngezindebe zakho.
19Ukuze ithemba lakho lihlale kuThixo,
yikho ngikufundisa lamuhla wena ngokwakho.
20Kangikulobelanga yini izitsho ezingamatshumi amathathu,
izitsho zokweluleka lolwazi,
21ezikufundisa amazwi eqiniso athembekileyo,
ukuze ukwazi ukupha impendulo ezilesisindo
kulowo okuthumileyo na?

22Ungagegeleli abayanga ngoba bengabayanga
njalo ungaphoseli abaswelayo entolongweni,
23ngoba uThixo uzakuba ngumeli wabo
abahlukuluze labo ababahlukuluzayo.

24Ungabi ngumngane womuntu ololaka,
ungahambi lomuntu ozonda masinyane,
25funa ufunde izindlela zakhe
uzingenise emjibileni.

26Ungabi ngumuntu ophanga ukwenza izithembiso
kumbe onika isibambiso ngezikwelede;
27ungayiswela inhlawulo
uzakwemukwa noma ngumbheda wakho olala kuwo.

28Ungasusi ilitshe lakudala elomngcele
elabekwa ngokhokho bakho.

29Uyambona umuntu oyingcitshi emsebenzini wakhe na?
Uzasebenzela amakhosi;
akayikusebenzela abantukazana.