Proverbs 22
1 Igama elihle likhethekile kunengcebo enkulu, nomusa, kunesiliva negolide.
2 Abacebile nabampofu bayefana; bonke benziwe nguSimakade.
3 Ohlakaniphileyo uyayibona ingozi, acashe, kodwa abangenalwazi bayaphikelela, bajeziswe.
4 Umvuzo wokuthobeka nokwesaba uSimakade wudumo, nengcebo nokuphila.
5 Ameva nezingibe kusendleleni yabaphambukileyo, kodwa ogcina umphefumulo wakhe uhambela kude nakho.
6 Khulisa umntwana ngendlela eyakuba ngeyakhe; kuyakuthi lapho esekhulile angasuki kuyo.
7 Isicebi sibusa phezu kwabampofu, nobolekayo uyisigqila somtshelekileyo.
8 Ohlwanyela ububi uyakuvuna usizi, nenduku yolaka lwakhe iyakuphela.
9 Ophanayo uyobusiswa, ngoba wabelana ukudla nabampofu.
10 Xosha isedeleli, kuzophela ingxabano, ukuphikisana nehlazo.
11 Othanda inhliziyo ehlanzekileyo nonenkulumo enomusa, ungumngani wenkosi.
12 Amehlo kaSimakade alonda ulwazi, kepha uyawabhubhisa amazwi eqili.
13 Ivila, lithi: “Kunebhubesi ngaphandle; ngaphuma nje ngizobulawa emgwaqweni.”
14 Umlomo wowesifazane ondindayo ungumgodi ojulileyo; oqalekiswe nguSimakade, uyakuwela kuwo.
15 Ubuwula buboshelwe enhliziyweni yomntwana, kodwa induku yokumyala ibuqhelisela kude naye.
16 Ocindezela ompofu ukuze azicebise yena, nopha ocebileyo, kuholela ebuphofini.
17 Beka indlebe yakho, uzwe amazwi ezihlakaniphi, usigcine enhliziyweni yakho isifundiso sami,
18 ngokuba kuyokuba mnandi ukuba ukulonde enhliziyweni yakho, lapho konke sekulungele izindebe zakho.
19 Ukuba ithemba lakho libe kuSimakade, ngikwazisile khona namuhla, yebo, wena.
20 Angikulobelanga yini izeluleko nokwazi ezinsukwini ezintathu,
21 ukuba kukufundise iqiniso, namazwi athembekile, ukuze uthumele impendulo eyiqiniso kwabakuthumileyo na?
22 Ungamqoli ompofu ngoba ubona ubuphofu bakhe; ungamcindezeli ohluphekile esangweni,
23 ngokuba uSimakade uyayimela indaba yabo, kuthi ababephucayo Yena abephuce ukuphila kwabo.
24 Ungabi ngumngani womuntu onolaka, ungahambi nomuntu othukutheleyo,
25 funa ufunde izindlela zakhe, umphefumulo wakho uwele ogibeni.
26 Ungazibandakanyi nabenza izibambiso, noma ube yisibambiso sesikweletu;
27 uma kungekho ongakhokha ngakho, uyakuthathelwani umbhede wakho phansi kwakho na?
28 Ungasisusi isikhonkwane esidala esashayelwa ngokhokho bakho.
29 Uyambona umuntu onekhono, uyosebenzela amakhosi, hhayi abantukazana.